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Herbert's brothers in trouble.8 February 1907: Cambridge Independent Press
ELY BOYS IN MISCHIEF.
At the Ely Petty Sessions yesterday (Thursday), four Ely boys, James Bidwell (18), Charles Everitt (14), Charles Page (14), and Thomas Page (16), were charged with trespassing on the G.E.R. at the Ely North Junction on January 12. Bidwell and Thomas Page pleaded guilty, and Charles Everitt and Charles Page not guilty.
Mr. R. R. Corser, solicitor for the G. E. R., appeared for the prosecution. In opening the case, he remarked that generally boys were a nuisance to the Company. They made the sidings a playground, got in and out of carriages, and pushed the trucks about; and as these sidings joined the main lines, the consequences of their mischief might cause considerable trouble. For these reasons, proceedings had been taken against the defendants.
P.C Loft and Inspector Hall of the G.E.R. Police gave evidence as to warning notices published at Ely station.
Alfred Dockerill, a G.E.R. employee, stated that at 11-40 a.m. he saw Thomas Page and Charles Everitt on the Roswell Pits Crossing. When they saw him they ran away to the Kill-lane Crossing. The defendants afterwards returned and stood against the carriage trucks. He asked them what they were doing, and Page said they were going to push a truck back to where they got it from.
P.C. Lofts stated that from instructions received from Mr. Starling, stationmaster, he went to Springhead-lane Level Crossing. There were several lads there, and he saw some of them bending down, evidently putting something on the line just before the 11-5 train from London passed along. He waited for them at a certain fence, and noticed that Bidwell had a catapult in his hand. He asked him if he had been catching rabbits. Bidwell replied in the afirmative, saying he had caught three. They all treated the matter as a joke. Witness told them he had got all their names, whereupon all scampered off, but he caught Bidwell, who was the biggest of the lot. He found that nails had been placed on the line, and also some granite.
The Chairman pointed out to the defendants the seriousness of the charge against them. James Bidwell and Thomas Page were fined 2s. 6d. and costs 9s. 6d., and Charles Page and Charles Everitt 2s. 6d. and costs 12s. 6d.—Each of the defendants said they could not pay, whereupon the Bench allowed a week, or in default of payment seven days' imprisonment each.
Boyd, Dove, Blakey, Burdon
