A Foolish Theft.
James David Beatty was charged at the Police Court on Monday with stealing one bushel of onions value 4/7 from a cart in the Market Square.
James Morris Laslett a market gardener living at Worth said that on Friday he came into Dover market and left his van in the centre of the square. The van contained vegetables including a basket containing a bushel of onions. Witness left the van about 9 o’clock in the morning and six hours later he saw prisoner walking up Castle Street with the basket of onions on his shoulder. The man was stopped near the Victoria Hotel and witnesses asked him were he had taken the onions from and he replied that he gave 1s for them in the Market. Witness had given no authority for the onions to be sold the prisoner threw the basket with the onions on the pavement.
He was drunk and witness gave him into custody. Witness did not know prisoner who had never assisted him in his work. P.C. Spinner deposed to take prisoner into custody. Prisoner said that he had bought the onions from a short man in the Police Station he said he had bought the onions for 3s.
The Chief Constable said that prisoner was before the court last May charged with drunkenness. Just previous to being arrested for this offence he was caught taking a loaf of bread, and after he had been detained a little time at the Police Station witness had a chat with prisoner who said his wife and children were starving. Witness sent Detective South to the house, which was found to be beautifully clean, but there were only two or three crusts of bread in the home. The family was relieved by the Charity Committee and a gentleman, whose name he was unable to mention sent them some meat for their Christmas dinner.
The Police Court Missionary asked whether the case could not be dealt with under the probation act? Prisoner had signed the pledge before but did not keep it. He said his friend gave him a drink instead of bread.
The Bench bound prisoner over to keep the peace advising him to give up the drink and those so called friends who tempted him, as they were no friends to him.