The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1901-06-19 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

MONDAY.—Befors Messrs. T. L. Dodds and  j. Gamlin.  Drunk in Grangeetreet. —Felix Taylor, S. Taylor's-buildings, was charged with being drunk in Grange-street on Saturday last, and was fined Ins. and costs or 14 days.  Begging in Chester-street.—Henry O'Neil, 2-1, Egerton-strest, was charged with being drunk and begging in Chester-street on Saturday last.—P.C. 3a (Allen) stated that he saw the prisoner, who was drank, accost several persons in Chester-street, and ask them for money. Re also asked the witness for a penny, stating that he had come from Bristol, to which town he belonged, while it was well-known that the prisoner had always lived in Birkenhead. The prisoner, who said he was drunk and must have done it for a joke, was discharged with a caution.  Theft in a Public-House.—Rose Smith, Mary Davies, Thee. Smith, and John Davies, were charged with stealing 16s. from the person of Wm. Newton, 12, Railway-road, on the 15th inst. The evidence stated that the prisoners, who were quite sober, entered ! the bar of the Prince of Wales Hotel on Saturday afternoon, and the two women got , into conversation with the prosecutor who ! paid for drink for them. After they bad been talking for some time the prosecutor felt one of the women put her hand in his pocket, and exclaimed that he had been robbed. The two women ran out to the back of the house followed by Newton, who saw the prisoner BOW Smith, who committed the theft, pass somo of the money to the woman Davies, who rushed past him into the street. Prosecutor was unsuccessful in recovering his money, which was passed on to Smith, one of the male prisoners, who chased the prosecutor with the object of assaulting. Evidence having been given, the magistrates considered the case against the three prisoners, Rose Smith, Thos. Smith, and Mary Davies proved, and sentenced the two former to two months' imprisonment each, with hard labour, and the latter to one month's imprisonment with hard labour. , John Davies was discharged. Drank and Disorderly.—Sarah Jones, 8. Walker-place, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Walker-place, and also with wilfully damaging a window at 5. Walker-place, the property of William Smith. P.C. 16c (Barrow) stated that about midnight on Saturday he saw the prisoner drunk and fighting in Walker-place. He put her into her house, several times, but ' she came out again, and created a disturbance, screamin-*, and stated that she would commit suicide by throwing herself under a train.—William Smith, of 5, Walker-place, stated that he heard the prisoner Jones and her husband, who was crying for protection, and shouting that he was going to be killed. The prisoner stated in defence that her husband had been drinking all the afternoon in the witness's house, and had spent ss. 6d. out of the 15s. which he had received in wages. She was angry with her husband and threw a small basin at him, which by accident went through Smith's window. She also stated that her husband treated her badly, and she had to work to support her family. The husband also gave evidence, but his etatements were considered unsatisfactory by the magistrates, who discharged the prisoner with a caution to amend her behaviour.  Robbing the Poor Foreigner.—George Hogan, 17, Claughton-road, and William Basford, no settled abode, were charged with stealing a pair of boots, the property of Name Tuela, of es. Clan Forbes, at the Morpeth Dock, on the 16th inst. The prosecutor, a dusky foreigner, was entirely unacquainted with English, and the evidence had to be conducted in Hindustani by means of an interpreter, an equally swarthy compatriot. The evidence showed that the prisoners went on board the Clan Forbes on Sunday last, and negotiations were entered into by Hogan and the prosecutor regarding the cleaning of the latber's boots, which were worth a shilling. Prosecutor went away to attend to his dutiee as cook, and while he was away, the prisoner Basford ran off with the bcots, followed by Hogan. Basford was afterwards arrested near the ferry whilet wearing the boots. Baafcrrd admitted having taken the boots, stating that Ron said he would take them if he didn't. Ile gave as his reason for the theft that he wanted a pair of boots more than Hogan did. Each of the prisoners RAH sentenced to 14 days' hard labour. Theft of a Writch.—Thos. Joseph Muihall was charged with stealing a silver watch, value 215., the property of Mary Semen, 12, Grosvenor-street, on the 14th inst. The prosecutor, who stated that the prisoner, who was her half-cousin, came to her house on Friday last week about 5 p.m., and whikt ehe was out attending to some duty the prisoner went upstairs and took the watch which was lying on a table in the bedroom.  Thos. Bresnan, a ship labourer, who lives at the same house, stated that he heard of the theft on Friday night. When he went to his work at Laird's the next morning the prisoner came down to him and handed the match to him, telling him to take it back to the prosecutrix. Prisoner told him that be was very drunk and went to lie down upstairs. While there he saw the watch, and he del not know what prompted him to take it. Detective Reynolds haying given evidence of arrest, the magistrates said they would treat the ease leniently as prisoner bad restored the watch, and he would only have to pay a fine of 10s. and costs or seven days. Drunkenness and Assault.—Harriet Tyson, 11, Wellington-road, Wavertree, and Sarah Anne Cowan, 7, Abbot-street, were charged with being drunk and disorderly in Chesterstreet, and also with assaulting Sarah Anne Reardon, of 54, Vine-street, an Saturday.— P.C. 7a (Bowen) stated that he saw the two prisoners assaulting Mrs. Reardon in Chester-street about 645 on Saturday evening He asked them to go away, but they refused, and he took them to the bridewell.—The asmerited woman stated that she was struck several times by the prisoners, and the back of her head was severely cut.—lnspector Parker stater( that on being taken to the bridewell the behaviour of the prisoners was very disorderly. They made use of threatening language, end tried to assault the woman Reardon again.—ln defence it was stated that the prosecutor had thrown a stone et one of the prisoners. A penalty of Ss. and coals or arven days was imposed. .