The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1920-04-07 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

REFORMATORY GIRLS'  ESCAPADES.  POLICE 'COURT STORY.  The escapades. of two girls following their escape from the Parkside Reformatory, Huyton, related to the Bench at the Wallasey Polies Court on .Saturday and also on Monday, when faabel Bamford (16), and. Martha Barley.' (15), were charged at two difiereat' **time 'with escaping from • the -As*Whoa and stealone pair ing frbm 75, Clarranden2road, Egremosat, of hair brushes and oleo, shaving soap, two pai,rs' of shoes, a aklrt, handbag and sponge, lifted at .64 55., the property of William Atkihs' on, on March 31st.  On Saturday, during the hearing of the case against Ranford, and also against Andrew M'Bride (23). a New Brighton theatre attendant, charged with g receiving the hair brushes, etc., knowing them to have been fib:en, the Chief Conetable told the Bench that the girl, who , had three times prefievaly eecaped from Idetention, • ran away on March 11, from the Parksida Reformatory, Huyton, to which she had a week Provi°uBlY been I committed by the Birkenhead magistrates after conviction for stealing money.  Amswering an advertisement. she was engaged by Mr. Atkin , a dental practitioner in Clarendon7ll)&4,, •to look after ,the surgery and- answer the door. She 'was given a key with wh she let herself in each morning. ~ She absconded on Wednesday with another girl who had esca Itrom the refer.' fcrrmatory, taking the. articles with, her. She —was sulstreq arrested' at her lodgings in Grosvenor-street, New Brighton, where the Made' prisoner was also lodging. She went ant with him on Thursday afternoon, and gave him the artidles in respetc4. to which he was charged, and as which he asked her no questions. 1 - • An official froth the reformatory said that the Church Army had undertaken the cost of training the girl as a dispenser, and elle had been given another chance, after her Birkenhead conviction, when. there were five charges of thefts from shops and from little girls in the street. ffer previous sentence did not expire until January, 1922. She had been more or less an invalid while in the reformatory, had been carefully nursed, and had been taken to a Liverpool specialist several times. Witness added that there was no punishment in the reformatory.  I Prisoner: No punishment indeed ! That's a lie!  The Bench said it was no use sending her back to the reformatory; she was more trouble than she was worth. She nsust go to a Borstal Institution for three years. She would there have some chenee of a cure.  The male prisoner, who stated that the 'girl said the things she gave him belonged to her deed father, was bead that his story was not believed, and that his conduct was despicable. He must pay a, fine of .£lO, or go to gaol for two months. Martha Barley pleaded guilty at the Police Court on Monday, when charged' with escaping from the reformatory, and also etealing the articles in question. The Chief Constable (Mr. P. L. Barry) stated that the girl was committed to the, reformatory in 1915 for stealing a bicycle. It appeared thlet Martha Barley was outside the house when the goods werel stolen, but received some of them after-1 wards. He understood there were five other offences committed by the girl at Birkenhead, including the theft of a purse and lie. sd; chordate, and an UMbrella, while there was also a charge of obtaining groceries by 'false pretences. A lady official of the reforniartory stated that she had known defendant sinoe November, when she was tnsineferred there from the "Red Lodge," which was now closed. During the time witness had known the girl she had found her subject to fits of great excitement. About a week before absconding the girl broke into one of the staff bedrooms, after obtaining the key, and took money from two purses. She was caught Wore making good her escape. When asked the reason for her conduct, Barley said she had received a letter stating that her aunt was getting married again. The girl seemed much upset end declared her intention of committing suicide. The Bench decided to send the girl back to the reformatory.