On This Day, 17 August 1917

Birmingham Mail

Friday 17 August 1917

WOMEN’S INGENIOUS FRAUD ON RAILWAY COMPANY

Kate Horton, 70, Cuckoo Road, Handsworth, was summoned at Walsall today, for having travelled on the London and North Western Railway with intent to defraud, and Elizabeth Croft, May Steet, Leamore, Walsall, was summoned for aiding and abetting her.

Mr. J. F. Addison, who prosecuted, explained that defendants, who are employed by the Dunlop Rubber Co., at Aston, had been in the habit of travelling on the railway-Croft daily to and from her work, and Horton at the weekends to her home at Cannock. The allegation against them was that Croft purchased a munition workers’ ticket and sold the return half to Horton, who was thus able to save 3 1/2d. on her fare to Walsall. Croft, it was alleged, had been making a practice of selling tickets in this way to other women.

Croft’s excuse was that she was asked to buy the tickets, and complied out of kindness.

Defendants were both fined 40s. each.