John Walsh, a 26-year-old man from Limerick, was tried and sentenced at the Westminster Police Court yesterday on charges of obtaining money by false pretenses and robbery. Walsh had previously visited Miss Edith Drury’s residence in Buckingham Palace Road, asking for a donation to help a sick person. Miss Drury kindly gave him 10 shillings, but while she was away to get her purse, Walsh stole her watch and chain from the mantelpiece.
Sergeant Bedford said that Walsh had traveled across the country, obtaining numerous small contributions fraudulently. One of his false claims was that he was a collector for the Gaelic League. Mr. Horace Smith sentenced Walsh to three months of hard labor for his crimes.
Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Wednesday 20 March 1901
