The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-10-24 00:00:00

POACHING.

John Westrate, a ooastguard•man, was summoned
foe • came trespass at Abbotabury, on Sept. 29th
Mr. H. A. Hultable appeared to or...route ill behalf
of Mr. Palmer, and Mr. Nentes d-fends4.—Having
opened the case, Mr. Hu:table called John Yarl,
who said he had live' with Mr. Palmer 21 years. On
the evening In question, about nine o'clock, he wilt
to get some wool in a field close to h's b ,use. While
there be beard • rabbit ere asrl on going In that
direction h. torn I a rablit in • wire. After going
back to get his coat, he returns I to the field and
watched. It was • 4111, clear night. After he had
been there • few minutes he saw the def.inilant
app-osch. He sto sped ant teak the rabbit and the
wire up. Who* s said " Hollo, there i" Defen lent
turned, sal replied " Hullo !" Witness recognised
his face and hie voice. Defendant, who well in
uniform, ran sway towards a gully. Witness ran after
him, but he jumped into the ditch, and afterwards
escaped him, leaving the rabbit behind. Wilt-nese went
to the uoutguard.station and called at the olidef officer's
how*, and, he being not at home, he went to the chief
boatman and gave Information. They went to West-
gate's house, end found he was out. He afterwards
name up and looked very hot and flurried, and asked
him what he had wowed him for. Witness told him
for Wring • rabbit, when he denied it —William
Burroughs, chief boatman at the A.bbotebury station'
said on the 29th, betweec half-pest nine and • quartor
to ten, Yard came to his house and they went to
Westgatee house, and found he was out He had no
occasion to be out at that time. When he came up,
Yard identified him se the man he had seen. Defend-
sot appeared to be warm and excited. Other evidence
was given to show it was not another man Yard had seen.
—The chief boatman said, so far as he knew, the defend-
ant possessed • good character.—Mr. Nantes said he
was unable t call evidence, but be 'eked the Dinah
not to convict and imprison the defendant, who would
thereby forfeit his ten years' good character, and his
two good conduct stripes.—Charles William Harris,
chief officer, saki he never beard anything of the kind
before. His character was everything that was good.
—Elizabeth Harris was next called. an I in her evi-
dence, which apperently did not affect the osse, she
said she left Westgate reading in his house about •
quarter peat eight. —Mr. Nantes put in • testimonial
to defendant's good wale" in saving boats on the
beach, signed by fishermen of the village.—The Chair-
man said the Bench were extremely sorry to see a
man with such a character, and in such • position,
guilty of such a case. At the same time the evidence
was perfectly clear, and they were compelled to con-
vict. They hoped it would not interfere with his future
prospects. He would be flood We and costs.
Thomas Cox, of Punoknowle, pleaded guilty to a
charge of being found on the highway by P.O.
Dennett in possession of game, and Wog suspected of
being on land in the occupation of Mr Bradford, In
tho perish of Puncinowle, in search of game on the
11th October. In defence, Cox said he took the rabbits
I Weemse he could not keep what wee on his own allot-
' ments.—Fined 10s..and costs.

failed el appear, was
°barged with an offence under the Poaching Aot.—
Pm. Collins said on Ostober 3rd he saw defendant In
• sold in the occupation of Mr. Tolman, of Wynford
Eagle. Ho was taking up wires. On e•arohlng him
he found sight wires upon him. —Fined 20m. and wets,
or one month's Imprisonment.