The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-01-10 00:00:00

FIRST COURT. WDDAy.

_
(Before J. FLOUR. Eq.. M.P.. with whom mat the
1:ey„ C. W. Bingham, Captain Manlier., J. Oundry,
E,1.. .1. I'. F. Gundry, Esq., (iptain Still, and C. F.
Glyn, Eau.)
Thu following were sworn on the Crawl Jury :—Mr.
flenry Feraket. Whitchurch, yeoman ; Mr. Thomas
ita,,oorobe, Dorchester. draper • Mr Edward Reeking.
ham. Wimborne. innkeeper; Mr. John florge,t.
.me. yeoman; Mr. Robert Brine, Cusaage. gentleman;
Mr. Charles Beale, Weymouth. gentleman ; Mr. John
Clifton, Wimberno, butcher; Mr. E. W. Crabb Brad
pole. manufartarer ; Mr. A. f.. cooper. Whitcomhe,
Pinner ; Mr. Frederiek Danis, lila...fora, saddler ; Mr.
W. G. Hodder. Walditch, gentleman ; Mr. Robert
Dicks. Mlandford, gentleman ; Mr. Joseph Lock, Dor-
cheater, butcher ; klr. Jame,. hile., Dorchester.
"Oilier ; Mr. Edward Nutting. Dorchester, baker,
Mr. W. C. Symonds, Litton Cheney. yeoman ; Mr.
Robert Smith, \Fist Stafford gi..ntl inon ; Mr. Whim'
Symes, jun., l'ideletrenthide, ytounm ; Mr. James
Synies, Witulp,rs... St. Giles, s...un ; Mr. G.
F.
Wadsworth, Radipole. yeoman; Mr. John Worland,
Witabaraas draper • Mr. T. ii. M. !combo
IZeei., draper, and dr. John Yeeraley, Macomb,' Regis,
butcher.
The proclamation azainst rim and profdneness haying
been read by the Clerk of the Peace, the Chainuan
delivered the _ _

ellaltur To THE GIL OM it'll'.
Mr. Floyer said : Gentlemen of the Grand Jury,—At
tbii season, when it IS the v•-ry general custom to
look back over the post. and forward with congratu-
lation mad hearty good wishes for the future, it is
very gratlying to these whoa, duty it is to address
you, to be ahle to do so in the lAlUll LI ring of satis.
faction and hope with ll ferenc i ti tho 'business—the
in po, toot business —which brings Ui together terday.
Such arc the feelings which arian upon a view of the
A 111 W BlIDta• cal. 'Air that will shortly be laid before you, which
Mr. II WILLI...mu read the bridges and buildings coptaint the name. of 15 persons—a smaller number
ccoiniit.m's report. which recommended the court to than I think within my recollection lIIIVO ever been
it tut hall the cost (not ezcinedieg i:150), of creating a brought up for trial at the Epiphsny Sessions. Coin-
Law ...I dge weir the river Aie on the road from I"riud it with last Year we find that there is a
ilowicuursh to Chanistock,—Adopted, difference of nine prisoners, for thee 21 were brought
LUNATIC AaTLU3I+ up for trial, and in the previous year—the Wausau:lg
ihe I:eport of the Visitors to the Asylum was pre- of 1149—the number for trial was no less than 30:
heisted by J. FLoT i it, Esq., M.P. It referred in terms on the present osisseion you have only half that num-
oi iati,f .ction the way in which 'he eftic, ra had her. And that satisfactory view is further confirmed
perform.' their duties, and the state of the patients by the statistics elves on the first page of the calen-
arid the sylums. One patient had committed auicide ; dar, of those committed during the past quarter to
hat the 'miters did not think the attendant to blame, the county gaol. The number committed in the
liotiter f the state of the patients with special refer. quarter ending Christtuaa, 1869. was MS, and
snob t.. iicidal tendencies, will be Pinned in tho attend. in the quarter ending Christmas, 1870, the number
ante' eo.- is in future, and the bath room will he kept was only 241, showing a diminution of no lessthan 01.
I.olte L. The report alluded to the visit of two of the Now. I would not mako tan much of such an apparently
Commissioners in Lunacy, whose inirdate spoke with eratifyine state of things. We know that fluctuations
great and general satisfaction of the icy lums, approved of crime are very greet, and often t.ks plaee in different
Um efforts made to render Charennater asylum mete 1) a ))) of the country and at cliff...rent periods, without
comfortable, and recommended more coulter:a yet any very clear reuse presentina itself. But not very
being provided. The Oxfordabire and Berkshire I.:Al.:ow lono aeo I our in the publie prints that in one of our
had been returned, the ooatracHl having ellOrtd, sn.l I nto.E I...pulous ciri..-. that of Manchester, the head of
fresh contracts bad been made s, ftc.,qp. Niga,,,t. iron, the polio-, reputing to the authorities a similar sails'
Southampton sod Portsoa. 1:11.566 Lis 4.1 Is.* bIY II tory mace of Oleos 111 TenT Ito the crime of that city,
paid out of the county rate towards discheigiug the 4titihtit tilt to "cent le=i`lati"" on the "blest Some
mortgage debt of 141,000, and 12 WO has hecis pact in of you may remember—though now it is aimed beyond
aid of the rate !tom the surplus food forum-d limn the an po di. c'i .ti of meet of UP—that Move wail a thee
Payments for non•peu per and out euenty pain ors. At , when tlin only re-u-I, rul.trvil for inerce.ing Mime was
kloyer added that there was :mother 1:1.0011 to be 1 ine.easing the severity of their,. The penalty of death
applied in the a•uie way, or iii such manner Wri the 1 was attached to a large number of offences, and the
court may think tit. Astute Iviolc was loaded with laws of what mioht he
Major FRAN CrvN thought (110 surplus should be . called Draconian severity. That state of things noses-
applied in reduction of the tuortgagu debt, and moved , eerily drew the attention of Parliament soil humane
that the dealing etch it should be referred to the men,and the honoured names of Hominy and Brougham
Finance Committee. . were identified with large an important ameliorations
. . ... .
Mr Gunniti seconded.

