The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-08-13 00:00:00

BADGIR BAITING.

Beim the Nem (Dr. Aldr(dge). Yr. Messiah, Alder.
Mee 041 ea. sad Mr. ft Davie

A COOP which sidled • great deal of interest was heard
.t the Rtroulth Pollee Court yesterday (11oaday), when
Fredsrielt Real, sad /Mimi Welat, and William lieU
(artillerymen) wen charged with having encouraged and
assisted at the baiting of • certain badger, and Mr. Gomm
lead, of the Royal Oak, Dorchester, was summoned for
halides glowed the same to be done upon his promisee
The polio. prosecuted, sad Mr. Burnett defended Mr.
9aorge Read and the two soldier,, Mr. Frederick Read
'spoke for himself."
P C. Carter said: On Wedisesday evening, the Sim July,
about half-part eight, be visited the Royal OJr Inn In
company with P.C. Bartlett. In • room over • stable in
the yard ho found Fred. Am& Walsh, and Field, and too
other soldier, unlinient He was directed to the room by
the clawing of hands. hallooing. and cheering, which he
heard whilst he stopped outside the door. On going to he
found there two dogs and • badger. One of the dogs. a
Mill•terrier bitch, was lying down in the room, bleeding
! from the mouth, and its head covered with blood; the
other dog was standing close by, and the bedew was run-
! log about. There were some boards planed scram the
room, between which and the wall the dogs, bedew% and
defendants were. When Mr. Fred Reed saw him enter
' the room he mine to him and said "we are having • bit
of sport, ret..kiiiieg," and whilst be was saying this the
badger jumped over the boards and ran up to the other
end of the room away from the dogs. He went to where
It had come from and found the terrier_lying down moth
• shimmied and pieties foe breath. He then told Mr.
Reed that they bad received couirlainta of badger.eghtlng
coins on there, to which he replied "1 support! I'.. • right
to keep • badger, Tye had it this four nimith.. The bviger
ems then left in the mom, and the dogs celled out. Ween
they into the yard, the defendant, Frederick Read,
asked him if be bad • warrant to COM. and search the
place. All the soldiers had previously COO. away. Be
told him no, as it was • public place, to which Mr. Read
replied " Ms • private room I keep for myself."
Crosomsainined by Yr. Burnett He didn't and the
room locked, and there WM no obstruction to their
entering. The doge were well enough to come out when
he left, but the hitch was bleeding. He had never com-
pliiinerl to 1(... Lkuerge Rend the occupier.
By Yr Fred. Read: He would swear that when he
entered the room the badger was on the lame side as the
dogs He would swear there was no one ides in tha room
but the four 'oldie,' and him (Read.)
. .

P.C. Hirtbet scvimpaoild • se previa'. witness to the
inn. The hedger jumped over the boarding, and " th•
rough dog" (Red.) followed it, and was "going at
until Read it by the each. He wd "we an, having
• bit if rat-killing," to which be (the coast iblr) replied
"rats don't nuke dog's mouth. bleed like that" Read
v•id " you cannot swear it vial the backer done it ;" eel
Carter then said " have had contplaints that badger
fighting was going on." Read unmarked "1 "uppose I
bare • right to keep • badger, rye had it the., four
months." . . . .

..---
-Ceoregunined by Read : He c .uld swear 1, UN dog
when he stir it. He should think it was from 351bi1. to
40th.. In weisht. He fils(endant) did not ask hien If he
...old like Use. the dead rot% if he did he di tugboat It.
Br the Clerk: He did not see any dead mu in the
to rn.

•-ftris nut the case for the proserutMn.
Lk Burnett Ptpreopon t s3/4 the obleeMos that the room
os•ti mast bare hem kept sepscislly for the purpose,
qu gang the Cu. of Clarks • Hague us support of hts
assent, a.

Tb. Town Clerk read Mr. Justice Blackly/the ruling Le
the ease, aud th- Bench el,•• lowed the objection.
Mr. Burnett then urged there was not on. title of
evidence againit his clients to convict the.. of the
offence with which they were charged. No lighting was
proved to have taken pls.., and the place bad been left
Perfectly f ree—wittioat bolt end her for the entrance of
the police. Tbe dogs were sent there fans cert•in purpose,
.0i when they were taken into the room 1, hedger,
which was • VIM* OM, made • rush st them &Ili dims
was no dotaht a skirmish. with regard to Mr. George
'Read he era. peewee% to prove that he war perfectly
intorsot any ruck animal had ever been kept in the place
Kr. Gen,rie Ft•el was • man who bad kept on his basins- a
for the last IS peen, and there had never bee, the
slightest imputation against him. Me. Frederick Reed
bad simply kept the haler for amusement witn sold..
to tam,. it; and ti the two soldiere they were simply
there with their 4.. for resales •• arranged the miitit
beton. The police were bound to do their duty he would
admit, but, a more trumpery ea. be .h melt had never
been Moneta Attars the et lice tithe Bench.
Mr. Garnish: My reasoning would he that the longer
• man keeps Oa a hall.. the Ilea Otellat there is for.,
lone, of this kind—we have been told the badger was
there for four months.

In r;lti..;-t:o on; of the defendanta the Town Clerk
pointed out that if the bedeer bed been cowered with blood
init.-al of the dogs it wail hen horn moony aa olhaos.
Balger•baittag warn earned) Prohibited by the Lot
I),”aish : It le gaits time teat in cams of this sort
.I.4i.U..tag &wad my they will not listen to the 'kw*
ithieli outsiders may take.
Kr. F. Road: My badger was perfectly tame. and! need
to feed.i..

stratiss Clerk : That may be, but it makes no
dil Tose* The ably question is, dose Mr. Bornett's
obj,etion stated.
L. Devenish : If the magistrate. allowed themselves to
be inEWOOKi by such frivolous objections. there would
eons be an end to •n law and order.
The Bence than retired. On their return, after about
10 minutes inMrysk Yr. Burnett said he wished to mil
their attention to the mess of the eoldiere : be understood
that in the event of • conviction they would be consider-
able. sufferers.

Weagoesery.who WM in court. said West was •
mod exemplary chandler, U he wen punished he would
loose his good conduct stripes aid a certain amount of
0.12
The Meyer said that would make • material difference
I. their ludgment.
Yr. liornett said young Mn. Reed had asked him to
say he bad,.. doubt, invited the withers down. his father
knew nothing of. and he wished the whole offence to its
upon hie own ehoulders.
The Kane then said: The magistrates are of opinion
with reined to Yr. Read, sea.. that he wee not cognisant
of this slieir, although, he certainly ought to have been.
to future hi mast be a litthi more careful. There was
no evidence to show that he knew the badger WU
there or for what Darrow it was SOW to be
used, and therolore we diamiee the case am far as be to
concerned. Ls to th• two leoldn wells inclined to
look leniently upon their °Minor, as the ooneequencee
would be most serious to them. They have for many
years borne • good character, and we hope they were
simply there looking an out of corloeity, and took no pan
I. the performance. But we advise theca both in the
future to be more want end never to eapose themaeliee
to sock • charge. With respect to Frederick Read we
hare no other course but to doe him. Under the Act we
mild indict a doe of £6; butt. the present instance we
will simply impose • fine of lfi, and caste
There was loud applause in the Uourt upon the decides
being announced, and Mn. Frederick Read said for the
satisfaction of the Butch, its would Leona Chain the
badger had been killed.