Coventry Standard – Friday o8 December 1916
A SAD CASE. Alice Hackett (17), munitions worker, and formerly residing The Green, Castle Bromwich, was charged with stealing two lady’s blouses and nine pocket handkerchiefs, value 17s. from a clothes-line at Castle Bromwich.
Elizabeth Jones, wife of William Jones. foreman bricklayer. Castle Bromwich, said Tuesday, November 7th. she was washing, and hung the articles mentioned, with others, on the clothes-line about 2.30. She did not take them in until the next evening, when she missed the articles, and later gave information to police.
Sergeant Ross said he, saw the defendant about 8.15 on November 16 in Chester Road, and questioned her regarding the missing articles. The defendant replied, “Yes; I have got one of the blouses on, I have left the other on Hodge Hill Common.” She also produced two handkerchiefs, and said, “These are two of the handkerchiefs; the others I have lost.”
When charged at the police station the defendant admitted taking the articles, but said she took them off the ground, not off the clothesline, and she added, “I got over the garden wall.” The defendant pleaded guilty, and elected dealt with summarily.
Inspector Tuckwell said the girl’s home was at Quinton. She left, home to go to the munitions works, where she earned £2 a week, but got into bad company. Her mother was dead, and her father was an invalid. The Chairman said he was very sad see the defendant in such an unfortunate position. She would be fined 20s, or 14 days. A fortnight was allowed for payment of the fine.
