Too blind to see the truth

Hertfordshire Mercury, 17th October 1914

Transcript

At Hertford Borough Sessions, William Johnson, of Brewhouse Lane, was charged with stealing a window blind, valued at 10 shillings, the property of Mr Arnold Thomas, draper, of Maidenhead Street, on 12th October.

The prosecutor said that he had missed the blind from the rear of his premises on the Monday night.

Charlotte Ansell stated that she saw the defendant go down Dolphin Yard and come back with the blind under his arm.  He rolled it up and went off with it towards St Andrews Street.  She afterwards informed the police.

Police Constable Pitcher stated that he found the stolen blind at the defendant’s house the same evening.  When charged, the defendant said that he had found it on the road.

Police Sergeant Hadder corroborated.

The defendant said that he had picked it up in Maidenhead Street, and had thought it was a cloth that had fallen from a cart.  Sergeant Hadder, however, said that the name “Arnold Thomas” was painted in large letters right across the blind (which was produced in court).

Superintendent Pear said that the defendant had been drinking on the day in question, and had a purse containing £8 in gold in his pocket.

There were 25 previous convictions, many of them for drunkenness.  The last of these was in 1911.

The bench fined him £1.

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