The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-08-21 00:00:00

COUNTY PETTY SESSIONS.

CCIENTT HALL, I)oTChetter, Saturday, August 18.—
Before 11. Williams and W. H. Esqrs
STEALING DUCKel.—Mani rosikina was charged
with stealing a duck, the property of John Samways,
Strangwav's Arms, Evenduit. The prosecutor heard •
noise in his poultry house, and on going in called out
" Who's there ?" and prisoner replied " Tomkins."
Prisoner then went out into the yard, and prosecutor
took hiui into the house and sent for a constable. A
dead duck was afterwards found. The prisoner had got
into the poultry house through a bole left for the
poultry to go through. Prisoner, who had been twice
before convicted, was committed for trial.
STEALING 116611. Wifhuiis //optima was charged
with stealing a quantity id beer, the ptsipeity of Mr.
Jelin Homer Saunders, at Deuce—Mr. Symonds ap-
peared for the prosecution, and Mr. Weston fur the
defence.---Co' mplainant said that the prisoner was a mar-
ried man, and hail a cottage in his homestead. He had
been in his employ as general servant between three and
four years. On the 10th instant complainant went to
the cellar to get some beer for one of the labourers.
When lit dieoevereil an iron key in the tap. The cellar
has three doors. He called defendant, and pointing to
the tap asked him " How long have you had that key."
After • little hesitation be said "Not long." Complain-
ant asked him if lie made that key. He replied that he
did not. He owned that the key was his, hut refused
to say who made it. He said that he thought there
was no harm in getting a little beer, lie long as he did
not get drunk. That day he sent for • policeman, and
went with him to defendant's house to march it. In
the pantry was a small barrel of ale, and in the outer
room there was some in jars and bottles—in all, about 14
gallons. It was " aweet wort," or new beer. Defen-
dant had brewed for complainant on either the 3rd or
4th of August, and also on the Bth August. There had
never, to complainant's knowledge, been any brewing in
defendant's house, which was situated about It or 10
yards from the brewhouse. In the defendant's hones
was also founil a skeleton key which would unlock the
cellar and $OlllO other doors on the pretuises.—P.C.
Charles Rime' said that on Saturday Iteit he was sent
for by the prosei-utor, and found prisoner iii the stable.
Ile tolil him some beer bad been lost by Mr Saunders,
and lie wanted to see what he had in his pocket, awl
Rho to search his house. He found four keys on A shelf
of the dresser. Prisoner said the skeleton key was the
key of the fowl house. In the pantry was,, small
barrel, and lie asked what was in the cask and Prisoner's
wife tapped it with her finger and said it was empty.
he told her to let him see, and found it was very
heavy. Hopkins then asked his wife why she said it
was empty when she knew differently. Hopkins said
it was full of ale !MI that there were 13 or 14 gallons.
Mr. Saunders and witness drew it off. There were 11
gallons in the cask, and about 3 gallons were in a jar
and • bottle. Witness tasted the rile and found it was
sweet-wart. After this, witness applied the skeleton
key to the lock id the door leading from the brewhouse
to the cellar, and found it would both lock and unlock
the door. The brewhouse leads into the yard. Witness
then took prisoner into custody—The prisoner, under
the advice of Mr. Weston, said nothing in reply to the
charge, and he was committol to the session.
HiGnwar 114/BBEKT.—Witliani Bairgery WU charged
with rubbery with violence on the highway. Mr.
Jolliffe appeared for defendant. George Chase said
that on Saturday last he was going home to Broad-
winilsor from Monckton, when he met with prisoner
and his two mates. They went on together till they
caine to the Jolly Sailor beer house at Rampisham.
They remained there from 12 till about a quarter past
4 o'clock, and had about b quarts of beer between the
four. One of them wanted change for • sovereign, and
told hint he 044 change It, and gave him halt

