| 23 August 1862 There is a short report of his crime in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 23 August 1862 p.4 col.6: William Fone, notorious young thief, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing 4s. from the till of Mr. Britten, provision dealer, Longton. On Thursday, the prisoner stole round Mr. Britten's counter and took from the till 4s., but be was not then detected. Yesterday morning Mr. Britten saw him loitering about his shop, and told him to be off about his business. He then went into his bakehouse, and on returning a few minutes afterwards saw the prisoner curled up in a tea-chest under the counter. He had taken off his clogs and left them in the street, and having been given into custody, admitted stealing 4s. on the previous day. Mr. Rose sent the boy to gaol for 21 days, and said that if possible at the end of that time he should be sent to a reformatory for four years. |
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| 27 December 1862 Both his parents appeared in the police reports of the same issue of a newspaper. The first was his mother: Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 27 December 1862 p.6 cols.5-6: CHARGE OF COAL STEALING. - Martha Fone was charged with stealing a quantity of coal at Longton, the property of John Moss, beerhouse keeper. The prosecutor's wife spoke to seeing the prisoner go up the yard on Tuesday evening and pick up a piece of coal. After throwing it in the road she went into the house and asked for a pint of ale, which was refused her. Mr Tennant appeared on behalf of the accused, and subjected the prosecutor's wife to a close cross-examination, from which it appeared there was some ill-feeling existing between the parties, arising out of some pawn tickets. The prisoner was discharged with a caution. |
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| The second was a report of his father being summoned for non-payment of his son's maintenance at the Reformatory in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 27 December 1862 p.6 col.6: THE MAINTENANCE OF A SON IN THE REFORMATORY. - John Fone, a collier, whose wife appeared in a preceding case at this day's court, on a charge of coal stealing, was ordered to pay 1s weekly towards the support of his son in a reformatory to which he had been consigned. Superintendent Garnham explained that action had been taken on a communication received from Sir George Grey, the Secretary of State. |
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| 15 October 1866 Discharged |
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| April 1867 In prison |
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| 6 July 1867 Less than a year from leaving the Reformatory he was again in trouble. What was possibly the second occasion was reported in the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 6 July 1867 p.7 col.4: William Fone, a lad of 17, was brought up on a charge of vagrancy, having been taken into custody at half-past two this morning, at Clay Hills, Tunstall, under circumstances of suspicion. The lad, who belongs to Longton, and is a very idle bad boy, had served four years in a Reformatory, and had moreover been in prison. He was again sent to prison for three months. |
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| April 1869 In Birmingham. Doubtful [character] |
