Youths Obstructing the Public Road
1st February 1863
Desborough.—George Panther,
William Coe,
Robert Clarke,
Joel
Marlow, Silas Rowlett, and
George Crick Coe, all youths, of the above
place, were charged with obstructing the public road, on Sunday the 1st
instant.
—Samuel Meadows, a police-constable, about two o'clock in the afternoon
of Sunday, the 1st, saw the defendants standing at the end of the parish
lane, leading to the front street, and near to the church. Two women,
going to church, were under the necessity of turning into the middle of
the road to pass defendants. On his ordering them away they used bad
language, and it was some time before he could drive them off. Three or
four of them he had frequently warned before.
—The magistrates said they were determined to put a stop to these
proceedings, but as Mr. Elwes had interposed on behalf of defendants,
they should not be so severe with them as they otherwise would have
been. Three of them they should judge in penalties of 2s. 6d. each, and
costs 4s. 10d. each, and the three others in fines of 1s. each and the
same costs each.
Northampton Mercury,
Saturday 14 February 1863
Note: The identification of most of the youths is reasonably
certain; that of William Coe is less so as there were a number of that
name
in Desborough at this time - I have picked the one nearest in age to the
other lads involved.