REDCAR – Racecourse Purse Trickster.

Accreditation the Middlesbro’ and Stockton 22/05/1868

THE PURSE TRICK AT REDCAR RACES

            Edward Mason was charged by P.C. Hardy with obtaining money by false representations, E races, on Friday last (15/05). These proceedings were taken under the 14th section of the Vagrant Act. P. C. Hardy said that he saw defendant mounted upon a box at Redcar races, with a perch which he offered to sell for 2s.6d, and said that it contained half a crown. He then opened it, and said, “I don’t want to deceive you; you see it is here.” James Rowland portrait, and said that he expected to find 2s.6d in it, instead of which he found three half pence. By Mr Griffin: I saw the transaction myself. He offered the purse in his left hand and the money is right. He said, “You shall have them for half a crown.” Mr Trevor said the words of the Act ct of Parliament said deception was sufficient to prove an act of vagrancy. James Yeoman said he bought a purse. There were three showings in it at the time. Defendant said, “Who’ll have it?” I said “Me.” I saw half a crown and six months in it. Nobody offered to buy the first, and the prisoner put another six pence into it. When I first got all of it, I pulled off the box, and he would not let me have it. The money was in them. When he got of the game, the money was gone all but three half pence. I should not have said and ink only I saw another party taken in. When the prisoner was taken into custody, one of his mates came to see me and said, “If you will go back and say nothing about it, I will give you a crown.” By Mr Griffin: I saw the money in the purse myself, and the man said the money was in. I bought the purse and three showings. I would not give 2s.6d for a 6d purse. I can believe my own eyes Mr Trevor: you must not believe what you see, it seems, this time. By Mr Griffin: I never had my money returned. I don’t know which was the biggest fool of the two.  Mr Oxley: one was a full and the other rogue. James Rowland, of South Eston, Attila, said that he bought a purse from the defendant at Redcar races, but the half crown had been taken out of it, and be found three half pence substituted. He was positive the money was put into the purse; I would not have bought it. Mr Griffin contended that the case did not come under the Vagrant Act at all. Prisoner had a license and was hawking persons, which is license authorised him to do. A similar case had been tried before the Recorder, at Liverpool, against the prisoner, when he was discharged, and he now asked the Bench to pursue a similar course and the game just yards a prisoner, as there was no case against him. These things were practiced very frequently at races all over the country. The trick was very old, and they could not expect anyone to be so simple as to believe people would sell three shillings and a purse for half a crown. The Bench: the law is made for the protection of the simple. Mr Griffin: Vagrants are rogues and vagabonds, and you cannot call defendant one, as he has a proper licence to sell Mr Oxley: I call him a very great one myself. A bag belonging to the prisoner was here examined, and a pack of cards and other articles used by shoppers were brought to view. Prisoner produced a copy of the Liverpool Mercury for Nov. 9th, aged 67, to show the justices that he was dismissed at that time for a similar offence, but the Bench declined to accept his suggestion, and send him to prison, at Northallerton, for three calendar months with hard labour.

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Lol Hansom March 9, 2013 Law & Order