<100 Chess Gems was the first chess book I ever read and has recently been republished.>

And when he was nighting (or Dark Knighting?) he was known as The Wenman, winged crusader of darkness, probably.

<Percy Wenman, a tall, slim, respectably dressed youth, 16 years of age, was charged at Bow-street yesterday, before Mr. Fenwick, with stealing two books, worth a guinea, belonging to Charles James Seymour, bookseller, of New Oxford-street. The previous afternoon the prisoner was seen leaving tbe prosecutor's shop with the books in question under his arm, and was given into custody.

Detective-sergeant Collins, who had made inquiries into the case, said there was some reason to believe that the prisoner, although remarkably intelligent in some respects, was not quite in his right mind.

Later in the day the divisional surgeon reported that the prisoner was mentally sound, but appeared to have undergone a period of worry and anxiety.

From other statements made it appeared that the prisoner lived with his parents at Shipman-road, Forest-hill. In November last he obtained a situation in the City at a salary of £2 a month, but left there in March. His father was in a bad state of health, and he did not wish either of his parents to know that he was out of employment. He therefore took a room in New Cross at 2s. 6d. a week, and tried (it is understood with some success) to earn a few shillings by solving problems in chess. With the money thus earned, together with what he saved out of an allowance made to him by his parents, he managed until a very short time ago to keep up the impression at home that he was still in employment.

After hearing a statement from the prisoner’s mother, Mr. Fenwick remanded the boy in order that he may have the attention of the prison chaplain and doctor.

<Percy Wenman, aged sixteen, well-dressed, was charged at Bow-street, on remand, with stealing two books, value £1 1s., from a bookseller’s shop in New Oxford-street.

At the previous hearing it was stated that he had devoted a great deal of attention to chess, and had hopes of becoming the chess champion of the world.

Detective Henry now stated that the accused was discharged from a situation in the City for inability, but his employers gave him a very good character [sic]. He then took a room at New Cross at 2s. 6d. a week, furnished it with a table and a chair, and had since been earning money by solving chess problems by correspondence.

Wenman explained that he was hard pressed for money, and very much worried when he took the books.