The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-10-24 00:00:00

PILICD B 1: -L. WOMAN,

_ ..___...
Borah Bellows, was charged with fraudulently converting
to her own use CM Is., the property of Slim Bridle, at
Blandford, In May lut
Mr. Castle prosecuted; Mr. Collins defended.
Eliza Bridle was • single woman, living at Blandford.
Her father previous to his death gave her some money,
which prisoner said she woUhl take charge of for her, and
give It up when she wanted it. This wax in May, and on
the lUth of June she went to prisoner, who was changing
her house, for the money. Prisoner said "you asked me
for it once, and I gave it to you." She said she put it In
the corner of her cape, and then in the corner of her
apron. She Raid she gave it to witness on Whit-Monday,
at two o'clock in the morning. In the middle of July her
Mater went to prisoner with her with a letter from her
solicitor. Prisoner then said "before she would give up •
farthing of the money, she would sooner rot in Dorchester
gaol." The money wee left to her in two bag& She had
never received the money from prisoner.
C)roasexatuined : She lived in a small house. The
money was left to her, and not between her and her
brothers. She once took the money to her brother
?Alward'.., as her brother Robert claimed • part of it.
She only left it there throe weeks. Her brother's
I (Robert's) wife said she would go to law with her for the
money. She took it to prisoner's house because her
brother she was afraid would come and hi^ it away. She
knew a man named Ames; had kept company with him,
but they had never gone for • walk together. Did not go to
the prisoner's house on Faster Monday. Knew Mn,
Hornet Arnold. DM not tell her she went to prisoner's
house on the night of Easter Monday. Did not tell Mrs.
Arnold she went to the closet and was afraid she lost the
money there. Told Mrs. Ball of her loss the day alter
Easter Monday, and said prisoner had said she had given
it up to her. Ilad net seen lines since Faster Monday.
(The learned counsel suggested there warn • tender point
between witness and tuns, as the latter was very
reluctant to answer quutions concerning his having off
visiting hut
Ite-exrunined : It was on Easter Monday that the con-
versation between Mr.,. Ball and witness took place. On
being further close-one-tinned by the counsel for the
prosecution, she said it was Whit Monday. It was not
true her sister had amused her of stealing money. llad
not men Mrs. Arnold or Mrs. Ball that day.
Mary Ann Bridle was the next witness She had never
accused her sister of stealing a sovereign. Witness detailed
the statement made by prisoner as to rotting in Dorchester
gaol, in broad language. hardly suitable to polite ears.
Her sister bad no intellect at ali, and the money had been
given by her father to keep her sister after his death.
P.C. No. 4, of the Dorset Constabulary, proved going to
prisoner, who said she gave the prosecutrix back the
money.
The Chairman at this point said he thought there was
a very weak case. But they could let it go before the
jury, and
Ale Castle thereon addressed the jury, in summing up.
Ile said this was a rase in which so much Isaship
had been perpetrated, that he thought it was a case for
the jury's consideration.
Mr. Collins, for the defence, urged that • lot had been
made sr to the wonouie weak intellect, hut she WWI sharp
enough to take the money to her brother's house, when it
was feared that her other brother wall going to make an
application for it. He urges! that she was sharp enough
in this, winted omit the discrepancies in the evidence sate
dates, commenting on the neat way in which the prose-
cutri x's sister had wrapped up those disgusting state-
ments, and urged that she at least was sharp enough, but
they were not to be relied upon. Again the prosecutrix
was not truthful, as she had said she told her t,rother on
one occasion that her father had not left her any money,
and on the evidence they were asked to convict a respect-
able woman. _ . .

-The-ZliairMan said they had heard the remarks that had
been made during tho case aa to the weakness of it, but
he wished then to dismiss that from their minds, and to
say whether they believed the prosecutrix's statement.
The Jury after deliberating found the prisoner guilty,
and the Chairman sahl it was cease of great hardship. snd
she was sentenced to three months hard labour.
The Court rose at six o'clock.