At Ware Petty Sessions on Tuesday, Charles E. Rogers (11), of Little Horse Lane, Ware, was charged with stealing 12s. 4d. in cash, belonging to Emma Crane, wife of Thomas Crane, of 62 Baldock Street, Ware. Mrs Crane said that on December 6 she saw the boy and gave him 12s. 4d. , telling him to take it to Thunder Hall and give it to the cook. He had once before taken money for her.
Herbert Franklin (12), of 91 Crib Street, said that on December 6 he was in the Church Passage when he met Rogers, who said he had found some money in Milton Road. He asked the witness to go to Hertford with him and they went by train, Rogers paying for the tickets. When they got there, Rogers bought four pennyworth of sweets, and then they came home by train. When they got back they had some lemonade at Mrs Pake’s in New Road. Cross-examined by Rogers’ father, the witness said he had sixpence, which he gave to the police.
Another boy, William Huttlestone, said he met Rogers in East Street and was offered a halfpenny as it was his birthday. He refused to have it and asked him where he had got it from, and Rogers said he found it. He showed him 3s. 6d., and said he had given Franklin 6d. The witness refused to have the money because he thought he would be dragged in. PS Firth said he saw Rogers, Franklin, and Huttlestone in Coronation Road at 10 p.m. and asked them what they were doing out at that time of night. Huttlestone said he saw the others with a lot of money, and that Rogers had given him 3s. 6d. Rogers told him that he found the money in an envelope and bought a cake for 10d. from Messrs Jaggs and Edwards. He then met Franklin, and gave him some cake, and they bought some lemonade, and went to the station, where they had a bar of chocolate out of a machine.
They then went to Hertford, where they bought some lozenges and buns, went to a fish shop and had some winkles, then bought some more cakes and comic papers, and then returned to the station, buying some pineapple on the way. When they got back to Ware they bought some oranges, biscuits, fried fish and potatoes, and finished up with a visit to the picture palace. The Court adjourned the case for a fortnight.
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Emma & Thomas Crane are my Great, Great Grandparents and surprise to read a story regarding them