Strange Deception by a Servant Girl.
For some time past, the Rev. T.A. Bolton and family, of New Basford, have been annoyed by numerous supposed malicious acts, which though slight in character, from their repetition became extremely unpleasant. The most frequent form in which they were manifest, was in the violent throwing of stones at the external doors of the house, by an unknown assailant; for though a strict watch was kept, and vigilant means employed, the mischievous or malicious offender could never be seen, and the whole affair continued an impenetrable mystery.
Still, as no real inury was inflicted on either person or property, no serious alarm was felt; and Mr Bolton was overheard by a girl in his service, on Tuesday morning, congratulating his wife on the circumstance. The windows might have been broken, he observed, or their persons struck by the missiles. Very soon after this conversation, a stone broke a pane, and was shortly succeeded by others, the unsuspected assailant having taken the hint and profited by it.
The girl exhibited one of the stones that she said had come through the window, and complained of stones being thrown at her whenever she had occasion to visit the cellar. In the course of a few hours, a number of panes were broken in the same most mysterious manner. The annoyance was now beyond endurance, and Mr Bolton secured the assistance of his neighbours and of the policeman; but nothing satisfactory could be discovered.
The policeman’s suspicions, however, were fixed on the girl, and when taxed with the offence on Wednesday morning, her confusion and prevarication left no reasonable doubt on Mr Bolton’s mind of her guilt. The girl’s name is Sarah Broomhead, and her father is now living at Nuttall; her age is but 15. Of course she was dismissed from her situation, and coincidently with this, the stone-throwing and annoyances entirely ceased.
The number of panes broken is seventeen, and of these the girl has acknowledged to the breakage of seven.
The whole appears to have been purely a gratuitous piece of mischievous folly, as she could have non possible motive for her strange proceeding.
Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties, 3rd September 1852.