District News: Cullompton: The Cullompton petty session was held on Monday before C.R. Collins, J. C. New and G. M. Marker, Esquires, and the Rev. J. P. Sydenham … Sarah Gibbons, wife of William Gibbons, Sampford Arundel, labourer and Ann Sercombe, their daughter, were charged with stealing from the Burlescombe Railway Station a woollen shawl, value 5s. Sercombe did not appear. Elizabeth Snow, wife of Francis Snow, of Westleigh, Burlescombe, farmer, said the shawl now produced was in my possession on the 2nd instant; I left it at the waiting room of Burlescombe station on that day. William Pinsent, porter at the station, saw the defendant take the shawl now produced from the waiting room, but did not say anything, thinking it belonged to her daughter who had come from Plymouth that morning. Francis Snow, Burlescombe farmer, went to the house of the prisoner and asked if she had a daughter come from Plymouth and was answered in the affirmative: Asked if she had taken a shawl from Burlescombe Station when the daughter (arrived?) answered “no” and brought a black one in the presence of the defendant, and was told that was not the one. Defendant then gave up that now produced, which the prosecutor identified. Did not then know it was cut in halves. Policeman Froude deposed going to the prisoners’ house with the former witness and afterwards to Wellington (where the daughter was found) and obtained the other half of the shawl which had been cut in two, each prisoner taking a part. The daughter said after leaving the Burlescombe station she told her mother the shawl was not hers, when the officer said she had taken one half and should therefore also report the case against her. Defendant Gibbons said she had not seen her daughter for seven years and did not know but what it was her shawl. The bench informed her she was soon aware it was not, and as she had elected for her case to be decided by them they should sentence her to be imprisoned for one month’ hard labour.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GROxxxx xxxxx