Arthur Potterton, aged 12 years, was charged with stealing a pocket-knife, the property of John Pinsent, aged 13 years. The lads were at the public baths on Saturday, and when Pinsent went to dress, he missed his knife from his trousers pocket. Finding Potterton in possession of it he charged him with stealing the knife, an accusation which he stoutly denied, and at first alleged that another boy had taken it and given it to him. He afterwards said that he found the knife on the floor, and so many lads laid claim to it that he decided to keep it until he could find the rightful owner. The defendant now repeated this statement to the Bench relying upon it as his defence. — The Magistrates, however, considered he was guilty of taking the knife, and that for a boy he had shown considerable ingenuity in his defence. They did not desire to convict him, on account of the previous good character which he received from a tradesman by whom he had been employed as errand boy and dismissed him on his parents undertaking to chastise him for the offence.
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
GRO0516 Tiverton: John Arthur Pinsent: 1875 – 1942