of the criminal law of this countri. Hut, alters time,

—. —....—. .....—......
Mr. I. Loran asad it was desirable time should be 1 it was found, and that in recent yearn, that the mitt:
allowed for ciondderation. He suggested trying to P.' I gation of punishment hail proceeded perhaps too far In
oft one of the smaller autos in which the 141,000 was the direction of relaxation ; and, within these few
borrowed, if they wished to apply the surplu, towards ! Teo*, the attention of Parliament has again been
paying off the d. ht ; hut be had wished to apply the c.lled to the subject, mil laws Lave been passed in-
surpluses to the county rate as the preseut erea-ing again in some measure the severity of the
ratepayers had borne the heaviest burdens fel the build- . puniditnent for offence . against the law: especially has
hags, and also in providing police-stati.ius, militia litotes, . ili it b..en the ease with two statutes very important
kc., which posterity would be free from. ..n. s- the 27 and 2S Viet., c. 47. celled an :tat to amend
The CHAIRMAN MY in favour of dealing with the the pt sal servitude act..in4 the Mend 33 Viot..c. 99, an
present surplus, rather than delaying the matter for act for the more effectual prevention of crimemounnonly
another quarter. Ho suggested whetlu r the rate. known as the Habitual Criminals' Act. 'Chose act.
payers could mat be relieved of certain anon d charges , may in a sense be callei retrograde acts, because, as I
for the lunatic alleluia such as rat a and tithes. I sai I ii-fore, they deal with and place on the statute
Mr. FRAMPTLIN N usuiion was adopted. I hook provisions of the law for more severely dealing
Plaice!. ! with criminals. Bat there is this great difference

