The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-09-18 00:00:00

WAREN AM.

CorerY Parry Suinume, Tuesday,—Before 0. W.
Faeroe, Esq. (Chairman). J. C. Ilansel, and M.
Rodgett, Esqra—James Warren. of Wareham, into.
awned by James Woodrow, gamekeeper for J. E.
Weld, Esq., on the Lu'worth estate, for taking a
pheasant oa the 30th ult., without • certificate, wee
dined including costa, and, in default, was com-
mitted for a month's hard labour. He has been in
prison for various °Benue about twenty time.. Mr.
Weston, of Dorchester, prosecuted. —James Burt,
labourer, summoned by P.S. James, for having a
rabbit in his possession, without giving • satisfactory
amount of the tame, at Winfrith. was fined 12s. 6d.
including costs. —George Phipphard, quarrier,
summoned by Supt. Ede*, for being drunk and
riotous at Sirenage, was committed for 7 days. --
George Tatcbell, labourer, summoned by P.C. Short,
for being drunk and riotous at Langton Matravera,
was fined sa—George Jamie Steckley, of Corfe
rutle, summoned by Charles Groves, landlord
of the half way house between Cork Castle
and Wareham, for being drunk and riotous
and refusing to leave hie house, was fined 10a in-
cluding costa.— Joseph Rails, of Beni Regis, was
summoned by Charles Bartlett, gamekeeper for C. T.
Hambm, Esq., for trespassing in search of gems at
Bore Regis. Re did sot appear. Hews. fined fl,
or, in default, • month's imprisonment.
A TOLL-CATS ROMANCE : THE WIDOW IN TIII
PANTRY.—A charge of felony under very peculiar
circumstances came before 0. W. Ferrer, Esq.
(chairman), J. C. Maned, Esq., and M. Rodgett,
Esq., at the Townball on Tuesday. Six men,
wiz., Henry Haysome, jun., Job Edmonds, John
Warner Bainfield, George Muselwhite, James Eyres,
and Richard Hobbs, were brought up in custody
charged with stealing £2 81. 2d., belonging to
loseph Rendell, the keeper of the Hendon toll-gate,
near Swanage, for Mr. Charles Jody, Bore Regis. •
Mr. Trevenen, of Wareham, prosecuted, and Mr.
R. N. Howard, of Weymouth, appeared for the
prisoners. Tbe case excited a great deal of interest,
and the court was thronged during the hearing. At
the outset Mr. Tremens'% applied for the case to be
heard privately. Mr. Howard objected, and said it
was not • question of morality but of felony; al
Private trial might do very well in a country like'
Russia or at Rome, but it would not do for England.
The Bench decided to hear the case in open court.
Mr. Trevenen having given an outline of the cue.
called the prosecutor, Joseph Randall, who said that
on Saturday night, the Bth, about 10 o'clock, he
made up hie accounta for the week. He counted
his money and found he had £4 be. 2id.—£2 in gold,
end the rest in silver and copper. •I he gold he put
in his pocket, and the silver and copper be placed in
an old pocket, and deposited it in a cupboard, the
door of which was unlocked. Shortly after, a woman
named Mrs. Parsons, came in for a bottle of ginger.
'beer, and stayed about eight minutes. Four of the
prieoners came in, and he requested Mrs. Parsons to
step into the pantry, so that they did not see her.
They called for several bottles of ginprbiter, and
then the other two priemere entered the house, and
they had some more gingerbeer, which he had to get
from the pantry. One of them commenced throwing
the gingerbeer about the house, and they tried which
could reach the farthest with their arms extended.
A row began, and he requested them to leave "else
there would be summoning work." Hobbs sat on the
table which was in front of the cupboard where the
pocket of money was, and betweea the table and the
zoplinard there was a chair, but nobody sat on it.
line of the prisoners left about 12 o'clock, and the
others soon after. In • short time he missed the
money. He went to the door and saw Haysome
standing outside, who brought to him a bottle and
glass, which he said one of the others had put in
his pocket. Prosecutor told him of his lose, and
that he should look out for the police. Hayman
said and two of the others were near "There's
a policeman," pointing to where one was stand.
ing. liendell went to him and instructed him to
arrest the six prisoners. Mr. Howard then cross-
examined the prosecutor for about an hour, elicit-
ing some singular facts, breaking down the charge
oompletely, and showing that the prosecutor was
unworthy of credit. He first asked the prosecutor
If be had not met him before magistrates on
former occasions, and Rendell said he bad three
times —once he was summoned when the case was
dismissed and twice he summoned others; he had
also settled two case' of assault without coming
before the magistrate. ; in one instance he wanted
£1 and we. paid 13e. He went to the public house
at half-past nine on the night in question to buy •
pint of beer and three-penny worth of brandy. At
half-past ten all the money be had in the house was •
£:1 in gold upstairs, two sovereigns in hi. pocket,
and the money in question lathe cupboard. Mealier-
wards admitted that in the afternoon he had given
•change for a £5 note with the £3 and £2, and that on
the following Sunday morning begot &puler-by who
be did not know, to give him five sovereigns in ex-
•change for the note. —Mr. Howard observed that he
•mild not then have had the £3 and t'2, when be said
baba, if he had changed it fora £5 note. —Proescator
srbeitted that Mrs. Persona, • widow, came to his
hones the previous Sunday night about ten o'clock.
('cold not say how long she stayed—perhaps 3 hours
On the Saturday night in question she had only been
there about eight minutes when four of the prisoners
mime. The pantry faced tbe door. Tbe men did
not knock at the door, but opened it at 0000, yet he
was quick enough to get her into the pantry without
their seeing her. When they left, Hummer said he
would bet him • sovereign that he had a woman op.
stair., and he took the bet that he hadn't. Theo
liaye.me wanted to search the house to prove it, but
be would not let him. When the prisoners left they
stayed outside the hones. Ile could not explain bow
at W", ii th•Y had stolen the money, they had not
..ilonesway. Mr. Howard asked hint if he thought
widow, who was!' pendent woman, would stay is
big house with • single man all those hours
.41°°° ;he "'lined to answer it. When the police.man Male he was asked who had in thel ones
that evening, and he
gave the names of the six
plinnairit but said nothing about Mrs. Parsons or
any one else. Whilst Mrs. Pan.oa wax there he
might have gone outside the door and taken • toll,
leaving her alone in the room where the cupboard
containing the money was, before the proonere mane
there. —The majnabrablis. *Pon hearing this, asked
Threenee if be would carry %eosin any further,
and he mid he would not. They Yu.
--- 'tanned the
cue, and the Chairman said he was satisfied 00 jury
would convict on snob evideocie, and they ebeeefers
dismissed the charge and liberated the prisoner..
We are bold that these ath poor men are respectable
they were apprehended on Sunday, and have bae'e
in prison ever linos, but they can get no umpteen-
tion for the injury done these, as the prosecutor lets
such a position in life that if they took protruding*
against him for false imprisonment, they could not
mover from hint • shilling. It is anise which shows
how careful those who woe warreab should be to
ieft the circumstances of • charge Wog* iserdiog
their power.