Wellingborough Police Court
This Day. Friday, August 8. Before Mr. Spencer Pratt (in the chair), and Mr. C. J. K. Woolston.

THEFT OF CLOTHING—Alf. Clayton, Rushden, was charged with stealing a coat and three pairs of boots, value £3 14s., belonging to Fred Knight, at Rushden, during July; a top coat, value 18s., at Rushden, belonging to Stephen Radford, during the same month; and also with stealing a man's jacket, value 16s., the property of George Wilmott.—Fred Knight gave evidence of missing his articles (produced) from his harness room.—Robt. Bailey said Clayton offered to sell him a pair of boots, which, he said, Charles Bradfield had given to him. He took them on trial and afterwards gave them to the police.—P.C. Dunbar said on Saturday he met prisoner, who was carrying a mackintosh and a pair of fire brigade boots. In reply-to witness he told him he had them given to him. He suspected prisoner and arrested him, and the prosecutor had since identified the articles as his. Prisoner admitted to him that he had taken the things from Mr. Knight's saddle-room. Stephen Radford stated that he hung up the top coat (produced) in an outhouse of Mr. Charles Knight's, where he worked, one day in July. He missed it next morning, but thought it might be upstairs, and did not look for it until August 6th, when he could not find it. He went to P.C. Dunbar's, and there identified the coat.—Thomas Blackwell, groom, in the employ of Mr. Frederick Eyte, said a fortnight ago he saw the prisoner in High-street with the coat produced. He asked witness if he wanted to buy a coat, and he bought it for 2s.—Geo. Willmott, butcher, Rushden, said he was returning from Higham market about two months ago, and gave Radford his coat (produced) to carry home for him in his cart. Next morning Radford told him the coat was missing. He did not see it until the 7th. inst. at P.C. Dunbar's.—Charles Dickens, shoe-rivetter, said prisoner sold him the coat produced about two months ago for 1s. 6d.—Prisoner admitted taking all the things, and he was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions.

HOW TO RAISE THE WIND—At the Newport Pagnell Petty Sessions, on Wednesday last week, George Dilley and Oliver Ellis were brought up on a warrant charged with stealing, on the 24th December last, 12 rabbits and 8 hares, the property,of Mr. Robert Battams, of Lavendon.— Mr. B. Bull, of Newport Pagnell, appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Phillips of Northampton, defended Dilley and Ellis.—It came out in evidence that Dilley and Ellis, with another man, named James Orpen, were drinking at a "pub" in Rushden, on the 23rd of December, and running short of cash, Orpen, whose father is keeper to Mr. Battams, suggested a plan to the other two men how to raise the wind. It appears this James Orpen knew a good deal about the movements on Mr. Battams' farm, as he had worked there when a young man, and he appears to have known that Mr. Battams had a shooting party on the day named, and the hares and rabbits were shot and deposited in the granary, of which fact Orpen seemed to have a distinct knowledge; therefore he induced the other two to go with him and fetch the lot, which they did in the night, getting back to Rushden early in the morning, and sold them to a man named Dickens for 45s., which money they divided in three equal parts. The whole affair remained a mystery to Mr. Battams and to the police, who tried to find out the depredators at the time; but about six weeks ago Orpen's wife left him, and it appears that Ellis, one of the hare stealers, took the woman in, and gave her a home. This enraged Orpen, and consequently he gave evidence to the police against the two men whom he induced to go with him to commit the robbery. The prosecution elected to offer no evidence against Orpen, but put him in the witness-box to give evidence against his confederates.—Mr. Phillips, for the defence, deprecated such a procedure, and commented upon the fact that Orpen had eight previous convictions against him; therefore, the evidence which he gave ought not to be relied upon.—The Bench decided to send Dilley and Ellis for trial to the Quarter Sessions.—Mr. Phillips contended that the Bench were bound to send Orpen also for trial, asserting that they had not the power to pardon any man in case of felony. Orpen had given evidence implicating himself as well as others in the robbery; therefore he demanded that he be sent for trial also.—The Clerk to the Bench ruled that Mr. Phillips's contention was right; therefore all three were committed for trial, bail being refused.

