WELLINGBOROUGH POLICE COURT
Friday, May 11—Before Mr. R. W. Arkwright (in the chair), and Mr. Spencer Pratt,

THEFT FROM A CRICKET TENT—Samuel Clark, alias Smith, alias "Liney," and James Westley, two young navvies of Wymington, were charged with stealing two pairs of cricket shoes, three cricket balls, and five lawn tennis balls, value 20s., the boots the property of Messrs. John and W. Claridge, and the other articles the property of the Rushden Cricket Club. Charles Bull, the tent manager of the club, deposed that on the 30th ult. he found the box had been broken into and the above named articles stolen. He identified the articles produced. Abel Young and Samuel Mitchell, lads of Wymington, deposed that they each bought a cricket ball from Smith for which they gave him sixpence. The former witness said that after he bought the ball Smith told him he had taken it from the Rushden cricket ground. P.S. Webster said that on Monday from what Smith told him he went to Young, who gave him a cricket ball and a tennis ball which he said he had bought of Smith. He then charged Smith, who said that he and Jimmy Westley broke open the window about 10 o'clock and took the balls between them; they each took a pair of boots, and concealed them in the hedge until evening, when they threw them into a pond at Wymington. On the way to Wellingborough, the sergt. met Westley and charged him with being an accomplice, when Westley admitted taking the balls, but said he knew nothing of the boots. Westley here made a statement that they did not take any boots when they stole the balls. Charles Bull recalled, said there might have been other balls in the tent. The boy Young was also questioned by the Chairman as to the date he bought the ball, and he still said he purchased them on the 16th ult. Some conversation arose and from further statements it appeared that prisoners had been to the tent twice. Prisoners pleaded guilty and were sent to prison for three weeks.

THE COUNTY CHALLENGE CUP—At the annual meeting of the County Cricket Club held at Northampton on Friday last, the Chairman (Sir Herewald Wake, Bart.) said he had pleasure in calling attention to the fact that they had reason to believe that the Challenge Cup had been won for a second time by the Rushden Cricket Club. He had reason to believe because there were certain little formalities which had not been complied with.