Theft from public-house till

Hertfordshire Mercury, 14th August 1915

Transcript

At Cheshunt Petty Sessions Ernest Williams, a private in the 12th Battalion Suffolk Regiment, stationed at Bury St Edmunds, was charged with stealing from ‘The Moulder’s Arms’, Waltham Cross, the sum of £2, the monies of William H. K. Ward, on July 15.

Detective-Sergt Childs said that on Tuesday he saw the prisoner detained in Bury St Edmunds Police Station.  He told him he held a warrant for his arrest.  He read the warrant over, and he replied: ‘Yes, I shall plead guilty.  I took the money.  I must have been drunk.  I did not come to the last Petty Sessions as I could not get away without deserting.’  William Henry King Ward, landlord of ‘The Moulder’s Arms’, said that on July 15 the prisoner came in to his house between 11 and 12 o’clock.

When the witness went in to dinner at 2.30 he left the defendant in the bar.  Near the till was £2 worth of silver.  From what he was told he re-entered the bar, and missed the money in question.  He saw the prisoner in the main road and overtook him.  He said to him: ‘Darkie, up with it’, he replied: ‘Up with what?’ and the witness answered: ‘Up with that money you have had off the till’.  He denied having the money.

With assistance the witness took him back to the public-house, and there he searched him, finding £1 19s. in silver on him.  He afterwards gave him into custody.  The prisoner elected to be dealt with summarily.  He was under the influence of drink at the time he took the money.

Fined 40 shillings or 25 days.

It will be remembered that at the last court two other men, named Rowland and Cutmore, were proceeded against in connection with the theft.  The case against Rowland was dropped at the outset, and Cutmore left the court without a stain on his character, it being proved that he had left the house when the theft was committed.  Williams did not appear at the last court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

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