Man sent for trial for housebreaking
At the Borough police court today (Wednesday), before the mayor (Cllr Chrimes) and Mr G Rowntree, Byron Johnson (44), labourer, William Street, was charged with having broken into 153 North Marine Road, and stolen articles of apparel to the value of £5, the property of Mary Arlidge, between September 30th 1908 and March 29th 1909.
He was also charged with having broken into 6 Pavilion Square, and stolen goods valued at 2.10s, the property of Edmund Adcock, between December 20th 1908 and April 1 1909.
In the first case the chief constable said the house in North Marine Road was a holiday home for St Stephen's Orphanage, York and Miss Dixon Spain, one of the matrons (Miss Arlidge was the lady superintendent) left the house secure about the end of last October. On account of information received by the police, they went to the house, and found the back kitchen window broken open and the house had been ransacked.
Enquiries had been made by the police, and they had found that the articles had been disposed of by prisoner in different places in the town. He asked for prisoner to be sent to the sessions for trial.
Elizabeth Cordukes, Atlas Place, said prisoner went to her house and offered two blankets for sale for 4s. She only had 2s 6d and he took that. About a fortnight after, she bought three towels and four pinafores for 1s and 3d and later she bought other goods, three blankets, for which she gave him 3s, and subsequently she bought four pinafores for 1s and on a fifth occasion when he called witness' husband told him that she did not want anymore. Prisoner said he had been at Filey, and got the goods cheaply. He said that he had thought they were men's clothes. She believed his statement, and that was why she bought them. Prisoner assuring her that he had come by them honestly.
The chief constable said the articles had been marked, but the "markings" had been cut off – it was only fair to say not by the witness, but by prisoner, previously.
Mary Ann Plews, widow, 7 Providence Place, spoke as to buying two pinafores at 3d each. A fortnight after he went with some blankets, which she purchased for 2s 6d. He had a bag full of pinafores on the first occasion, and said he had purchased a sovereign's worth at a sale at Filey. He later called with some more blankets, and she made an exchange.
The chief constable said the witness, when she heard prisoner was in custody, went voluntarily and told the police.
Jane Mallory, 26, Hope Street, spoke as to buying five pinafores for 5d, and two blankets and a rug for 1s 3d. She believed prisoner's statement that he had bought them at Filey.
Detective Yeoman spoke as to receiving goods from other people who had bought them from prisoner.
PC Oldroyd said when he arrested prisoner, the latter said: "I know nothing about it." Witness produced certain goods he had received.
Detective Inspector Nawton detailed his inspection of the premises, and the recovery of some goods.
Formally charged, the prisoner said, "I am guilty."
He was committed to take his trial at the quarter sessions on Friday April 16th.
The second case was similar to the first. Mr Adcock, said the chief, was a draper's assistant and he left Scarborough a week before Christmas, but unfortunately he did not, like many other people report he had done so to the police and until that occurrence, when the police found a window had been broken, no one knew that the house had been unoccupied.
On February 27th it was reported to Mr Adcock that a window had been broken, but he didn't miss the articles until Tuesday, when he went to the police-office, and identified a table-cover, cloth, and hearth rug, which had been sold by prisoner to two people.
Elizabeth Foster, 1 Wray's Yard, William Street, said she bought the clock and rug 1s each, prisoner asking for that sum. Prisoner said he had got the goods from Filey Road and had given 1s 6d for them.
Elizabeth Parkinson, 21, Oxford Street, said she bought the table cover for 2s. She asked prisoner if "he had pinched it," and he said he wouldn't do such a thing – it was his trade, buying and selling.
Detective Yeoman and PC Oldroyd gave evidence, the latter stating that when charged prisoner made no reply.
When formally charged, prisoner replied: I do not wish to say anything.
He was committed, on this charge, to the sessions.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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