Higham Ferrers Petty Sessions—On Monday last, before Mr. J. Crew and Mr. G. Wyman, John Brown, blacksmith, Rushden, was charged with stealing a pipe and a pouch containing tobacco at Higham, on Saturday. J. W. Cooper was the prosecutor, and from his evidence it appeared that he gave Brown a ride to Higham in his furniture van. Prisoner agreed to help unload the van, and at night prosecutor missed his pipe and pouch from his coat pocket. Brown pleaded guilty, and was fined 10s. and 14s. 8d. costs.

Rushden Shoemakers Charged With Night Poaching
At the Sharnbrook Police Court on Friday last, before Captain Scott (in the chair), and Mr. A. D. Chapman.—Thomas Knight, and William Thomas Childs, rivetter, of Rushden, were charged by John Barnard, gamekeeper, Melchbourne, with being on land and taking rabbits by night. The charge was altered to this form from night poaching to enable the Bench to deal summarily with it. Mr. Mitchell prosecuted; Mr. G. J. defended Childs, who pleaded not guilty. Knight pleaded guilty.—John Barnard said he acted as keeper on Lord St. John's Estate at Melchbourne. On the evening he was out by the Lodge gate on the Knotting and Melchbourne road. He had a companion, and after they had stood a few moments they heard the rustling of somebody over the fence, and saw the head and shoulders of several men moving along. At last they came out on to the road, walking as silently as they could on the grass, and then one of them came into the gate. He was followed by several dogs, which came up to witness and began smelling. This set the men on the look-out and they stopped. Witness then jumped out and said "Halloo, what do you do here". They all bustled off and ran down the road, followed by witness until suddenly one of them cried "mates, stand like men," and then they turned. Knight came for witness and he knocked him down. A bit of a fight commenced between the lot then and stones were thrown. Witness tracked them to Rushden, and went with a con¬stable to look out the men. He identified the two defendants at once, but could not identify the others. He saw Childs' face distinctly at the gate because he went about two yards off him. Cross-examined: The affair took place about 12.30 at night. It was a starlight night, and there were occasional flashes of lightning. He could positively swear to all the men he saw afterwards in the road being within the gate. Witness said it was not true that.......[missed text]—William Hales, George Gill, and Arthur Hales, also gave evidence.—For the defence, Mr. Phillips contended that it was almost impossible on such a blustering evening as this for the gamekeeper to recognise a man tinder such conditions whom they had not seen before. Three years ago Childs was convicted of poaching and since that time he had really endeavoured to get an honest living. He broke away from the old gang and actually left his village for three years; he went to work at Northampton where he had a good character, but had only been back to Rushden again a month when this charge was preferred against him. If it had not been for the suspicions of the police, because of some former conviction, the man would never have been brought up on the charge. He contended that he had good evidence proving an alibi, and he called Thomas Childs, father of defendant Childs, who said his son had been away the last 2½years. He remembered the night of the alleged poaching affray at Melchbourne; witness had been to a meeting, and came home about ten, when he found his son in bed. He shouted down stairs in answer to witness "Yes, we're all in; you can look the door, father." When he woke up about five o'clock his son was in bed, and his boots and things were dry. He came down about six o'clock, and there was nothing about him to cause witness to believe that he had been out.—Mrs. Childs also gave evidence corroborating part of her husband's statement.— Mrs. Dilley, Rushden, stated that she had kept the black lurcher dog, which belonged to young Childs for two or three weeks. On the night when it was said to be out at Melchbourne with him, she could say that it was in her barn for she heard it yelping.—A Rushden Police Sergeant was called to prove that it was quite possible for a man to leave Rushden at ten o'clock, be at Melchbourne at 12, and plenty of time to be in bed again before six o'clock in the morning.—After some minutes' consideration, the chairman said they were perfectly satisfied that Childs was present. They intended to stop these poaching expeditions, and as there were several previous convictions against each. Childs would be sent to prison for two months with hard labour, and when he came out be bound over himself in £10 and one surety of £10 not to so offend again within twelve months. Knight had attempted to assault the keeper and his sentence was three months hard labour.

Wellingborough Police Court.
This Day - Friday, Dec. 19.—Before Mr. N. P. Sharman (in the chair), and Mr. C. J. K. Woolston.

THE EDUCATION ACT—Samuel Eakins and Caleb Line, Rushden, were summoned for not sending their children to school. Mr. James Heygate represented the Rushden School Board and Mr. Greorge Bayes, attendance officer, proved the cases. An attendance order was made in Eakins’ case, and Line was fined 1s. and 4s. costs.

