The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-02-07 00:00:00

LAW AND CRIME.

TEIE SAFFRON HILL MURDER. —The Italian, Pollen',
was tried at the Central Criminal Court on Friday, for
the murder of Harrington on Saffron-hill, and for
stabbing another man. The evidence for and against
was much the same as had formerly been given before
the magistrate; several English witnesses, including the
potman of the public-house, who was himself stabbed,
distinctly swearing that the prisoner was the man who
used the.knife, while several Italians stated that there
was a man named Gregorio present in the scuffle who
had s knife, who was, besides, very like the prisoner,
and who had since absconded. The jury, however,
after a short deliberation, found the prisoner god* of
murder; and Baron Martin, in sentencing him to death,
remarked that Be had never kndwn a conviction to pro-
ceed upon clearer testimony.
The case of the Queen v. Rumble, better known as
the Rappahannock case, was again brought before the
Court of Queen's Bench on Thursday. It will be
remembered that the Rappahannook was formerly a
British Government vessel, and was subsequently sold
for the Confederate service. The charge against the
defendant (one of Her Majesty's Dockyard officers) was
violation of the rules of the Foreign Enlistment Act.

A PHOIMBSIONAL MORDERISit. —A man named
Kiselevith, formerly • soldier in the Russian army, hes
just been shot at Odessa for a number of atrocious
mimes. During the space of the last five years he had
murdered 22 personst and only recently pillaged the
reahlence of Droudrevrtch, Councillor of State at Odessa,
after having cruelly put to death that gentleman.
Riselevith was put to death by shooting. . .

The ciußaior SCIITTLIN6 A Snip—At the Central
Criminal Court, on Thursday, White and Sutton were
acquitted on the charge of having wilfully oast away
and destroyed a merchant vessel, called the Snowdrop.

THE CASE OP A MURDERED CSILD SENT BY RAILWAY.
—A short time since it will be remembered the body of
a child about twelve months' old was left as luggage at
the Victoria Station, and a postmortem examination
led to the belief that a murder had been oommitted.
On Wednesday, Mary Bibby, the mother of the child,
was brought before ihe magistrates at Manchester,
charged with the offence. The facts were fully proved
by prisoner's sister, and the magistrates committed her
on the charge of Wilful Murder at the next assizes.
"An officer and a gentleman" made his appearance
in the Court of Divorce on Thursday, with a most dig.
creditable petition. The applicant, John Conders
Warne, an officer in the army, sued for a declaration of
nullity, on the ground that his sersond name, which he
always used, had been omitted in the publication of the
banns. The petitioner, while stationed at Gosport, had
formed an intimacy with Elisabeth Hill, the daughter
of a sailor there; and as her friends refused to receive
her unless she was made a wife, he agreed that they
should be married, but that his second name should be
dropped, so that his friends might not recognise him.
This was accordingly done at Alverstoke Church,
Hampshire, on the 4th April, 1863. After the marriage
the parties separated, the petitioner not having means
to keep the respondent; and he now asks to have the
marriage declared null and void I The Court reserved
judgment.
Robert Atkin, the man who threatened to shoot a
merchant named Brown, in London, if he would not
pay the sum of £9l, was brought up and convicted at
the Central Criminal Court on Thursday. He was
sentenced to six months' imprisonment, with hard
labour, on a minor count of the indictment; and in
order to deter him from again annoying the com-
plainant, he was ordered to enter into recognisances to
appear when called on to reoeive judgment for the
more serious offence.

