A woman was being charged with stealing a loaf of bread. She seemed to have good cause. She was poor and taking care of her daughter and two grandchildren after their father had abandoned them.

Unfortunately, the shopkeeper refused to drop charges. He felt that because it was a bad neighborhood, if one person stole and got away with it, then it would encourage more to do so. He feared for his safety and his business, and he wanted to teach all the other people in the neighborhood a lesson.