Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 28 October 1902

Girl’s alleged ‘doings’ Cases from Hassocks and Cuckfield.

Annie E. Skinner, Nettleswell Cross, Harlow, Essex, was charged with stealing an umbrella and handkerchief, together value 3s. 2d., the property of Jane Reeves. at Hassocks, on October 20th, also with obtaining food and lodgings, to the value of 10s., from John Reeves, with intent to cheat and defraud him, at Hassocks, between the 13th and 20th October, and further with obtaining food and lodging, to the value of 3s., from Alice Cook, with intent to cheat and defraud her, at Cuckfield, between the 20th and 21st October.—.

Jane Reeves, wife of John Reeves, painter, New Close, Hassocks, stated that on October 13th prisoner came and asked her for board and lodging for a night or two or a week. She was quite a stranger to witness, and she said she was in search of a situation, also that she was going to Hassocks Station for her box next morning. Witness took her in. and she stayed till the following Monday (a week), and then left without paying her bill. Prisoner took an umbrella and handkerchief with her. She said she was going for some change, and would return in ten minutes, but she did not come back. Witness identified the umbrella and handkerchief produced, and valued them at 3s. 2d.

—P.S. Gillham, Burgess Hill, said the following day he traced prisoner to Cuckfield. He found her lodgings in South Street. She handed witness the umbrella and handkerchief produced, and when he charged her with stealing them she said “All right.” Witness took her into custody.

—The second charge was then gone into.— John Reeves, husband of Jane Reeves, said prisoner came to his house on October 13th, bought some lemonade, and asked for lodgings. She said she had left Brighton that morning, and wanted to get a situation the country, also that she did not want to get too far away, as her box was coming next morning at Hassocks. Witness told her they had plenty of room, but he could give her no answer till his wife came home. Subsequently his wife told prisoner she could stay.

Next morning she said she was going to the station for her box, but she came back without it, saying it had not come, and she did the same thing on the Wednesday. Her box never came, and prisoner said she would go to Brighton to see the Superintendent about it.

On the following Monday she left without paying for her board and lodging, for which she had agreed to pay 10s.

—Jane Reeves gave corroborative evidence. She said she believed prisoner’s statement, and took her in as she felt sorry for her. She seemed a respectable young woman, and witness thought it was rather hard that she should have no lodging. Witness also tried to get her a situation.

—P.C. Jones, Brighton Borough Police, said on Tuesday, 7th inst., at 1.30 a.m., he saw prisoner in Eastern Road, Brighton, he asked her what she was doing out late, and she said she could not get into her lodging. Witness went there with her, and they refused to take her in. Prisoner would give no account of herself whatever, and she was perfectly destitute and without means of subsistence. Witness took her to the Home for Destitute Girls. St. Peter’s Place, and they took her in there. Prisoner had taken an umbrella from the house where she had been staying, but they would not press the charge against her.

— Superintendent Brooman said, in addition to the three cases, there was a case which he was not prepared to go into that day, and he would ask for remand to enable him to complete that case.

—ln answer to a question, P.C. Jones said the reason the people at prisoner's lodgings would not take her in was that she had not paid them what she owed.

— P.S. Gillham said had made enquiries at Hassocks station about prisoner’s box, but no box had arrived there.

—Prisoner was committed for trial on these two charges

—The third case was then proceeded with.— Alice Cook, South Street, Cuckfield, said prisoner came to her on the previous Monday and asked for board and lodging. She said she would stay about a fortnight. Witness told her she could not take her under 10s. week, and she said “All right.” Prisoner only remained till the next morning, when the police came. Witness took her in because it was a wet day, and she did not like to turn her away.

— By Superintendent Brooman: Prisoner said she had some things of her own, and she would go and fetch them when it left off raining, Witness asked her if she went out to work, and she said “No, I’m independent.” Prisoner said she came from Brighton, got out at Burgess Hill, and walked to Cuckfield. Witness asked her where she was going when she left Cuckfield, and she said to her brother’s at Southend.

—This case was dismissed, but prisoner was remanded till Wednesday next for another charge to be brought against her.