The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-07-25 00:00:00

ZOBBRY AT WIIIIIOOIII.

Maria Marten, • lad of 16, was chargel with
feloniously receiving jewellery, the property of Mr. J.
B. Cole, of Weymouth, knowing it had been stolen.—
Mr. Clark prosecuted.
It will be remembered that an errand boy named
Swindles WAS convicted of stealing 16i from Mr. Cole's
till, and when in custody he admitted also stealing
various articles of jewellers, and disposing of them to
Marten for &few pence. Hanes this charge. Swindles
was sailed—a very little fellow, in prison garb, but not
at al shamefaced—and said that before he had been at
Mr. Cole's • week, Marten ',eked him if there was
any "chance" for a pin, and he stole him one.
Then Martin asked if there was any " chance"
for • gold chain and he robbed his master of
a necklet, and handed it to him the same day, and
received for it 41. Another pin was got for Marten,
and be received altogether 10J. or 11d, for the goods.
Marten admitted buying the &riled.' for la. 51., but
said he did not tempt Swindles to steal them, or know
they were stolen.
In summing up the Judge,remarked that on account
of the youth of the prisoner they must not regard his
conduct in this miner as they would that of • man,
and he also said they musk be careful how they convicted
on the evidence of an accomplioe and • convicted thief
as Swindles was.

The prisoner landed Ina chuuter from Mr Benson,
newsagent, and the jury having said for It, his lord-
ship read it. It was to the effect that Marten had been
a newsboy for him for throe years, and he had always
found him honest. It was unfortunate that he had
gotmixed with a gang of young rogues, but he believed
that Marten had been tempted by Swindles rather
than having been the tempter.
Prizonurs father wished the Superintendent to be
celled, and Mr Vickery uid he had not heard of any
charge against the prisoner since he had been In Wey-
mouth, but there wee a gang of boys In the town who
robbed their misters, frequented public-houses, and
went eacursiou to Poole and other places.

The jury, alter retiring for a fa; minutes, pro •
verdict of guilty, and strongly reoommonded him to
mercy.
Mr. Richard T. Atkins, bookseller, of Weymouth,
was milled by prisoner's father, and gave the lad • good
character.

The judge said he entirely agreed with the verdict,
and believed Swindlee' story was true &I to his
(Marten's) knowing they were stolen, but there was
not evident:* to satisfy him that he incited Swindles
to the thefts. He did not think this was a case
for • reformatory, as boys should be only sent there
when they had acquired a habit of stealing. He urged
him to be honest in the future, and live oat this stain
on his character. Untamed to one month's bud
labour.
The assizes ooncluded at half-past five;

WEYMOUTH.
Tax United Sunday Schools treat is fired to take
plum on Thursday, August 10.
F WITT memben of our rifle corps have sent Is their
names to join the September camp in Berkshire.
A Scutum was preached on Sunday at Fleet Church
by the Rev. V. &meows, B. A.., for the society for the
Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Pats. The
rallestion amounted to £2 Ts. 9.1.
Tax New CHOIOH.—A bed of ()operate, six inches
thick, is to be placed over the manor of the intended
site for the proposed church, and Mr Thomas Dodson's
tender for EMI 51, 84., ham been accepted.
ESTWITALIMINT.-11r. DuCann,nith some ladies 6'"
an entertainment at the loyal Hotel, on Tuesday
evening. Tee playing was gont sad the singing lively
and smart, the conjuring nicks clever, and &ruefully
done, and the ventriloquism first-rale.
To &JUDI'S : A NJUILTLeas BWINDLC—A cleverly
managed but cruel cheat has been practised oa one of
our smaller builders. A smart-looking man took
yiresters.iptecrenaliurnalehadedlodgifmaderoals
Ahh..e.retfro.dia,rtanuns.d
wgehreiewo
ooyhunioet
had pent
phsheentch.l2l
had been his parents' home, and his own birthplace,
and therefore be intended to Imelda here. He took a
lune of some building land, and on the faith of his
being a man of wealth, indued a builder who is a
working man, to construct Mx cottages on the land for
MO, to be paid by three instalment; the first instal-
ment whim the building WM first door high. Jut as
the first instilment become due, he mortgaged the
property toe building surety in Sonserestahlre for £2OO
representing that he had spent £4OO on the property,
whereas he had only paid the ground rent ; and he
then absconded with the mousy so raised. At Gluten.
bury he changed • cheque for over kW. and being
seen by the clerk of the building society, he stated
that he was going to Highbrido to pureLaes elute. He
wee followed by the builder whom he had wronged,
but he bas got off for the present. IS ail years that he
had made • partial arrangement with a Yeovil builder,
for two villas; but. finding parties potting suspicious,
we suppose he found it probing to seems what he had
got Doubtless, the fellow will try the same plan in
the neighbourhood of Bath or Bristol; but it is to be
hoped that builders will be on the look out.
Bonooort Prrrr iiseetoss, Monday. Before J.
.Drew, Seq., and G. Reynolds, Req.
Mary Ann Allan was brought up for stating El from
Lewis Brialand, seam= of H.M.S. Achilles. Pron.
outer did not appear, Discharged.
TUESDAY. —Wore the Mayer (J. Milled" Esq.). G.
Reynold', Esq., and W. Talbot, Esq.
freak Mugge/tido. charged with stealing a rope left
on the beachbelongiog to Frederiak Woodatord, fisher.
man, was remanded.
WIDISIDaY.—Before the Mayor (J. Milled'., 310,
and G. Reynolds, Seq.
Edward Caddy, for whom Mr. Howard appeared, was
summoned for inciting Alfred Ford to commit • breach
of the poses. Adjourned to pee if • settlement would
be made.