Corpun file 21884

Liverpool Daily Post, 1 July 1897

Click to enlarge

Anglesey.

The Anglesey Trinity Quarter Sessions were held at Beaumaris, yesterday, Sir Richard Williams Bulkeley, Bart., presiding. There were only two prisoners for trial.

The first was a boy of fifteen years named William Picton, charged with breaking into a shop at Holyhead and stealing 8s. and a quantity of cigarettes. The boy, who was undefended, pleaded guilty, whereupon Mr. E.G. Roberts, solicitor, stated that the boy's mother was present, and wished to make a statement on prisoner's behalf. He had no objection to that being done.

Mrs. Picton then entered the box and was sworn, but said she had no statement to make, but was ready to answer any questions. In reply to the chairman she said she would like to have the boy sent to a reformatory school, as she could not afford to keep him at home. Sir Richard, however, told her that to send the boy to a reformatory school would be as bad as sending him to gaol, adding that the best thing would be to give him twelve strokes with the birch rod.

[...]

Corpun file 21885

Liverpool Daily Post, 19 July 1897

Highway Robbery by Boys at Preston.

Click to enlarge

On Saturday, at Preston County Police Court, Robert Reynolds and Peter Yates, aged respectively twelve and eleven years, were charged with stealing 2s from Henry Jenkins, aged ten. From the evidence it appeared that on the 8th inst. Jenkins was going home, when he was met by the two prisoners, who asked what he had got in his hand. He replied "Money," and it was alleged that Reynolds then put his hand over the boy's mouth, while Yates took the money from him. Both prisoners then ran away.

School Attendance Inspector Moss said the prisoners kept company with thieves and would not attend school. In eight or nine cases of felony committed by Yates, Reynolds had assisted him.

The bench sentenced both boys to be birched.

Corpun file 21886

Liverpool Daily Post, 20 July 1897

A Youthful Thief at Ormskirk.

Click to enlarge

Yesterday, at the Ormskirk Police Court, before Messrs. R. Ainscough and T. Aspinwall, a lad named James Rawsthorne, eleven years of age, was charged with stealing a watch and chain, valued at 15s, the property of William Johnson, Ruff-lane, Lathom. The prosecutor stated that prisoner lived with his father in Chapel-street, Ormskirk. On Saturday, the 17th July, he went upstairs to put his child to sleep, having previously hung his watch up on the mantelpiece, and on coming down the stairs the watch was missing. The prisoner then came with his little brother, aged six, and asked for the loan of a bed key. The prosecutor suspected they had been before whilst he was upstairs and taken the watch, and he informed the police. Prisoner denied to the police that he had taken the watch, and said his brother took it, but that he had hidden the watch in the grass on the roadside, where it was afterwards found. Prisoner pleaded not guilty. He was ordered to receive four strokes with the birch.

Corpun file 21887

Liverpool Daily Post, 28 July 1897

A Youthful Housebreaker at Garston.

Click to enlarge

William Evans, aged twelve, was charged with having broken and entered the premises of the London and North-Western Railway Company, at Garston, between Saturday night and Monday morning last, and stealing a pocket-knife and 1d, the property of Mr. Thomas, the stationmaster. He was further charged with having entered a dwelling-house in Dock-road with intent to commit a felony, on the 24th inst. In each case the prisoner showed remarkable aptitude as a housebreaker. In the second case several drawers were found ransacked, but nothing stolen. Inspector M'Keand stated that the prisoner had broken into the same house on two previous occasions, and had received six strokes and nine strokes respectively for the offences.

The Bench now ordered the boy to receive twelve strokes with the birch rod.

Corpun file 21889

Liverpool Daily Post, 29 July 1897

Liverpool Assizes - Yesterday - Crown Court

(Before Mr. Justice Bruce.)

Watch-snatching in Liverpool.

The birch for robbery with violence.

Click to enlarge

Patrick Maher (21), labourer, came up for sentence upon a charge of robbing Robert Whittle of a watch and chain in Scotland-road, Liverpool, about ten o'clock on the night of June 7, and using personal violence at the time to him. The jury on Tuesday found the prisoner guilty and acquitted a man named John Francis, who was jointly indicted for the offence. Maher now threw himself on the mercy of the court. His Lordship said that prisoner was an intelligent young man, and might have been and still might be a useful member of society. He had led a bad life however, and unless his criminal career was arrested he was likely to become a confirmed criminal, and spend the greater part of his life in prison. He sentenced prisoner to six months' imprisonment with hard labour, remarking that he did not inflict a longer sentence because he could punish him in another way. Prisoner had used violence in the robbery and on that account he must receive in addition eighteen strokes from the birch.

Corpun file 21890

Liverpool Daily Post, 29 July 1897

Liverpool Assizes - Yesterday - Crown Court

(Before Mr. Justice Bruce.)

The birch for robbery with violence.

Click to enlarge

Joseph Duggan (23), Alfred Norman (20), and Thomas M'Coy (22) came up for sentence, Duggan and Norman for a robbery with violence from the person of Christopher Connolly, in Liverpool, on May 15, M'Coy for wounding Police-constable Alfred Hignett, and Duggan on a further count for assaulting the police in the execution of their duty. His Lordship said M'Coy had pleaded guilty to a serious case of unlawful wounding. He had a bad record, and must go to gaol for five months' imprisonment with hard labour. Duggan had been thirty-one times convicted, and must undergo nine months' imprisonment with hard labour for assaulting the police. Duggan and Norman had both been found guilty of robbery with violence. Duggan was the older prisoner, and appeared to have led the others away. He sentenced him to nine months' imprisonment for that offence, to run concurrently with the other sentence, and to receive in addition twenty-four strokes with the birchrod. Norman was sentenced to six months' hard labour, and ordered to receive eighteen strokes with the birch.