The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-07-08 00:00:00

CIL•1101.

Gentlemen of the Grand Jory,—Ths calendar which
will shortly men nadir your consideration centains the
names of eight prieonera The number at the cornered-
lag serious last year was Dias, no that it shows no great
clump ; there is no great difference, therefore, between
the businsas of these and that of the corresponding re-
'ions laat your: but the Chief Constable in his report to
the Court y.deld.7 informed um that the number of
frritrait a durlng
the pest quarter was lees by
is the corresponding
quarter of'et your, and h. further invited our sandlot
to • comparine of the star of crime in the county in the
I pest year with that which existed in the county ten yews
ago, taking the decennial period and he stets& to es in
Ids report that, whines the numbers apprehended in the
Past :porter wen Mg the numbers apprehended ten
years ago in the wooed quarter of the year wae 316—
rather more than doable the number In the past year.
Granting that the year selected was • fairly ta.
tin year, it does show • very remarknble and aastslaotory
diminution of crime, and we may edify attribute
this satisfactory state of things in the Ant plan to
better education—the more exteaded education which hart
now for some years prevailed throughout the country at
to the t, I trust, is the general=int.° of the workl.g clemiss, both se to their wages,
and their dwellings and general comforts. But beyond
sad above that, there are two very important
ccosiderationa with regard to the way in which
trials are conducted, and the conviction of thoes who are
brought before the courts are °briar, in all cases where
orinacUons are desirable. With regani to the first of these
matters, I have on previous occasion invited your attention
to the very remarkable difference which exist: between
the number of persons apprehended in proportion to the
mimes committed in the rural districts of
In this and neighbouring counties, ea cot=
with especially
more populous porticos of the country, the
manufacturing and commercial districts, especially the
metropolis and the peat north where • very large number
of persons rookie. I wont go into that punks further
now, further than to ley, from the Lair reports I have
en.., there is every reason to believe that the proportion
of person apprehended to the number of offences then.
thitted6colthinoss b• large in this county, and that
I, attai table to the very thoroughly efficient work of our
=And very satisfactory it to look at the state of
one • it does answer the great purpose' for which it
was established—the epprebenalon and bringing to Justin
of those who offend against the law. And beyond and
above that there is this—that, when offenders are brought
up for trial, every case should be so presentedto the
that while, as to most desirable, the innocent
grape—should be set free—the guilty should receive the
proper punishment for their offences. Now, I have
resson to know that in certain pins of the
kingdom considerable complaint bas been made in
the more serious ries, of the :manner in which these asses
are,,. Itli called—" got up" for triaLand the osquance Is
that • bill hoe been introduced In the Lower Hoar of
Parliament this year for the establishment of what are
celled public prosecutor. It may be very desirable that,
with regard to offences of • more serious Sion. then
should be that assistance given in preparing such cars fee
trial a/ can best be done though the F tervention of
Government officers duly appointed. But I ban no
moon to think—sod you, gentilnen, can form en opinion
on that point—l have no neer to think that the cease
brought before us here to suociessive Quarter Serious, are
otherwise got up than to your setisfsetion, and the satis-
faction of the Zotart. Th. learned gentlemen who act as
clerks of the different Petty findon districts in this
county, who have the dry of preparing than arms for
trial, have discharged their duty in such • manner that the
cases have been brought nitre you in such • satisfactory
way that, to the beet of my belief. there has been no
failure of justice, and we have no reason to think that,
with such exception' as the ordinary nature of things
must give rise to,—we have no reason to think that the
guility have escaped, and on the other hand we have no
noon to holier* that the innocent have been found
guilty. I think, therefore, with regard to the nasseers I
have ref erred to, that tt would be much to be regretted it
the system which has now, I believe, worked well for •
lour period, &Jeff y in the nods of local officers, should
be to any gnat so Walt suPernded, while with regard to
the great crimes such es ban arisen from the great (allures
and freed which have been committed is various parts,
they do require the supervision of Government officers,
but with regard to ores that come before the Quarter
I Sessioux there is no need to think it will not appear that
justice is administered otherwise than it is at present, in
• fitting and satisfactory manner. There is an appeal car
which did not come in till lath or we should have bad two
Courts open, but there ham not been time to make
meats. I will just refer for ono moment to a cast:re=
I. to coins before you, the mos of • female prisoner, who
I. charged with administering some noxious or injurious
liquid to liereelt. I observe that one of the withers' said
at tho examination she thought the prisosier Ins not in her
right mind. That would be • quistioe for this Court; but
If she administered that noxious
_drug to herself with
latent—thought it was not • very &Mate intent—to kill
herself, you will dud • bill, and the point ~to whether
en was in her right mind should be raised in this Court,
and the Court should deal with it
The Grand Jury were then dismissed to their duties.
MOTION.

Mr. Lock mcrred to coarm am order made by two
magistrates for the diversioa al two footpaths at SUlllna
stoma—Order °Doomed.

LITIAL CLIL
/rimy Ant V. Xedristretat was an weal agalnst a eon-
victim by Mr. Pleydell and other miWtratee for selling
ben- I. itbont.ra license.
- - - _

F. Lock appeared for the appellant. who sold at
• road-side publk-houee, the Fox and Lamb, near Poole.
The licence was held by Ann Skinner, who married,
and aaked for treader of the llamas to her
husband; but thia was refused. and on the
fist of January, tha license wsa temporarily *ens-
(erred to • man named Strelawho met within acstient,
and could not continue the business. Sydney Short warn
obtained as a snecassor, and authority area siren by Ann
Skinner to appellant, who mold • gime of beer, and wee
mulcted efo therr.
. . . . . . . .

r. Lck p.in-i;«1 out the conviction ens on technical
grounds, and than was no quastion of charnel., con.
. _ .

Francis Travers, solicitor for the spnelhutt, proved
mt...Vestrios of the notices of marl on the three :nuts-
_ _

—L.'haries Starter Marston said he could rwear to the
hand writing ol Mra Bartlett (Wks Ann Skinner) to an
authority to Sydney Short to sell beer H. waa hall in-
side the room and ball out when she signed, and he saw
the ink wet.
TM conviction WM quashed.
11741.11710 1111111. AT DOICIIMITIa
. - . . .

Jamey,' /Taboure;-(lenp.), for steeling at Dor-
chester, on the 7 of inns. 1879. two tattoo sheet.. of the
vane d Roo &nitwit. the property of Charlie Irish.
Pleaded putty.
Mr. Robert Pearce wee instructed by Kr. Weston to
yreescuta.
Sentenced to six months hard labour.