Barnsley Chronicle April 27, 1907
Cheating Another Workman
Frederick Cook, miner, Thurnscoe, was brought up charge with having stolen a metal token, value one penny, the property of a fellow workman at the Dearne Valley Colliery, Little Houghton.
Mr R Bury prosecuted, and the evidence of William Davies Lloyd, a trammer, went to show that on the 27th ult, while he was standing behind a brattish cloth close to the main pass bye, he saw Cooke take off a motty from a corf, which had been filled by another miner, and chalk on the number under which he (Cooke) was working .
The effect of this was that the workmen who filled the corf was cheated out of 10d. Witness added that Cooke had previously asked him to do the same, but he had indignantly refused.
Mr Watkin (manager) and a miner named Wilkinson, also gave evidence.
Cooke, who denied the offence was committed to prison for two months.
Subsequently, however, Mr Bury appealed to the Bench to reconsider their decision. Cooke was a married man, with a young family. He would be sufficiently punished if he were sent to prison for one month.
The Chairman (after consulting his colleagues): Very well; we will meet the case and reduce it to one month. .