J. J. read the finaneial
report.which :dated the receipts him' been £1,317 Is. 91.
including 03,102114. balance it the COnntiviteetni.nt
of the quarter. Th, payments hed been L:1,335 is. 54.
—A rate of 1.1. in the was ordered.
The Noble Casino:in complain. .1 of the slowness of
the printets, whereby he had only just received the
wont,' sheet, which he ought to have had a long time
ago. (Voices: I've not received it yet !) The agenda
paper also only came to hand at the last moment.. If
they found the printers again so slow, it might be
necessary for the court to mark it. Ilia lordsl-ip also
remarked that the prosecution. at desdone, 'ii au
average of •141 mwes, cut the coda'v rack, shale
those at wise:, on au average emi IS. cost rd. Ile re-
membered that it ue,l to be the levers°, and in demon-
ist where the old state Of things prevail, the .lasins
priosecutious averaged 1:12, and the ).;essions Ui I.
The overloading of eases with witnesses was a very
useless though costly practise, and he did not think it
was done no much by county magistrates ;IS otLers—
(hear). Another ite in of expenditure was 1:1:sil to the
superintendents of the borough robe. of D,mrchester,
Bridport, Blindfold. and Weyuiou th for the ediveyauco
of prisonera to the gaol. Owing to these boroughs
having separate police forces, they burdened the county
thus: Ile was especially askmishemi that any expense
could accrue in conveying offenders from Dorchester
tostahall to the county prison.
A magistrate suggested there was a "pub..' on the
the way—(laughter).
oh. FAIRIOIIIIOt9N.
The Ctistiti in informed the Coins that Mr. Far.lll-
- wished that he might not ho again appointed
Chairman of the Finance Commitke. Mr. Farquharson
bad fur 38 yesi, presided over the committee, and
now felt that he could not enter into those detail's of
business it was necessary the chairman should keep hie
attention up to. Ilia Lordship IMO cure they woutd now
allow him to feel the gratification be deserved after so
long a period of service.and the indulgence—which he
felt sure the court were ready to extend to him—of
mieiug the remaiuder of his days without the restatnai-
bility of such au office. and also with the satisfaction
that he li.td received the approbation of the noun mid
the thanks which were so eminently his due—(eppleuse.)
Be therefore in ,•• .1 " that the thank. of this court be
tendered to Mi iquliarson for him constaimt owl long.
continued attention to the duties ot the office of Chair.
men of the Foulke m;uuminittee appointed by the Court
of quarter Swaim,'" - (applause).
ill' !notion was uoiniinously adopted, and on the
suggestion of the noble efruirmAN. seconded by Mr.
EI,OTEit, Mr. Farquharson, juuro was notniunklt the
new chairman of othianittemen end imecepted the office.
ekllll, C MUTABLE'w Ittroltr.
The Chi. f Constable's Repent stated that there was a
decrease of 7)" per-uns taken into Cooed), as compared
with the same baiter last year. The foot.andthouth
disease has imiesaileet extensively in nearly all parts of
toe county. Zelii farms were affected, and I:1.1=
&refuels were attack, d, and the disease still exists in
31/ farms, but time attecks are less than a few mouths
*got awl the disease has assumed a milder form. There
has been a Klett reduction in the number of vagrants
relieved, the returns being-180, 11,248 ; 11,70. 8,107 ;
decrease dining the twat 12 months, tlll. The numb. r
of persons apprehended for vagrancy has decreased 42,
and it is hoped that these facts will be cousiiered a
satisfactory proof that the measure. which have been

