The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-11-19 00:00:00

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this handbilL litette, Dr. Drew, that the then
Mayor, Me Lunlie. remonstrated with you toe the
*spend one you used'
Dr. Drew: Shlll I simply sumer the questiou in the
septive. or shall I s. ito wh it really dot fake Piaui ?
Mr. Mattliain : Answer it simply fine, and then
give any statement.
Dr. Drew first answer! "N 0 to the question, and
then went on to say th it at n Coon hold by the
Mayor for the verificatim of the notnioation papers
on Thursday. he (the doct or) entered at h .If-past two '
o'clock, and faun I the Mayor and the Town Clerk
sitting-no one else was there-in the Council
Chamber. Ho sat down b 7 thg aide of them, and
they entered lot COllVer4lita in ; Within three minntoi
Mr. FOIVI 3r also enters I; but no one else was present
but thoe four, including himself. There was nu
business before the Court, and Mayor took up a paper
In order, he sup_posed, to pass the time, and said-
" I see that Sir Caul Pitz,-arald has been acquitted
of stealing jewels from the female with whom he was
living" He also said "Strange things we hair in
our Divorce Court." In answer to 1131:110 remark about
Sir Charles and Lady Montana, be (the Doctor)
remarked "Wall, I suppose, Mr. Mayor, it is much
the same now as In the days of Potiphar's wife And
there are a great many people who believe the version
of Potiphar s wife, and ignore that of Joseph. "Tusk.
tushir said the Mavor. I will tell the Rector ofyou."
Dr. Drew returned " As far 'tithe low ebb of morality
im concerned, the Rector and every right-thinking man
will be of the same °pin on u myself. The converse.
tion then ended, and there was not anoth o. word said.
Mr. Matthew.: Dr. Drew stands there, 'placing
before you, sirs, the nature of the regret which Mr.
Harker has expressed, and this summons also I should
be prepared to withdraw.
Mr. Svmonds said- Perhaps before the matter was
finally withdrawn he slamld have the opportunity of
saying a few word*. Mr. Harker had placed himself
In his hands, and on ranting the paper, he (Hr.
Symonds) could not but see these was serious matter
to complain of, although in the apology which he
advised Mr. Harker to make, he said, through him
(Mr. Symonds)-" I contend that my observations
were mad* ia bons
.4lc of that which had been com-
municated to me, and in the public intereit." They
would hardly, he thought, doubt that it was a matter
of public Interest; it was a matter of interest to every
burgess in Weymouth as to who were to represent
them in the Town Council. Taking that as • fact,
which nobody would dispute, why should not Mr.
Harker, a burgess, why should not any burgess say-
"li a man entertaining opinions according to the re-
port which is prevalent in the town, be the report true
or false-Ls that the man to return to the Town
Council r-Dr. Drew had come before thezn,land had
said be never expressed the opinions imputed to him
-that the Bible is a fable, ard, on being remonstrated
with, that Mr. Grooves agreed with him, lie said "I
neverentertained any mach opinions." Why should
not Mr. Harker be expected to accept Dr. Draw's
statement and say--" I give public report the lie, and
I only say I aut Perry I printed it in a public paper."
It was not for him (Mr. Symonds) to find fault, the
law was open to Dr. Drew; but he thought himself
that-when Dr. Drew spoke of having sustained
personal injury-it was much more to be regretted
that Dr. Drew came before his own Bench of magis-
tratu-that he came before those who sat on the same
Bench as himself. The source and fountain of justice
ought to be kept above suspicion, and this complaint
might have been taken before any Bench of magis-
trates in the county of Donut. He hoped it was not
true that an expression of opinion had been
obtained from the magistrates, some of whom
are now sitting on the Bench. If that was so,
Dr. Drew's coming there at all was a misfortune, and
he considered it warn a mistake. If Dr. Drew had
gone before any other of the courts of Law open to
him it would have been better. But u Mr. Harker
said "I am sorry I should have given circulation to
the report, which in the face of Dr. Drew's state-
ments, I now believe to be untrue," he (Mr. Symonds)
must qualify it by saying on Mr. Harker's pact" I
did it in my right and duty ass burgess, midland &le,
and not for the purpose of slandering Dr. Drew's
private character."
Mr. Matthews would like to say three words, and
he hoped the Bench would allow him the indulgence.
A remark had fallen from Mr. Symonds with regard
to Dr. Drew coming before that Bench. Mr. Spume&
had told them these proceedings were taken in vindi-
cation of Dr. Drew's character, and why not have
gone to another Bench But, said Mr. Matthews,
what would any other Bench have said of a com-
plainant who did not dare to come before his own
Bench?
Mr. Symonds: I might want three words more;
and I think if this Bench of magistrates would con-
sult their own convenience they had better stole us
both. (Laughter.)
The Mayor said they with very great pleasure
accepted the withdrawal of this case. They thought
it was honourable to both that the apology had been
offered on the one side and accepted on the otter. It
had saved the Bench from a very painful enquiry, and
had saved the town from • great deal of ill-feeling.
It was the opinion of the Bench that Dr. Draw had
that morning et linty cleared his character from the
Imputation made against him. (Applause.) In
Justice to the Bench he (the Mayor) felt, in regard to
what [r.S alohd.llll4 roil, he ought to state that
none of the magistrates oo the Bench had aigued nay
document which had any bearing on the care. That
morning the document had been seen by himself and
other magistrates ; in order to refresh their memories
they had it. brought before them to see an to whether
it heal any bowing on this case • and if Mr. Symonds
would like to examine that document he would see it
had no bearing upon the cue before the Bench.
Mr. Wallis: ibre it is-throwing a parcel over to
Mr. Symonds.
The Court then rose.