PENALTY FOR THROWING A SNOWBALL.—At the City
Police-court, on Thursday, a young man named John
Heathooto was charged with assaulting William Pearson,
a warehouseman, residing in Greenheys. The com-
plainant stated that as he was proceeding on Monday
along Great Jackson-street he saw the defendant and
several others throwing snowballs. As he was
passing, the defendant threw a snowball at him,
which knocked his hat off, and he then kicked it.
The bat, which cost 155., was completely spoiled. The
defendant denied throwing the snowball, but he was
convicted and ordered to pay the value of the hat,
together with a fine of Is., or go to prison for seven
days.
THE ROBBERY AT WINDSOR CASTLE.—On Saturday,
the 28th ult., before the magistrates in the Townhall,
Windsor, William Wilson and George Hammond were
charged on remand with stealing articles of upholstery
from Windsor Castle. From the previous reports of
this ease it may be remembered that the prisoners were
found to be concerned in sending for sale to an auction
room a quantity of silk bed furniture, valiance, &c.,
the property of Her Majesty. Both prisoners were
employed in the Lord Chamberlain's department at the
castle, and bore good characters. Hammond a as
remanded for a week on bail. A second charge was
brought against Wilson for stealing four embroidered
quilts, the property of Her Majesty.
THZ MYSTERIOUS DEATH AT WESTON-SUPER-MARE.—
The mysterions death of a man named Hooper at Up-
hill, near Weston-super-Mare, was on Thursday the
subject of a careful and protracted inquiry before the
deputy coroner for North Somerset. The evidence ad-
duced throws no light upon the occurrence, which is
most mysterious. Near where the body of the man was ,
found were foot-prints of a person who wore heavy boots.
There were, however, no marks of violence on the
body, save a slight wound in the head, which Mr.
Wookey, a surgeon of Weston-super-Mare, declared was
not sufficient to cause death. What business the de-
ceased had in the place where be was found cannot be
conjectured, as he left a young woman to whom he was
paying his addresses near Market-street, in Weston, de-
claring that he felt unwell, and be was going home.
The place in which his body was found was in a totally
opposite direction to his lodgings. The friends of the
deceased declare that he was murdered, and they have
intimated their intention of taking further proceedings.
not being satisfied with the verdict of "Found dead,"
the only one at which the jury could arrive in the face
of the evidence adduced.
MURDER ON THB HIGH SZAEL —At the Liverpool
Police-court, on Monday, a seaman named John
Christopher Bennett woe committed for trial on the
charge of having murdered a !seaman (a coloured man)
named John West. The men were two of the crew of
the British brig, Raymond, Lawrence Francis Lenders,
master. On the 10th of September last the ship was on
her way to New York. When within a few degrees of
the tropics a dispute took 'place between Bennett and
West respecting a knife, and the Captain heard Bennett
say "Absl I told you I would let them (the entrails)
out for you," and on looking towards West be saw the
wounded man holding up his shirt, and observed that
his bowels were protruding. In answer to a question
by the captain,
_Bennett said, showing a marlin-spike,

"1 stabbed him with this, because he came round to
annoy me." West replied, "It was with a knife ha
did it." Although every attention was paid to deoeased,
he died, after muoli suffering, on the following day.

"HOCOBBED" OOP OP £35O.—A few days since a
young man named Court, the son of a deceased draper
of Tennton, paid a visit to London, and fell into the
hands of sharpers, to whom he was introdueed by a
fellow who pretended to be his friend. lie contrived
to " diddle" him out of all his ready cash, watch, Ste.,
and then his friend, having ascertained how he WM Oir
for money, induced him to bet one of the fraternity
£5O that he could show more hard cash by • certain day
than he could, assuring him that it would be all right.
The bait took. Mr. Court had L'3so placed to his
credit at the West of England bank at Taunton, and at
once sent for it. It was accordingly paid in at the
bank of Messrs. Glyn and Co., London, and Mr. Court
received the amount in sovereigns. lie and his "friend"
proceeded to meet the " sharpers," and produced the 350
sovereigns on the table. The other man declared he had
lost, and would give a cheque for the amount of the
wager. Drink was then introduced, after partaking of
which Mr. Court remembered no more until he found
himself in the hands of • policeman, who picked him up
in the street aa he thought drunk. Of course nothing
further has been heard of the sharpers or the £350, and
Mr. Court is sadder if not a wiser man.
HORRIBLE IMPRISONMENT OF A WOMAN FOR
TWENTT-POUR YEARIA—The Marseilles journals men-
tion a mysterious case of seclusion jnat brought to light
in that city, and which has excited a general feeling of
horror. For many years past a married couple,
apparently in easy circumstances, had occupied a small
house in the Rue Tilsit, into which no strangers were
ever admitted. The wife died about a year ago, and
was followed a few days back by the man also. Some
neighbours having penetrated into the residence were
surprised at hearing groans proceeding from a sort of
dark store-room, the door of which was locked. An
entrance was forced, and the receptacle was found to
contain a female apparently about 35 years of age. She
was in a most filthy state, and had become reduced al.
most to a state of idiotism. All that could be learned
from her was that she was the daughter of the deceased
couple, and had been confined there, for what motive
she did not know, since the age of eleven years; she
added that she bad been frequently beaten, and that
her linen was scaroely ever changed. The unfortunate
woman was at once removed to an hospital.