10th February 1877 – Stealing a Hay Knife
David Evans was charged with stealing a hay-knife, the property of John Griffiths at the parish of Goytre.
Prisoner pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutor deposed that he was a farmer and owner of threshing machines; he resided in the parish of Goytre; on Tuesday 30th ult., he lost a hay-knife out of the rick in front of his house; knew nothing of defendant; had never seen him before; witness had need of the knife about 5 o’clock on the previous evening, and then put it back into the rick; the knife now produced was his property.
Pc Basham deposed that on Wednesday morning about 5 o’clock, he was in duty in front of the Town Hall; he saw someone coming along the road towards the town; and immediately bolt across the road behind the Church wall and hide behind one of the buttresses; went after him and found the prisoner crouching down and the hay knife and other articles were at his feet; asked him how he had come by the hay knife and he made several statements, one of which was that he found it in a field near the railway station.
Prisoner said he had picked the articles up near one of the lodges at Pontymoile:
Sentenced to one months hard labour.