The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1888-06-12 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

PAINFUL COS.—Joseph Hoey was charged with stealing an overcoat and umbrella, on Thursday last, the property of P. Watson, of the Temperance Hotel, Dalton-road. 'the prosecutor identified the coat and umbrella produced as his property. On Thursday evening last, the umbrella was in the stand and the coat en the hooks in the hotel lobby. About 10 o'clock that night the prisoner came in and asked for a bed for the night. Witness did not give him one, not liking his appearance. The prisoner had a coat over his arm and an umbrella in his hand, but witness did not then imagine that they were his own property.—ln reply to the prisoner, who asked was it not true that he had been under the influence of drink, witness said he could smell drink off him at the time.—Miss Cassell, residing at Dalton-road, said that on Thursday night, between 12 and 1 o'clock, the prisoner hocked at her door and asked for a drink of water, and to leave the , co rbt and umbrella all night, which witness allowed him to do. He came between 9 and 10 on Friday morning, and asked to leave them that day. He did not comeback for them. When witness heard he had been taken in charge for stealing them, she gave them up to the police.—The prisoner, in reply to the bench, pleaded guilty.—P.C. Burley said he apprehended the prisoner in the White Horse Dalton„ on Friday. When apprehended the prisoner replied, "Quite light.”—The prisoner said his ease was rather a painful one. He was driven out of his mind by his wife committing adultery, selling tile things in the house, and leaving little or nothing and eoieg away to America with another man. He took to drink, and in consequence of a sunstroke he got in India, this had the effect of making him not know what lie was doing. He had been in the army. and lived a long time abroad. and could show 23 years' characters for good service. He had lately held a hotel license on Dalton, but he bad lost his business and his home through his wife, and her conduct had PreYed upon his mind. It would have the same effect on any man—The Chairman observed that nothing would justify him in stealing other people's goods.— The prisoner, who appeared very much agitated, said he would not have done it only he was out of his mind. It was not that be wanted the things. Only for his wife such a thing would never have happened. She had sold a hundred odd pounds' worth of goods for about eight.—The Magistrates' Clerk: Has he a t mien I—The Chief Constable: I don't know. ills prisoner: Yes, I have a pensiou.—The Chief uonstable : The less he says about his pension the better.—Tbe prisoner said it was all owing to his wife's adultery and absconding with another man. Re threw himself on the mercy of the court.—The Chairman said the court would have been glad to have taken into account the circumstances of the case, but they could not overlook the fact that he had gone into man's premises and deliberately took these things oat of his house. The prisoner was sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour.  *Omni Arm Suicrng.--Sergeant McGowan, of the Irish Constabulary at Moate, Westmeath, was on Ptiday night killed by bayonet wounds inflicted by Constable Simpson, who afterwards shot himself dead. The murder is supposed to have been committed during a sudden excess of insanity.