Leeds Mercury – Monday 23 June 1919

Soldier’s Loss.

Strange Story of an Alleged Robbery At Leeds

Albert Morris Vaughan, twenty-six, of Thurnscoe, Rotherham, was charged, Leeds, Saturday, with having stolen silver watch, a cigarette-case, and other articles, from the person of  Richard Robinson, a driver of the; R.F.A., stationed at Ripon.

On Friday prosecutor entered a Leeds Y.M.C.A. hut and fell asleep. Subsequently he missed his goods and made a complaint. That morning he had, at the Town Hall, identified a cigarette-case, watch, and handkerchief, which were included in the missing property. The handkerchief had been taken from his haversack, which had left at the railway station, but which, he found, had been taken away.

The missing goods were worth £5.

Pte. A. Ayres, of the 7th Hussars, stationed at Catterick, said he saw the prisoner at the Y.M.C.A. hut on Friday, and again in n hotel in the evening, when the prisoner said, “The two chaps talking to me at the Y.M. belong to the R.F.A. I took their money, £11, and two watches, and have given one away.

He produced the watch and cigarette case. Prisoner was treating the company to drinks in the public room, and said, Good health to the R.F.A. chaps.”

Witness kept prisoner in sight, and eventually spoke to Police-constable Ashman, who arrested him. When charged, prisoner, who claimed be a demobilised soldier, said, “Sure, I have nothing to say.”

A remand was granted.