a sovereign, a crown piece, and fi'. While there, one
of the men said the Ismfiord hail some vety ql-ce ferrets.
Prosecutor said lie would like to have one of thion,
end subset piently purchased one for 1.04 a-crown,
anti the landlord stood a pint of beer. lie then put
his purse into his side pocket, and said " th t may abide
there— I have hail enough to drink. I shall 0,,w go on."
Ile then took his bundle mid went on the road, mid
prisoner followed hint about a quarter of a mile. and
then came up to him end knocked him down, and knelt
on him and took his purse from him. Ile saw the
purse in rimmed hand. When he got up the prisoner
was gene, but his mates stood there, and he told them
Ids money haul been stolen. His watch was pulled
out of his fob, but it was not gene AA it Was tied
round his neck. Be With partially senseless
when prisoner struck liilll down.— P.C. Handsford
SAM he Wall called on by prosecutor on &stun
day evening, when he told him that he had been
robbed of LI 13s. Cal. tVitness asked him if lie knew
the man, and proseeutor said lie hail his name a piece
of paper, and that lie lived at Crewkerne. Prosecutor
gave hint a description of the man, and said be bad a
eore on each side ttf his lip,and hail light hair and whis•
kern. He went to Crawkerne with prosecutor, and
asked Sergeant Spearing, of the Somersetshire Police, if
lie knew William Bargery. They went to his house
together, and apprehended the prisoner, who denied all
knowledge of the robbery. All the y found in pri•
miler's pockets was Is. 11d. There was also an old
purse which prosecutor said was Wit iii,. As prosecutor
rel.l Ile hstl lost a shirt, plisoner's house was searched.
het nothing was 'wand. Wit mucus prothowl a single
brace which prosecuior gave him—it being left on the
road where lie was robbed. On again searching the
house the other brace was not found, but prisoner, toi
being altowli it when at the station, ackbowleilbcd it
was his.—tieorge Stanford, landlord of the Jolly Sailor,
said that lie remembered the inril COlUillg to his house
on the previous Saturday. He dal not know exactly
Imw 11'1's:they were there, hut he believed 11.8 t prosecu-
tor anti prisoner left alsolt 4 o'cloek. Walbridge and
his son-in-law staid 10 minutes or is quarter of no hour
longer. The men "did seem to talk •bit," butthey walked
very well. Did not know whether they were "drinkey"
—hail seen men a great deal worse. Prosecutor returni,l
to his house in about an hour or an hour and a half,
with Walbridge end his um-in-law. Indn't hear pris..ner,
before he left, try and get his mates along. Prosecutor
bought a fehett of omit, but lie did not see any other
money in his timid when lie paid for it. lie never saw
any scuttle between prosecutor and Welbridge's son-in-
law. Walbridge and his sondinlaw at first denied all
knowledge of the prisoner's name, whcan tnl,l
ttib.enit,otificetlelstll the buy
ii..„l,lnot
Neal it,c itlamtddh ie.es.taty. soiat
Sailor on Saturday last, when he saw the prosecutor, the
prisoner, and two other men. Ile heard priutner say,
'That 111A11 there," alluding to prosecutor." hall got some
money about him, and a pound or no will do very well
next week." tie was there about an hour and a half,
but did not drink with any of them. The others did not
reply to the remarks tnade by the prisoner. They were
not drunk ; they all knew what they were about. Wit-
ness was doing busineut there, and saw none of them have
any money. Prosecutor and primner left about lialban•
hour after prisoner spoke Mout the
tossing for beer.—Prisoner Wiri committed for trial. Rail
was subustuently taken, himself in £4O, and two
sureties in 1:20 each, to appear at the next assizes.
AsSail.T.—Joha Trerett, l'uneknoie, WAX charged
with assaulting Ann Trevett, his wife, on the previous
Saturday. Complainant said that her huslund came
home about S o'clock on Saturday evening, and quar-
relled with her son. She parted them. mid got a blow
in the face, but it WAX accidentally done. Slie after.
wank went for a police constable, as tier husband
would not be quiet, and he struck hera blow. They
afterwards went to bed, and lie got up about half an
hour afterwards and went away, and did not return
till 31..n.1ay evening. Ile dill not strike her as she
went away, and all she asked the Bench now to do
was to part thein.—'rhe police constable who was
yelled, said lie heard defendant threaten to kill hilt
wife. Defendant had before been imprisoned
months fur assaulting Ilia wife, and lied been con.
stantly bound over in the peace for these '34 year*
ita.st.— Defendant was also charged with assault-
ing P.C. Bridle. -- Complainant said that on
Tuesday he hearth a twrson cry " murder." He
went towards defendant's house and heard him
swearing dreadfully. and saying he would kill his wife.
lie MAI liiin running after her, and caught hold
of him, when the latter struck him two or three blows,
and knocked complainant's hat across the road.-14e•
fendant was committed fort; months' hard labour.