The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-11-06 00:00:00

Dotes ant) Vints.

DRAYMAN STEALING COAL.

At the Borough Petty Senni in on Wednesday, Alfred
Pittman, a coal carrier, who has suffered pen sl servitude,
was brought up for stealing four bushel, of MOJA, the
property of Mr. Dyer.—Plaintiff, a coal merchant, said
Chit Pitman had been in his employ about thirteen or
fourteen months, hi, defies being to help load the coals
',is-mired from the stores, and to drive the dray round.
Orcaseonally, when they were tinny, a serowl pesson
would lie sent, Led yesterday he yeas sent alone to deliver
sixteen bags to -Mr. Lues, of the Royal Hotel. Witness
saw him leave with the real, and gave him a delivery note
for it. This was about a quarter or half-past nine in the
morning; prisoner left the stores, and went up East-street
an if tog., to the It seal, and it was his duty to go stiaight
and deliver it, as he had no other coal with him. He
came back, and loaded eight bags and two hundred-
weight; this was abont an hour after the first time.
Two haze were to he delivered at Miss Hurdles', and two
to a sailor named Grisley, the rest also over the water.
At the same time he gave prisoner two bags of ashes as •
perquisite, for his own mei. Had not sold prisoner any
coal. That produces! had the appearance of being the
same kind of coal an he hl lost: but different coals run
so mesh alike that he emild not swear to it; this seemed
to he Cowl., coal, as far an lie could jerk.% snit lie had
Camas's, coal in hi, cellar. Prisoner had no right to go
into Bi. Nicholas-street on hi, way to the It syal Ht-I;
that street wail quite out of his way.—Prisoner staked
Mr. Dyer to give him a character, but Mr. Arden said
prisoner's character was rather too well known unforts-
nately.--William Vevey, sweep, of the corner of Bern,
street and Nicholas-street, saw prisoner about ten o'cloek,
go by his h eine with noine bags of coil in a wageon, and
saw hint stop at the bark of Mr. Thurman'it, and put
down four lagn of coal against the wall, and then drive
off dos n the street towards the Munie-hall. The bass
remained there about an hour-and-a-half, when a elan
q.t.,' Roger; Clime up in another stray, and helped him
put lip the lags in the dray. Hat seen such a thing
before, and did not think anything strange in it.
Prisoner afterward, went past Ferry's Corner, and over
the Bridge towar.ls ti,, West, and turned round the
Boot corner. John Roger,, another shaman, who
is in the employ of Mews. Doren% Raul he was
near Mr. John L seen's% the coachbuilder's, hack-
door with his tlray, and some bushels of coal on
the forenoon in question, and saw prisoner with Mr.
Dyer's horse and waggon. Had seen him put down four
bushels of coal under the wall, and when witness tame
round he WILS taking them up again; this was about an
hour after he hal seen him put them down. Witness
lent him a hand to pat them up, and went up and left
mat The reason why witness came hark to this place
ace, because lie Is el to feed the horse, which wan kept in
the Fox yard.—P.C. Bartlett yesterday morning just after
twelve went to defentlact's bonne on account of instrur-
non: received. Prisoner liven in Cbapelhayatreet, at the
hark of the Old Town Hall, near the Boot Inn. lie told
pitman'e wife that he was come to search the h-iuse to see
_

if they had any coal. She told him they had none, he
mould come and see the coal-hole, and allAq look all over the
. . .

house. She also •howed him a little place where coal had
been kept, bet there um; none there. Mrs. Stevens had
some coal, and P.C. liansford, who %MR with him, found
some, which had evblently been fresh shot not, in the
buck-yard. It was very dry, although the weather had
been previnosly wet, and some other c rat hod I,e nit wet
Witness called Mrs. Pitman: who at first denied that the

so I we hem and afterwards admitted it. He also traced
igns of coal front this place to where the waggon roust
Daha.verzestaorKl
nufwitago tthhemprdi
searched and found that prisoner had taken the cinders to
his mother's. Afterwards waited for prisoner, loot lid
rrf ennerrl'asntd '°hard 41'111 through
Ci t iieTS hhie
not c dile home, and witness apprehended him alma half.
past one at Mr. Dyer's stores. He RAS cautioned, charged,
awl denied the charge, and said if he had done anything
wrong he wanted to go back and see Mr. Dyer. Witness
would not let him go. but told him Mr. Dyer would see
him at the station. Last night Mr. Dyer went into the
reit and though pris.mer was cautioned, he asked Mr.
Dyer to forgive him.—Mrs. Stevens said the coal found
RAY not hers, nor had she another lodger to whom
it eonbl belong. The coal had been placed there sitter!
bre .kfast time, but she did no know by whom.
—P.C. Bartlett spoke to the loge praise ol being of irres
odor weight being some pound. short of three leurhels.—
P.C. Handsford corroborates'. There were ltb. short of
three bushels. Prisoner had this morning asked if the
case would he settled here; it amid go hard with him,
. lie ,aid, if he went for trial. He said twain., his mother
had fallen down and broken her arm, and he a.si-ted her,
that he had get into all this trouble. Prisoner, in tears
and with trembling. pleadetl guilty, and asked for merry.
—The Mayor would like to hear from Mr. Dyer what had
been the conduct of prisoner while in his service? Had
he any reason to suspect him of dishonesty before this
offence ?—Mr. Dyer, in answer to the Mayor, said prisoner
!hal been in his employ over twelve mouths, and he had
atways been very diligent, very ready, and very willing in
los work. He ARS not quite sure as to taking hack pri-
soner in the same pod ti.4l again: the world worth' talks great
deal if he were to take him hack to before; hut he would
assist hint to get any work which was not in a place of
trust. lie had heard something which made him very
uncomfortable. before he took him into his gerviee, but he
tried him on Mr. Supt. Vickery's advice.—Mr. Vickery. in
answer to the Bench. said he quite believed he had been
very kind to his mother. His ticket-of-leave had just ex-
pired, anti they (the police) had taken an interest in him,
because he was put under their supervision—In answer to
Mr. Arden, prisoner pleaded guilty to stealing coal from
his toaster: he nut an extra rmantity of coal up in the
waggon. The Mayor SIM this was one of the melancholy
eases which occasionally came before the Bench, of a man
having gone wrong, been replaced in his position, having
again yielded to the temptation which first led him astray.
It was very melaneholy that after a man haul suffered
seven ye d's penal servitude, he should again have
trommitted such an offence. If prisoner had gone to
Dorchester for trial, he would no doubt have had another
term .4 penal sevitutle ; but his employer had spoken of
him in a way that he (Pitman) would have to thank hint
for at long as he lived. The sentence would be four
month's imprisonment with hard labour. They felt that
he had brought crave suspicion on the merchants of this
town, who would be under the suspicion that their men,
instead of taking the coals, with which they were
entrusted, to the houses where they were sent, would help
themselves on the way, and thus there would remain
considerable anxiety in the merchant's minds. He trusted
Pitman would remember the narrow eseape he had hart
antify God's help endeavour when he came out of prison, to
live as he ought, and to do duty as a citizen.—Four month's
hard labour.