Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 28 October 1892

Impudent Theft at Mexborough

A respectably dressed young woman, was in custody on a charge of having stolen a number of articles belonging to a woman named Louisa Law, High street, Mexborough, between the 1st of July and the 22nd of October.

Louisa Law, single woman, Mexborough, said she lived with her father next door to prisoner’s mother. Up to recently, prisoner had been accustomed to go in and out of her house. Witness once gave her the key when she went away, and recently she had missed several articles of clothing. She suspected prisoner, and applied to the police for a warrant for her apprehension. She identified the articles produced as bher property. Amongst the articles stolen was atea caddy, a bib, an apron, etc.

The value of the articles stolen was £1 10s. She had not given any of them away.

lnspector Barrett deposed to arresting the prisoner on the 22nd inst. In the prisoner’s presence he found two cotton chemises, in her brother’s house. He took her to the police station and charged her with the articles, and she made no reply. He found at Frank Perry’s (prisioner’s brother) two cotton chemises, one cotton nightdress, one black and white striped skirt, one white apron, white bodice, and one white flowered silk handkerchief.  At the father’s house he found one tea caddy, one pearl caddy, spoons, and two steel fender nobs. She was wearing, when he arrested her, a white flannel petticoat, and portion of the apron which she had stolen.

Prisoner’s father said there was no need for his daughter to steel. She lived with him. He could not understand it at all, and hoped it would be a warning to her. He asked for the leniency of the Bench.

Prisoner on hearing the charge read over appeared much overcome and pleaded guilty.

The Chairman said the Bench were very reluctant to send a woman like prisoner to prison. They would give her the option of paying a fine. If she was brought up again on a charge of that sort she would be sent to prison for at least three months, she might have been sentenced to that term now. As this was her first offence however they hoped it would be a warning to her. She would have to pay a line of £4 including costs, or go to prison for one month.