Mexborough and Swinton Times May 17, 1929

Tale of a Loud Speaker

A fine of £3 was imposed by the Doncaster County magistrates on Saturday on Reginald Hampshire, joiner, of 18, Lower Dolcliffe Road, Mexborough, on a charge of having stolen a loud speaker valued at 7s, 6d. Belonging to Charles Oxley, of 2, Sarah Street, Mexborough.

Oxley said that on March 6th the defendant asked him if he could lend him a loud speaker. Witness lent him one, Hampshire promising to bring it back in a few days. He failed to return it, saying he had lent it to a man at Brampton. On March 19th Hampshire promised to return the instrument that night or next morning. He did not do so, and witness saw him three days later and told him he was going to report the matter to the police. Hampshire replied that he would get neither the loud speaker nor the money.

Cross-examined by Mr. Lindsay Crawford (defending). Oxley denied that he asked Hampshire to sell the loud speaker to a second hand dealer for 4s. He admitted that he owed this dealer money for a magneto.

Edward Smith, cycle and general dealer, of West Melton, said he had a stall in Mexborough market, and on March 9th Hampshire asked him if he (witness) would sell a loud speaker for him or 7s.or 8s. Witness sold the loud speaker’ which was Imperfect, for 3s., and still had the money, not having been asked for it.

P.c. Batterbee said he cautioned the dependant on April 29th, and he replied, “I took the loud speaker to a man in the market for him to sell.           I refused to let Oxley have, it back or the money, and he has now made it bad for me,”

Defendant’s story, was that Oxley asked him to sell the loudspeaker.