"Lifting" Cherries at Doncaster (1908)

At the Box Hill police court on Friday, before Messrs Walker (chairman) and Ingatnells, J's.P., two boys, named respectively Herbert A. Wadham and Ernest Rohl, were charged by Constable Dent with stealing cherries from the orchard of Reinhold Dehnert, in Waldau road, East Doncaster, on December 1. Senior-constable O'Leary prosecuted, and Mr Wadham appeared for the youthful defendants. Albert Dehnert deposed that about 4 o'clock on the afternoon of Sunday, December 1, he was in his father's orchard when he saw the accused picking cherries. He chased them and they ran into the road towards two bicycles, which they mounted and rode off.

Stealing Apple c1877 (origin unknown)

Witness followed, and Wadham fell and was caught. Wadham had some cherries in his shirt, and near where the bicycles were, two bags full of cherries were found. One was an oatmeal bag and the other a school bag. Witness took Wadham to the police station, and on the road they met Rohl, and Wadham told his mate not to come near, but clear out. Rohl would not do so, and all three went to the police station, where Constable Dent took their names and addresses. The constable weighed the cherries and found they had 21 lbs. Where they picked the cherries from were a lot of cherry boughs pulled off and thrown on the ground. The cherries were worth 2 1/2 d. per lb. Constable Dent gave corroborative evidence. Mr Wadham said his boy was evidently the worse of the two. He urged the bench not to record a conviction against the lads. They were very sorry for what they had done, and would be careful to behave themselves in future. Mr Walker administered a severe caution to the lads, and they were let off on agreeing to pay 4/- for the cherries and 11/- costs.

1908 "Lifting" Cherries at Doncaster. Reporter (Box Hill, Vic. : 1889 - 1918), 17 January, p. 4. , viewed 22 May 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90313162

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100 YEARS AGO

On Boxing Day in 1894, Henry Fromhold was at a picnic in an adjoining paddock when he saw two youths in his orchard.  They had broken some branches off cherry trees and were taking them away.  John Pump and some other men, who were at the picnic, came over and helped Fromhold to detain the youths while he went and called Constable Hartshorn.  At the Box Hill Court, Henry Fromhold said the cherries were worth one pound. The youths who had spent the morning drinking at the Tower Hotel were given two months gaol each.

1993 03 DTHS Newsletter


DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.
Samuel Plant was charged with being drunk and disorderly at Canter-bury on Saturday, December 22nd. Prisoner pleaded not guilty and stated that he had walked to Glenferrie and back and was resting when he was arrested on a charge of drunkenness. Fined Is. and 2s. costs, in default 24 hours; time being given to pay. John Ryan, who was charged with a similar offence, pleaded guilty, and produced a certificate that he had signed the pledge for 12 months. Fined 2s. 6d. and 2s. costs, in default seven days. DAMAGING FRUIT TREES. Two lads named George Birch and John Wilson were brought up on a charge of destroying fruit trees at Doncaster. Henry Fromhold gave evidence that while at a picnic in the adjoining paddock on December 20th he noticed several youths in his garden and upon going over noticed these two with others coming out with branches of cherry trees in their arms. He told them to put them down and they did so, but afterwards returned and were about to take them off, when he sent for the police and gave them in charge. He estimated the damage done at about £1. John Pump said he was at Don-caster on the 26th of December last, and saw prisoners in conjunction with about four others in MIr. Fromhold's garden. Did not see them break the branches off. but they were carrying the branches. All made off but these two who were detained while he went for the police. Constable Hartshorn (of Melbourne) was on duty at Doncaster on the date mentioned and the last witness came to him and said he was wanted. On going to the garden, found the prisoners, who admitted they had been in the garden, but had not broken the trees. The branches produced were similar to those broken off the trees. He had seen them in the morning at the Tower Hotel, where they were with several others from Port Melbourne and were even then the worse of drink, and had evidently come out for the express purpose of creating a disturbance. Sentenced to one month each.
BOX HILL POLICE COURT. FRIDAY DECEMBEB 28, 1894. (Before Messrs. Ellingworth (Chairman), Blackburne, and Bishop, J's.P.)
1895 'BOX HILL POLICE COURT.', Reporter (Box Hill, Vic. : 1889 - 1918), 4 January, p. 3. , viewed 26 Feb 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90364204

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