Corpun file 8946 at www.corpun.com

News of the World, London, 17 October 1886

Yesterday's Police.

The Application of the Birch.

Guildhall.

Charles Kilham, 13, living in South Grove-buildings, Bow, an errand boy in the service of Mr. Myers Singer, a Manchester warehouseman, of Houndsditch, was charged with stealing five handkerchiefs, worth 1s. 6d.

Police-constable Burge, 899, said that he saw the prisoner in High-street, Aldgate, about half-past 7 in the evening, with the five handkerchiefs in his possession, and on being questioned he at first said that he had bought them in Houndsditch, but he afterwards said that he had found them. Ultimately he admitted that the had stolen them from his employer's shop.

When searched a number of new gloves were found in his pocket, which he also said had been stolen.

Sir Andrew Lusk said he did not like to send so young a lad to prison, and he thought it far better that he should be birched and allowed to go home with his parents than that he should be further contaminated by association with thieves in gaol.

He therefore sentenced him to receive nine strokes of the birch rod, a punishment which was at once administered in the cells of the Court in the presence of his father.