One of these navvies was a ganger or foreman called Charles Trimm who employed a gang of labourers working on the railway that was, at that time, being constructed between Laughton and Anston. For a long time the labourers huts had been erected around Crampit Bridge, Anston which caused some problems to the local police force, and the activities of these navvies were a constant source of trouble to them. So when Superintendent McDonald heard about one of the labourers selling alcohol without a licence (known as shebeening) he was forced to take action. The superintendent quickly obtained a warrant, not only for the arrest of Charles Trimm, but also for that of his wife Annie
Consequently in the early hours of the following morning, 2 February 1904 they carried out a raid at the site of the huts. Two police officers, Police Constables Ward and Stennett, were dressed in their ordinary clothes when they went to Trimm’s hut and asked him if he wanted to purchase some rabbits. Trimm told them he would take two of the rabbits which he bought for a shilling each, before he invited the pair inside the hut to take a seat. When he asked the two men if they would like a drink, they agreed. Accordingly, Trimm supplied the two men with a pint of beer each telling them that ‘it is on me. Anytime you come this way, I will always have a couple of rabbits from you.’
The police followed up this initial visit by another one on 14 February, once again in plain clothes and bringing the pair some rabbits. Once again another couple of pints was bought and paid for, this time by supplied by Annie. During the visit, the two plain clothed police officers noted other men in the hut being supplied and paying for both beer and spirits. always supplied by both Charles and Annie Trimm. Needless to say, after this visit the pair were arrested and charged with having sold intoxicating liquors without a licence. On Monday 22 February the couple were brought before the magistrates at the Rotherham West Riding Court.
In total there were three charges of ‘shebeening’ brought again Charles Trimm, but just one charge against his wife and their defence solicitor was Mr Gichard. Superintendent McDonald was the first to give evidence and he described how, after the arrests, his men had seized an eighteen gallon cask containing beer, three gallons of bottled beer, a quart bottle containing whisky and another marked ‘port wine.’ The next witness was Police Constable Ward, who described the raid on the hut. He stated that there had been around twenty men all drinking in the hut at the time of the visit. Then it was time for Mr Gichard to defend his clients.
He immediately expressed his disgust at how the officers had dressed in their ordinary clothes in order to purposely mislead the two Trimms. The solicitor also argued that in neither case was the intoxicating liquor ‘pushed’ onto any of the officers in disguise. Instead he maintained that they had openly asked to be served alcohol. However, after hearing all the evidence, the bench were having none of it. They showed no sympathy for the prisoners who were both fined. Charles Trimm was fined £10 and costs for each of the three charges. Thankfully in this instance Annie Trimm was dealt with more sympathetically, as her offences were simply merged with those of her husband and the case against her was dismissed.