The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-11-06 00:00:00

"KNIFING" A HUSBAND.

Martha Bawl was again brought up on Friday bef.sre
the Mayor (Mr. Lundie), Mr. Lt. Hopkins, Dr. Drew, and
Mr. J. Af husband again appaared with his head
bound up, ant he seemed much better than on Wednes-
day ; but in consideration of his being still weak, he was
allowed a seat. —Mr. Howard appeared for the woman,
ant statal that he wished to cross-examine the various
itnesses on what they had before stated.—Mr. Arden
returned that Mr. Howard had no right to to this but he
had no doubt the magistrates would allow him.—Mr.
Howard claimed the right to du as: when Mr. Arden
replied that he had no wish to prevent him, but did not
think he could claim it as a matter of right—Mr. Howard:
So lung as I got it, I don't wish to argue the question.—
The Mayor told Mr. Howard that the evidence had been
completed, the case having been adjourned only in
order to hear what the medical man had to s-ty as
B .gg's condition.—Mr. C. A. Colrner, the surgeon,
stated that he had that morning examined the wounds,
and one was healing nicely, the other one, which had been
suppurating, was healing satisfartorily. Conld now pro- ,
nounce ita,fga to be out of tianger.—Cross-examined by '
Mr. Howard. The wounds were both on one side, and
might have been caused by his struggling with a person ,
who had a knife in their hand. Could not judge of the
force with which the blows were struck, as they were pre-
vented by the skull from going very deep—By a magis-
trate: Did not think the skull itself had been injured, had
nut discovered any sign of that—By Mr. Howard: If any
one had wished to produce a fatal result by stabbing he
shoul-I think some other part of the head would have
been struck—ln putting down this part of the evidence,
the Clerk, judging that Mr. Coluter would not speak of
the intention in a person's mind, put on the depositions—
might have been struck," and a discussion ensued on
this word "might," between the Clerk and Mr. Howard,
the latter preferring the exact word that the witness had
used.- Mr. ('-truer, le.ing appealed to, preferred the word
might."—Bages, the heshand, was crust-examined, with
the sew of showing that the quarrel was justified as
much on one ebb: as the other.—fierzt. Apsey was also put
up for cross-examination, and Mr. Howard elicited that
the woman had several times complained of the hushand
assaulting her. The sergeant could not, however, remeiu-
ber no instance where the woman was found with her
hair streaming with hi sod, in consequence of Beggs
having cut her head open with a glass.—Mr. Howard said
he remembered this himself, for he happened lobe passing
at the time, lie made a long and pow s Hui defence of
the woman, urg.ing that this WtOI the result of domestic
differenres, aud that the husband was quite as Much to
lottllAO as the wife, if not more so. The Bench, den i ling
not to send the woman to Winchester Assizes, the Mayor
addressed the prisoner, saying that they regre•ted that by
the Art under which they were pr. cee.ling. they mold not
give nor • heavier sentence.—Two months' hard labour.

CHARGE OF ROBBING THE GREAT WESTERN,
On Saturday, before the Mayor (Mr. Linnlir), Mr. J.
Minnie% and Mr. W. Whet, Robe et John Mitchell, a
porter, is as brought up for stealing a pair of nippers and
other articles, the property of the Great Weston, Hoses*.
Company, his employers, and Gen,vc Billow, a teeter in
the s wee employ, was charged with stealing a pipe, the
property of the Baler. .Mitchell is from Linden, and
Bishop from East Chalborisugh.—Mr. Arden said the
prose cation had not time to trace the articles and identify
[bent and this would imly he a formal remand.
P.C. Bartlett with a search warrant searched the pri-
souers apartment at the Railway Hotel. They both
oseupy one bedroom. Mr. El wards, the Great Western
detective, accompanied him, and they found the articles
produced, including a new watch, which answered the
description of one lost from the Great Western Railway,
packets of starch and blue, knives and forks, railway
company's memorandums, also a pair of ticket nippers,
also a bunch of keys, including some skeleton key:, a
number of chisels and mallet, various pieces of straps
from the carriage windows.—These, Mr. Edwards said,
tee:, window straps, but the Great Westeni Railway's
mark had been cut eut.—P.C. Bartlett continued that a
new watch was found in Mitchell's hex. Each man
opened his box and tusk out the articles himself ; and
Mitchell saint his mother had wade him a present of the
watch a twelvemonth ago. He also said his mother had
givein him the knives and forks. As to the Wee he had to
distribute them for some agent, also the starch ; and as to
the other thing., either his friends bail given them to
him or he hail picked theta up ; he was always picking up
things. Bishop did liot say anything then, but he gave
up • pipe: the skeleton keys were found in Mitchell's
box. Bishop, questioned as to the pipe, said he hail
bought it in Yeovil ; but, being asked to say where,
named a street, and said he had paid 10.. for it. Ile was.
&seed whether, if he were taken to Yeovil, and his
expenses paid, he could point out the shop. He hesitated,
and afterwards made a statement to Mr. Edwards, but
subesyiently said he found it in a railway carriage—that
ieurthe truth. There had been many things missed from the
station. Bishop was sometimes a night porter. and Mitchell
a foreman shunter; the duty of the Latter was to beat the
station by day, not by night. —Supt. Vickery asked for a
remand, as Mr. Edwards bad to go to London. The
nippers belonged to Bath station, anti the men hail no
right with the memorandum sheets.—Mitchell asked to be
let out on hail; but Mr. Vickery said many things had
been lost, and within the last week they had offered as
much as £5 reward for the discovery of certain articles.
A poor man named Hardy had lost • gold cross, sent by
Messrs. Sutton's agency, and fur which he had to pay.
He counted the articles at the station : then, while he was
on tLe the platform, the article was lost.- The Mayor
saLl the robberies were, he believed, part of a system, for
almost every month things were lost, and to let these
men out on bail would be,he believed,frustrating Vie ends
of justice—Bail refused. The men are to be brought up
again on Thursday.