Poaching—At the Sharnbrook Petty Sessions last Friday, a Rushden shoemaker named Arthur Clayton was charged, in connection with a Bedford gardener named John Ellis, with coming from land where they had been in search of game on October 3rd at Podington, and also with assaulting P.C. Sturgess.—It appears that defendants and three other men were seen in the middle of the night by the constable and three gamekeepers, and they had nets with them and several rabbits. The policeman turning on his light was the signal for the poachers to belabour him, but he secured a man named Cole (who has been convicted for it), but all the other men got away.—For the trespass defendants were each fined 5s. and costs, or two months’ hard labour; and for the assault they were each sentenced to three months’ hard labour.

24 August 1894 - Northampton Mercury

Harriett Cox, married woman, of Rushden. was charged with forging a birth certificate. The prosecution was instituted the Rushden School Board, for whom Mr. James Heygate appeared, and stated that the case was brought, not in vindictive spirit, but as a warning .......

14 December 1894 - Northampton Mercury

Arrest of a Rushden Bankrupt—William Okins, blacksmith and cycle agent, Rushden, was arrested on Tuesday evening on his return home, after attending the Northampton Bankruptcy Court. It seems that, armed with a search warrant, his premises were searched….

28 December 1894 - Northampton Mercury

Alleged Fraudulent Bankruptcy at Rushden - Extraordinary Evidence—At a special sitting the Wellingborough Police Court, on Monday, before Mr. C. J. K. Woolstoft, William Okins, cycle agent, Rushden, was brought on remand, on charges under the Bankruptcy Act....

11 January 1895 - Northampton Mercury

Samuel Hodby, Rushden, was charged with neglecting to support his parents, and was ordered to pay 2s. per week.

15 November 1895 - Northampton Mercury

Leonard Astles, beerhouse keeper, Rushden, was charged with a breach of the Licensing Act by selling beer during prohibited hours, on November 3rd.

THE POACHING PREVENTION ACT has been responsible for the appearance in court of a good many people from time to time. A Rushden man named William Barnes received a piece of blue paper requesting his attendance last Friday at the Wellingborough petty sessions, the offence alleged against him being a breach of the Poaching Prevention Act. He was fined 10s. and 6s. costs.

A LOVE STORY—On Wednesday at the Kettering petty sessions, James Love, a Rushden shoe operative, was summoned for deserting his wife, Mary Ann Love, at Kettering.—Mrs. Love gave evidence to the effect that she had not been living with her husband for the last 16 weeks. He went away and left her, and had sent her only 5s during that time. She asked for a separation order. There were six children, four of whom were, living with her, the youngest being ten years of age. Defendant could earn £2 a week.—Defendant spoke of his ill-treatment by the children, and that his wife told him to leave and not come back again.—P.s. Knight said he found defendant's wages at Rushden were £1 14s. per week. Defendant said he would offer his wife and the children that could not work a home if she would live with him. Complainant said she dare not accept it. —The magistrates held that defendant had deserted his wife, although there might have been circumstances which had led to it. Their decision was that he should allow his wife 7s. 6d. a week and 2s. 6d. a week for the child ten years of age. There were certain provisions, being that she was not bound to cohabit with him and another that she was to have the custody of the children. —Defendant: I am afraid she will not get 10s. off me nor a halfpenny. I thought if I offered her a home, she would have to come to it or get nothing. —The Chairman: This is a clear case of desertion; and you have heard the decision of the Bench.

THE RUSHDEN LICENSING CASE

DRUNKENNESS was the charge preferred against Alfred Darnell, of Rushden, at the Wellingborough police court on Friday, and he was fined 5s. and costs.

A LAMB WORRIED BY A DOG—At the Wellingborough police-court on Friday, a Rushden carrier, named Wm. Adams, was ordered to pay £1 and 8s. 6d. costs, his dog having killed a lamb value £1, belonging to Geo. Blason, of Ecton.

Wellingborough Police Court
This Day (Friday)

Before Mr. C.J.K. Woolston (chairman), Mr. W. Brown, Mr. E. Sharman and Mr. E.B. Randall, Mr. P. James and the Rev. T. Richards.

John Henshaw and Geo. Stevens, lads, Rushden, were summoned for obscenity at Rushden. P.C. Slaughter said he heard them use most obscene language to some girls. Henshaw pleaded guilty. Fined 5s and costs.

For similar offences Wm. Pend [sic] and Walter Sears, of Rushden, had to pay 16s each.