between the present acts and the statute, 'of a severer
character in former day., vit., that the present
acts deal with off riders with great distinction
and discrimination a. regard. their condition and the
i nature of their crimes. Especially do them acts deal
I with old offenders. and it is upon them that the severity
!of the law is .windmill), laid. It was t • the Habitual
Criminals Act that the head of the Manchester police
' referred as having been accompanied with very satisfac-
tory result* in the repression and the diminution of
crime ; and it is, as you may suppose, • great satisfac-
tion to those who have lee: to talc., part in such im-
portaiit 111..41111V., who have felt it their duty to
c mcur is increasing the severity of the law for the
rept, saion of crime, that these Acts have been seems-
Partied with beneficial results to the country at large-
I must not, however, 1453 over that further considera-
tion which presents itself to us in accounting perinea
in some menaces fur this different state of
thing. in regard to the crime of Dorset.
have before, perhaps upon more than one occasion
called your attention to certain etatements in the
c derider, which show from what parts of the country
the criminals brought up for trial have come. We see
in the present calendar that more than half, namely
.iX out of the eleven, who have been in the custody
of the governor of the gaol, the other four having been
out on bail, have come, nut front Dorsetahire, but from
offe r part,' of the counrry. That leads us to the infer-
ence which has been drawn, not only by our escellent
Chief Constable, but by others who have taken into
consideration the calms of crime—that it is from the
vam-ant classes mainly—those people who are in the
habit of wandering about almost without occupation,
and probably without any oesupation than the corn-
of Miens:es—it is by inch classes that crime is
meetly eimantitted. Anything therefore that will
reduce this vagrant class 'lees operate iitrongly towards
the reduction of crime. You are well aware that about
a twelvemonth ago, in this county, mainly through the
exertions of our Chief Constable, a sockty was formed
for the repression of vagrancy. It has acted through-
out with beneficial results. I believe there has been DO
case where hardship has followed from the operations
of this society ; bat it has hail this beneficial result,
that it has largely reduced the number of vagrants
wandering about ill the county of Dorset. It
Ohs stated yesterday that the number of vagrants
ieceiving relief in the unions of the county
during the past year were only 14107; I do not
mean to ray that there were 14,107 vagrants (for
the same vagrant would apply on several con-
etc sties+ nights at different workhouses), but that the
,umber of applications for board and lodging, what we
call relief, had been made by t of the vagrant class
who had been in the county. This showed a 'election
of no less than 3141 cases of applications for assistance
by s'Antanta in tie county, and may in some measure
account for the reduction of the numbers charged with
crime iu the calendar, and in the returns from the gaol;
and it must be seta...tory to you as well as to the
court, to find that the ermimd matte of the county is
ouch as we may look upou—comparatively speaking—
with au much pleasure.
DOHCHISTIII BYE LAS Ii•
Mr. W. FFOOKM moved that the court approve the
lyre laws recently adopted by the Town Council of
Dorcheetsr. There was no appeal againit the motion,
and the court approved the bye laws-

adopted in. ihis county to cheek this great evil ha-v-ii
thus la: had a beneficial effect, inere especially as

TRILL!' or PaiBOMERB.
I,IIIIP 11,01.111R111 AT A 1,1 Vol TA.

,
vagrancy still continues to increisc in ollur counties.
rotici 1111.01 a.

Two young men oant,4 Thomas Baru, from Sueaez.
and Ja..01, neder, front Jersey, were iotheted for
btealing six hats, value the property of Mr,
Herbert fiumaell, draper, Weymouth, Nov. 25. Mr.
Ffonkv.piusetrvted.

11. FLurroN, read tli. rqort, .hicb stattd
that the Home I )nice ha i approved the appointment of
an additional ouniLtble for Portland. Tin, thief Con.

stable stated that tie caws of Foot sud•lfouth d;se-ase

bul been as_nameruus as last..quarter tben,ch not so

A pile of hats was placed in the iloorwry of the
shop. In the dusk of the evening a lad about the
size of one of the prisoners went into the shop and
made some inquiry, and shortly after six bats were
inissed. The police were informed. On the following
evening Mr. James Bawler met the prisoners in
Church-street, Dorchester, and they coke i him where
there was • slop shop, he said ; but Burns said he
enquired for a "swag ' shop, lie directed them to a
pswnbroki es, but suspecting something was wrong,
he followed them, and then Gesler offered him the hat
he was wearing—a newone--for • shilling: he carried
an old one in his hand. He told the police, and P.C.
Churchill apprehended them. Gelder had a bundle con-
taining four hats, and the boys were wearing one each.
Superintendent Vickery received the property, and Mr.
Rua.ell identified the ham by Ilia private marks.—
Burns told a long story shoot buying the bats for 41.
of a man on WeTmouth Bridge, mad said he was at
Portland at the time the hats were Waled, trying to
get on board a chip. Gesler had nothing to say. In
an,wer to the Court, GeolPr said he Was 16 last Sep-
temia.r.—q. What day ?--A. The last.—Q. What's
that A. The tvrenty-etglith—(laughter). Then after
• puzzle, he said—Why, there's 29 days in September.
The Cimirman 3.aid he was afraid they were travelling
about, living by dishonesty, and sentenced them to
six month.' bard labour each.
1111114:L4IIT Al' oKII,OIID vircrAins.

