The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-03-14 00:00:00

STEALING PRAB Al WATEIOUTII.

Henry Ruh, , 27. stableman, and Junes Sheppard (on,
bail), publican, were clutrged with stealing pees, nen
Sheppard also with receiving them, the proPerti ,
Sir. John Yeanley, butcher. at Weymouth, Jan. 9.
Mr. W. Ffooks prosecuted, and Mr. Collins defended
Sn,ppard.
It app red that some time ago Mr. Yearsley pur-
chased ten sacks of peas for his horses and sheep;
ho gave live of them to his son floral, and kept
the rest himself. One of the sacks was being used in
the stable, which was Inside a yard locked on the
night in question, and only to be got st over • high
wall. Toe stable door was not locked: Next morning
when James Christopher, in prosecutor's employ, went
to the stable, he found the stable door locked, LT!:
ut
scattered about, and abo two busk I: k
(.)o the
told his master and the pollee were iv: -.°‘
end Crown
6th Supt. Vickery went to the d o hi. ~ I !
public-house, kept by Sheppard,[o lie said he never
.-
want those peas you
had of R
.had
Dadny.o.l.'l.ckerbry. /4toupotiono.elidhoi.nit.
ohloleweadenbitemd
it a
Ibrboo
n go
:Litt sonictr in
sonic
Jour stable this moon
in • paper, and ssld.:gl.:ll,ols.heenPehne.
sawiedro.,
be one Of two amongst e
ago;
htihmereintomay custody, and searched his house.
corn.',o timeli
Found • corn bin divided, with one side apparently
full of oats, and the other split beans. Sheppard seal
You see there are no peas there." Vickery closed
the bin sad searched some sacks in another room.
Sheppard said seveial times he had no p,iss in his
house, pod they tuight natal it ell over, The Supt.
returned to the bin, and, ou removing some of the
corn' found three or four pens of peas under what
seemed to be all oats and split beaus. Sheppard then
"It'. no use telling any lies : I did buy half a
peak of Rake, who said ho had them for breaking a
horse. The landlord was taken to the slatioa by
P.C. Apsey to whom he said Rake bothered him to buy
them, and he gave him Is': 31, a peck for them. Rake
when taken into custody said he was very sorry and
must have been drunk.'
Rakes's defence was that ho was authorised by Mr.
Yearsley to sell some of the peas, and his only offense
was that he did not hand over the money the Larne

nit?. Yearsley denied ever authorising Lim to eell the
pees, and said he did not want to sell any.
Mr. Collins urged that Sheppard unfortunately told
a lie on the policeman going to him, arid that led to
his being in his present position, lie was a man of
good character, and he understood supt. Hare would
speak on his behalf.
Mr. S. Hobbs, coal merchant, of Weymouth, said
he had known Sheppard Bor 10 years, as an honest,
straightforward man of generally good character.
Mr. Duffett, farmer, had known him from a boy at
Ohild °Word, always as honest and respectable.
The Jury toned both prisoners guilty, and strongly
reoommended Sheppard to mercy.
A precious conviction of felony In 1863 was proved
agaiosb Rake by Mr. Bawler, the deputy-governor of
the County Prison.
Mr: Collins presented • memorial from GI merchants
and respectable people of Weymouth on behalf of

Sheppard.
Being called upon, Sheppard said he was as lone.

,
cent es a baby.
The Judge : The jury considered your conduct in
hiding the peas.
Sheppard: I never did It; it was the lad who cracked
the beans.
The Judge: Human nature is obliged to resort to
the best means within its reach, to judge of trainee-
tient when they did not Bee a thing actually done.
The jury had to consider that the peas were hidden,
and that he persisted in denying he bad bought any of
Rake, after being repeatedly cautioned, and when he
wad within a foot of them. How could the jury come
to any other conclusion than be concealed them before
tip, ',clic, went to him, and that he ha.l a motive for
hiding them in such a studied way. It WAS quite
possible they might have enne to a wrong conclusion,
bathe thought they were warranted in it. Why a man
should put into the Neale the good reputation he had
against any advantage he might gel by buying so small
a quantity of peas, was Inexplicable.
iihappard said be bought the peat at nine o'clock in
the morning.
The Judge continued, it is an unfortunate circum-
stance in your life—your falling into this error. Lst
us hope you did it hastily, and that it will be a warn-
ing to you for the future. I shall give effect to the
recommendation of the jury, and the good ohmmeter
you have received. But, still, it is a very serious
matter for you with regard to the punibhinent I have
to award. Rake, your sentence, alter a previous con-
viction is nine !months' hard Libour ; and Sheppard,
the sentence on you is that you be it Id to Laid labour
for three months.