Alfred Gross, a Rushden lad, for riding a bicycle without a light at night on May 16 was fined 11s including costs. P.S. Birill was the witness.

Robert Hooper and George Lenton, Rushden, for allowing ponies to stray were fined 5s and 5s costs each.

Wellingborough Police Court
This day (Friday)
Before Mr. C. J. K. Woolston (chairman), Mr. W. Brown, Mr. E. Sharman, and Mr Owen Parker and Mr. P. James.

William Adams, carrier, Rushden, for allowing two horses to stray at Rushden, June 1st, was fined 15s including costs. P.C. Searle was the informant.

Frank Drag, labourer, Irthlingborough, for using obscene language at Finedon on May 39 was fined 21s including costs.

Leonard Parsons, cycle agent, Irthlingborough and Walter Whitman, shoehand, Raunds, were summoned for furiously riding a tandem bicycle on the Highway at Rushden on May 26. On the evidence of P.S. Berrill, defendants were fined 15s.1d each including costs.

Aldwyn White, shoehand, Irthlingborough was charged with indecency, exposing himself at Stanwick on June 3rd. Mr. Heygate defended. Mrs. Ellingham, wife of the police constable of Stanwick said that she and her friend, Alice Enticott, were walking down the green lane towards Raunds when they saw defendant indecently exposing himself against a stile. They walked on some distance, and the defendant followed them. They then became somewhat alarmed and returned. As they were coming back, defendant crossed the lane and stood with his back to a gate and repeated the offence- Alice Enticott corroborated- Mr. E Claridge, Rushden gave evidence as to the defendant’s previous good character. Defendant was committed to prison for 3 months’ hard labour.

Mr. J. T. Parker applied for an hour’s extension for all the licensed houses in Rushden next Thursday, the second day of the show. This was granted.

Frederick Wm. Andrews, watch repairer, late of Wellingborough Road Rushden, now of no fixed address, was charged with larceny as bailee of a gold watch at Rushden on July 23rd. (case proceeding)

CAUGHT 'NAPPING'—A charge of gaming on the highway at Wymington was preferred at Sharnbrook petty sessions on Friday against George Childs, 17, John Dickens, 17, John Tassel 16, John Rose, 17, and William Burgess, 18, Rushden shoehands. Childs, Rose and Burgess pleaded guilty. P.C. Godman deposed to seeing defendants playing nap on the footpath at noon. When they saw witness they ran away, leaving some cards and a penny on the ground. The constable followed them to Rushden and got their names. Rose was fined 12s. 6d. including costs, having been convicted before, and the rest were fined 10s.

AFTER THE RABBITS—At Sharnbrook on Friday Edward Evans, 21, and Harry Evans, 18, Rushden shoehands, were charged with passing in search of conies at Podington. A gamekeeper named Jabez Cole said the defendants were always poaching around Podington. On June 4th he saw them with two dogs in the spinney, and they killed a couple of rabbits in a very short time. Defendants, against whom convictions were already recorded, were fined £1 10s. including costs or a month's hard labour.

Obscenity – For using obscene language James Pearson of Rushden was at the Wellingborough police court on Friday, fined 10s and costs or seven days’ hard labour.

Police case – At the Wellingborough police court on Friday, J. Holdsworth of Rushden, was fined 2s 6d and 4s costs for being drunk and disorderly at Earl’s Barton on June 25th.

A pony astray —Robert Smith, baker, of Rushden was fined 2s 6d and 5s costs at Wellingborough on Friday, for allowing a pony to stray upon the highway.

A charge of assault from Rushden was herd by the Magistrates at Wellingborough on Friday. Aaron Upton, a Rushden shoehand, being summoned for assaulting Thomas Lack on June 25th. Complainant deposed that he called to collect an account from defendant who struck him and tore his coat. Defendant said that Mr. Lack commenced the assault. Defendant’s son gave corroborative evidence and the case was dismissed.

The Dog Tax—For keeping a dog without a licence, Thos. Lissimore, of Rushden, was, at Wellingborough on Friday, fined 10s. and costs. Aubrey Chambers, of Rushden, was summoned for keeping more dogs than he had licences for. He was fined £1 and costs.

Charge of Assault—At the Wellingboro' petty sessions on Friday last Florence Coles, of Rushden, was summoned for assaulting Sarah Hanger on Aug. 30. Neither complainant nor defendant appeared, and the case was struck out.