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The Western Chronicle (Established in 1764 at The Sherborne, Dorchester, and Taunton Journal), With Which is Incorporated “The Dorset Record.”. Friday 08 Jan 1915
Page 3 Column 2
SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A MARTOCK BOY.
OUT OF HIS MOTHER'S CONTROL.
SENT TO AN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
At the Yeovil County Police-court on Monday morning, Edward GAYLARD, of Bower Hinton, aged 11, was charged with breaking into the shop of Mathilde RICKORD, in Church-street, Martock, and stealing therefrom one steam-engine, value 6s, one flash lamp, and two trumpets, between the hours of six o'clock p.m. on December 25th and eight a.m. on December 26th. -P.c. Edward EAGLE deposed that he received a report from Mr RICKORD that his shop window had been broken during the night and the articles mentioned in the charge stolen. He made enquiries during the evening, and arrested GAYLARD at his father's house and charged him with entering the shop. The boy said, “It is quite true. I did steal these articles, but I did not break the window.” When being taken to Yeovil the boy said, “I took the things because they looked nice.” Mr RICKORD's shop was close to the road in Church-street. The outside of the window was covered with canvas blinds to conceal the goods. In order to break the window the blind would have to be removed. He had examined the window, and found that one pane of plate glass about 4½ feet by three feet was broken, there being a hole in it about a foot in diameter. - Supt. HOUSE asked for a remand till Friday and this was granted, his mother undertaking to bring him in then.
At the resumed hearing on Friday morning, the magistrates present were: Mr J. VINCENT (in the chair), Messrs T. S. BRADFORD, Wm. BURT and H. B. RING.
Mrs Mathilde RICKORD, wife of Edward James RICKORD, Church Street, Martock, stated that she kept a fancy shop at the dwelling-house, which she locked up on Christmas Day at 10.30. The windows were allright, and on Dec. 26th, at about 8 a.m., she opened the shop door and went to the front of the shop to take down the blinds. When she did so she found that the shop window was broken, a hole being made more than large enough to put a hand through and it would be quite easy for a person to put his arm in and take the things from a ledge inside. In consequence of what she was told afterwards she made a search and found the stone (produced) just inside the shop window, near the hole. She then went to Mrs KEEL's house, where she was shown a parcel which Mrs KEEL's child had brought in. It was opened and she then saw the steam engine and the tin trumpet (produced), which were her property. She then went to Mr CHUBB's, who took her to GAYLARD, who was at work there in the yard. She asked the boy for the flashlight he had taken, as she had missed one from the shop. The boy replied that he had not taken it. Witness then told him she should search him and defendant then took from his pocket the flashlight (produced), which was also witness's property. She had the celluloid trumpet in the shop window the previous night with all the other things. She did not see it before that day. She valued the whole at 10s 2d.
Mabel Louise KEEL, widow, Water Street, Martock, stated that on Boxing Day the defendant came to her house and knocked at her door at about 7.40, witness being upstairs at the time. When witness came down she saw the engine, flashlight and tin trumpet. Between nine and 10 o'clock the same morning the boy came again and asked witness for the flashlight and said, “I have been in luck this morning. I picked this up on the crossroads, and I fell over the engine going over.” The lad then took the flashlight with him and as he left said he would call for the other later. Witness did not know what to do, so she wrapped the engine and tin trumpet in a parcel and sent it to Mr CHUBB, who employed the boy. It was sent back again and Mrs RICKORD came just as the things were returned from Mr CHUBB.
Herbert Albert CHANT, confectioner, Bower Hinton, Martock deposed that on the day in question defendant came to him, blowing a celluloid trumpet. The lad told witness that he had met with a fortune as he had picked up two trumpets, an engine and a flashlight, at the Bridge cross roads. The lad said he was going to work and left the celluloid trumpet at the bakehouse. Witness later handed the trumpet to P.s. BROOKS.
P.c EAGLE repeated the evidence given above.
The boy's mother decided to have the case dealt with summarily and the lad pleaded guilty.
Supt. HOUSE, in reply to the Bench, said the lad was inclined to take things which did not belong to him.
The mother of the lad said that the boy was out of her control altogether. She had six children and defendant was the eldest but one and her husband was a soldier.
The decision of the Bench was that the lad should be sent to an industrial school till he reached the age of 16 years.