The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-10-08 00:00:00

bream. yeses. Know it is wrong for • soldier to imll
regimental boots, but them Si' not regimental bootn
Regimental boots have the government mark on them.
By the Beast% : I know these ars not regimeetal boots
hareem there is no government mark on them. Kr.
Bowling does not make boots for the battery which are
marked after they are Wien to the battery. There were
about live days between the time when I took the boots
to Johnson and when I saw Smith with them in Ni.
Bowriog's shop. lam sure • fortnight did not elapse.
quartermaster-Sergesut Donald Gordon, of the A
battery 0 brig•de, H.A., said he had never seen the
boots in question, ot "that gentleman" Morsel. 0
Johnson was plated under "stoppeges" for • pair of
boots made for him by Bowling, for which I gave the
order some time last month, either to Bowling or his
boy. Boots made by Henries, the battery shoemaker,
by my order, are considered regimental necessaries, and
• men baring them is not to dispose of them without
an order. The supply of boot, we have from the War.
office are marked, but those made right through by
Soaring have no nutrk.--Cross-examined As soon as
hoots some into • soidier's possemion they are considered
regimental necessaries. Boots issued from the stores,
or obtained by an order from me, are regimental awes
-
series. The boots have not yet been paid for. If •
man had more than two paint of boots he might be
willed to account for it, but • commanding oaks: would

rather commend hint.
Gunner Johnson stated that he got the regimental
shoemaker to make for him • pair of hoots similar
to those produced, Mont the middle of last month.
He went to the ~uartermaster about them, and he was
put under stoppages for them. Ti.. price of the boots
was El. He sold them to Gunter Smith between the
17th sod 20th ult., for lls., and Smith took them from
his room, and paid him for them. Cross-examined :
I have three piers of boots—one on and two at the
barracks.
Gunner Bmith said be bought a pair of boots similar
to them produced of Gunner Johnson, on the 17th ult.,
for Ils., sad bad previously paid for them by • loan of
Ils., Is discharge of which he had the boots. He took
the 'open to the shoemaker on the evening of the 19th,
laed offered them for sale. Mr. &ening told him he
bed no money and would not have for a day or two, and
that he might get rid of them at the Three Compeer.
His boy, Willis., carried them then, he moompanylng
him. At the inn he saw Faroe. They went into the
cellar, where he bargained to let Forse have them for
10s. It was between eight and nine o'clock and For..
took a candle to light them in the cellar. He wu to
have the boots back if he returned the 10. on the
followint Tuesday, but if he did not redeem them at
that bey were to belong to Pone. He told Form
the teces his WM On the following Wednesday
he want to Fonts and told him he eould not redeem the
boots as he had been deceived. Form said "Very
good," or words to that effect, and he walked away
home.—By the Benin: When he told Fone they were
his boots, he did not ask any question about them to his
knowledge.—Cross-examined : The boots were not part
of his regimental necessaries Wu not employed by
Johnson to take them to For..: they were his own
ho 'to. Johnson did not know he had taken them to
Fsree.
Philip Waters, provost-sergeant, stated that on the
evening of he 21st nit. Gunner Smith and Gunner
Johnson were confined for making away with their regi-
mental boots. In consequence of whet he beard!'.
came to the inspector of police foe • man to go with
hint in search of the boots, With PC. Beech he went to
the Three Compass.., and received from a woman three
pairs of regiment.' boots, which they brought away.
He went •ith the sergeant of polio, to a house in
Grove-buildings,where the constable received the boots
now in ple.tion. There was no mark upon them by
which he would state they were regimental nesessariee,
or had been served to a soldier.
P.C. Keeeh stated that no Saturday, the 28th, he
went with the previous witnees to Foout's house, and
e.w his wife. They went into the cellar with Mrs.
Form, and from behind a reek she pulled out a pair of
boots, which tan wntoent identified as military boots,
and mother noir which were upstairs: also, the third
pair now in question. He apprehended Forme, and
charged him with buying boo's of the Royal Horse
Artillery, and he answered " All right." When be saw
the boots from his house, Foam said "That's not the pair
I bought last: there's a pair at Roll's, I gays 10, for
them, end sold them to him for 14a. A soldier and one
of Mr. Bowring's boys named Wallis brought them to
me." He enquired at Roll's for the pair of boots, and
received from Mrs. Rolla those in question. The
sergeant identified the hoots as regimentals. Cr es.
examined: He apprehended Forte by order of Sopt.

; -
Ume

booUi

• Nanny. -
George Rolls spoke to buying the boots produced by
prisoner for 14s.
This being the case for the prosecution, Mr. Weston
argued that the charge was not substantiated. ris the
evidence show d that Smith sold the boots to Forte,
that they were not Sinities rertimentel necessaries, and
that Smith woe not acting as Johnson's agent.
The Bench held that they were r.giniental necessaries,
and the section imposed • penalty on any parsons who
shall buy or receive from any soldier regimental
necessaries.
Mr. Weston contended that from the clause they
must infer the penalty wu for purchasing his own
regimental neeenariu from • soldier. He went on to
remark on the circumstance that the boom in quad.*
had so distiojuishing mark upon them,insomuch that the
provost sergeant could not speak to them as regimental
boots, and, that being so. how could • civilian be ex-
putted to know they were such? But Johnson, at the
time he sold the boots to Smith, had three other pairs—
one beyond the Dumber required as regimental necessa-
ries, end it seemed he only got them as a ready means
of repaying a loan to Smith. Under these circuenstanoes
they were dearly not regimental necessaries. Forte had
acted in good faith throughout the matter, and he
actually directed the constable where to find the boots
on whisk the present charge was founded. But if made
out, this was an offence only punishable by fine, yet
Force hat been in custody since Saturday.
The Mayor reminded Mr. Weston that Forme had
been in prison one day to suit his (Mr. Weston's) con-
venience, that he WS/ apprehended too late on Saturday
for anything to be done in the cue, and he thought it
necessary he should he in safe keeping, seeing three
other pairs were found in his house, and if free he might
get rid of them.
Mr. Weston said he only mettioned this eireumsbutoe
to ask them to consider it if they had any doubt, and he
hoped they would have great doubt in the cases.
After consulting in private. the Bench °ailed on
Form to fined bail himself in £25, and ten in £lO each,
to appear on Monday, the 14th inst., to fuither answer
this charge and any other that may be preferred against
him. Bail was found.