severe, and the question of farther remuneration to the
lospecters was buggested. Tbe expenditure commenced
with • balance of ),II Idt. 9d.. due to the Treasurer,

the jay of the force MU ELM:. 19s. IliL, and after
payment of other espouses, £727 Ds. remained in
the treasurer's bands. The receipts had been
1.73,643 Ids. Tel. The expenditure for the en.uing
quarter aa• eatimaied at £2,911 lir, $l., end • id. rate,
amounting to 1:1.7:.3 tid., was r 1 C../MUlnded. The
superannuation fund amounts to 1.2,:5-iti IS.. 31,sterling
aml k 3,144 10.1. stock. A gratuity of £lO5 to P.C.
W. Hawker, who ha, served 11 years, and become
incapacitated way recommended. Nino persons have
been convicted before justifies, in ri card to weights
and measurer, mid 1:1 received for penalties. halt
of whiah goes to the nuperanuumion Fund.—The
report was adopt, it,
BLANDIoRD WILIGHTM AND itLisuitett.
The following letter had been ILCAV4...ai from the Town
Clerk of I.thuniturd

"landlord. iannary
"My Lent-- Al an :uliounital qtairterl) weenie; -I the
Council of the for .oh .4 Illandlont roman, held the.
hog, I • ta alireek4l to write la. your a. Chain, an of
quarter 5ea4,011., you t„ 0414,
the Ineemary ankr. to lie given to the Inv.:tor .4 Weight..
anal Me...ere* at Illainlford, to examine the weight. ..1
n5ew.ur0...4 the the 1.4...ig1i. tta.
made to (lir 0.114,41.1 c on the •LabJeet a .hert .e,
uhela be fleeline.l to interfere. ..n the zroond tliat he dal not
enteeder it lair for the Inspector to .111i)iii•
whirl% 11104 anialgo.inate4 wlta the uglier part .4 the ronat)
for police alltlicar•
under Um tuiNaLt le 1,1,4 that thr "Cla aa 11.0
wuuld have limn ',ink red, Ind I.lope. 1... ..I WoLht toot
iie.oren, bat A. a .111.cneacodent ..f indirc. The holl•bil.al.t•
Oi the Inltough ....tribute their ahare ~,,, i,lm the
d.rd .621.4.".1 oo.v`nre.., And of the roilinicration .4 the
Inatieetur, and I mpreheiod it is elear-y the duty .4 the
I.peetur of Mir Illandford dialelet to C1•11.1111e their reiglita
in.d measurer, on .11011 weights and in....unn being 14e,reldod
to him for (hat Port.... The Con.oration of Ilkuiallord
Forum not lui, nig A ...wale ananabovion .4 the pew.. an
slot solborked • •OiStite
e the honour to Le,
'lsl, Lord,
And ..iwaia .aLla
"k.e,r3 A. helm,
" Toss. Clerk.
"'The flight !lon. The 1,44 l'ortinai.."
The letter, eraa referred to the Weights ad Measures
Committee.
ilia POLICZ kill Till FOOTntell.4lloe7ll 1/IBiAtilL
. .

Maul Corned:, 2.1, baker, and TAMIL" Bryanl. 29,
bricklayer, of Ireland, were charged with breaking
ur•tr the house of Illra Carolina Robert.. at )kelord
Fitg
_Now. 27. and :dealing 225. and various des.
criptions el food. Mr. Castle prosecuted.
Mr. Roberta went to chapel on Sunday morning
locking up her braise. Two or three beim after when
her aru and daughter came home they found the
house had been entered, that 22r., principally in six.
pouters had been taken from a purser Rad these was
also missing part of a roasted fowl, some pork, and part
of an apple pie. A youth now them near the house,
and Sept. Lavender apprehended them three miles off
the tame afternoon. Cornick then had eight sixpences
and other silver. and half-0 sovereign wrapped up in •
piece of rag. Certain footmarks were found around
orosecutrix's hells; and teem: were compared with the
Lancaehire clogs worn by Bryant, and oorre„peeded,
of crooner such boots are uncommon in Dorset. On
Cornick was found a knife which P.C. Dowland said
appeared reoently atained with apple juice I_ a rather
far-fetched bit of evidence that be had beeo eating the
missing arplc-pie. On thu 28th the energetic constable
found the remains of a resat fowl over the hedge of a
lane in which priioners' tracks were observed.
Prisoners deniedi the charge, and Bryant segued
that the footprints might have bean made by aoata
one else.