The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-01-14 00:00:00

Somersttsbire.

YEO VIL BOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS, Tuesday.
—Before J. It. Mayo, and T. Greenham &qrs.
William King was charged by P.C. Hubbard, with
being drunk and disorderly on the night of
the 9th of December.—Fined Is. and wets.—
Samuel Salisbury was charged with rescuing the
above William King from the custody of the police,
on the night of the 9th December.—Fined Is.—
George Brooks, butcher, was summoned by P.C.
Holwell, charged with leaving his cart in Wine-street
all night, thereby causing an obstruction. —Fined
10s. and costs. —Daniel Norman was next charged
with having, on the 3rd inst., left his cart and
causing an obstruction at Kingston.—Fined 10s. and
costs.

WESTON SUPER-MARE.—MAONIFIOINT EDUCA-
TIONAL GIFT.-A gentleman, resident in the West of
England, has expressed his intention of placing in the
hands of Archdeacon Law the magnificent sum of E 50.000
towards founding • theological college, which will be
commenced immediately. So large • sum from one
individual, In his lifetime, is without precedent in the
West of England, and the liberality of the donor deserves
the warmest thanks of the clergy.
- - - -

Archdeacon Law's sermon on the death of the
lamented Winos has reached the fifth edition, in con-
sequence, it is supposed, of her gracious Majesty having
expressed her cordial approval of this truly eloquent and
feeling discourse. Mr. Whereat is the fortunate pub-
lisher of this sermon.

THIII LATZ ORRIN:HUTTON AT FRISHYORD CHURCH.
—On Friday a further examination of some of
the vaults beneath the church was made, and it was
then found that from the vault of the family of Colonel
Joyoe two or three coffins have been extracted bodily,
as stated by the prisoner Musty, in • voluntary con•
fession. From the vault of the Rev. W. Batchelor, Mr.
Batchelor's ooffin has been opened, the lead wholly
removed, and the strong oak coffin, which is in capital
preservation, ripped up, apparently with a view of find-
ing rings or other valuables on the deceased. The
coffin was lying on its side, and was stripped of an its
ornaments; but the plate, bearing date 1811, was
found broken up in a corner, the miscreants having
forgotten to take it way with them. The coffin of Mrs
Elizabeth Batchelor was also stripped. This probably
furnishes • clue to the letters 'Ella" on the plate
proved to have been sold. The vault of the Baker
family WU opened, and several coffins found stripped of
their furniture. In the vault of the Joyces a part of a
plate was found. The search is still being prosecuted.
A lad, who was employed on the building at the time
of the repairs, arts AS guide, and while he predioted
those opened be be "bad," there are others which he
declared to be "much worse." Great excitement
prevails in the village, the neighbours reminding one
another of sepulchral lights which have from time to
time been seen in the church, but which are now ex-
plained.—The inquiry into this case was resumed on
Tuesday before Admiral Duff and • fall bench of magic-
at the Weston Court House.—Mr. C. J. March, of the
Western Circuit, instructed by Mr. Inman, solicitor,
of Bath, attended on behalf of the family of the Rev.
W. Batchelor, and the family of Mr. Baker, whose
vaults had been rifled—Mr. Gardner, on the part of
the rector and his fellow-churchwarden, said they
were desirous of prosecuting the case; but if they did
so the expense would fall upon themselves which was a
responsibility they would not incur. The Bench ex-
pressed their deep regret at such • decision. The ease
was then proceeded with, the prisoners being ex-
amined by the magistrates' clerk, and Mr. Muroh watch-
ing the precedents for his clients, while Mr. Robertson,
solicitor, appeared for Merchant. At the close of the
examination, however, the churchwardens announced
that in consequence of the observations of the bench
they were willing to become prosecutors in the ease.
Michael Hickey, who was at the last examination
committed for seven days for refusing to answer the
questions put to him, now deposed that the bag brought
to him by the carrier from Freshford to Bath contained
rags and bone, and brass eoffin handles and plates.
He bought the coffin handles and plates of the prisoner
Musty, outside the Greyhound public-house at Fresh-
ford. Musty told him they were no good, and that
they were in hie way where he was building a wall
round a tomb in the church. Merchant was with
Musty at the door of the public-house drinking
with witness, but he could not tell whether
k he was with Musty when he bought the plates and
handles. Merchant about the same time offered to sell
him some lead, which he said he had at home, but
I whether he bought any of him or not he could not
now ray. The witness also deposed to buying one lot
of lead either 141 b. or 241 h. weight, of the wife of the
prisoner Broad, but upon her offering him a second lot,
a short time afterwards, he refused to buy it, thinking
it was not all right. Mrs. Rose, living close by
Merchant, deposed to haring seen a hawker of earthen- I
ware (0 into his house on one °wagon with earthenware

and come out again with his arms full of coffin handles,
angels frmn coffins, and a breastplate from a coffin,
which bad yellow letters upon it. He beat the breast-
plate up double against the witness's house, and then
put all the things into • bag upon a trunk. Mr.
Superintendent Morgan, of the Boineraetshire constabu-
lary, produced the following letter, which had been
voluntarily handed to him by the prisoner Smith, on
Friday last, and which was proved to be in Miunbant's
handwriting .—"Freshford, Dec. 9. Sir,—l am very
sorry that ever there should have been any ill feeling
between Ton and me, but as you have used me rather
111 l lately it has made me say perhaps what I should not;
but there is another subject of more importance. The
rector told me yesterday you told hiss about the lead
you sold from the church. So far, so good; but you
cannot show it was necessary to remove Mrs. Batchelor,
Mr. George Baker's aunt, to make any alteration. Now,
I am certain, if Mr. G. Baker knew of the these tran-
sactions, the whole party concerned would be prose-
cuted ; families most be left, character lost, minister
and parish disgraced. Now, as Mr. Rodwell id anxious
that this disgraceful affair may at once subside, I
think the best thing to be done is, for all parties to be
quiet. I again any that I am very sorry anything
escaped my lips to disgrace your character, or any
one else, if you take this as a sufficient apology for any-
thing I have done to you, let the matter rest.
If not, and you think proper to carry on any
proceedings, I shall give every information of what
took place in the church, by writing to the parties
interested, and we all must abide the consemsunces.
W. Margent.—The Rev. C. R. Rodwell, rector of Fresh-
ford, was neat examined at great length. From his
statement it appeared that the disclosure of the revolt-
ing affair had first been made in consequence of a
quarrel between Merchant and Smith, in which they
indulged in mutual recrimination. Though partially
aware of what had taken place, the witness said that as
the knewledge of the thing did not soma to him in an
official way he shrunk from taking it up, hoping against
bore that the statements were not true, until rumours
became so current that he could no longer close his eyes
to it. He took no steps at first to investigate the
charges against his sexton ; but when the matter
became rife, and he was appealed to by Mr. Gardner,
the churchwarden, they at once brought it before the
magistrates. He admitted that at the outset he had
endeavoured to act as peacemaker between Smith and
Merchant, but he denied that any meeting had taken
place with the view of hushing the matter up. It was
ultimately agreed, after a long examination that the
witness's deposition should be left open till the next
meeting to afford him an opportunity of refreshing his
memory and making corrections in his prelim)t evidence
If neccessary. The prisoners were then again remanded
for a week, bail being accepted.
ROAD.—MUNIFIOZNT Licasolse.—The late Henry
Batten Pool, Esq., of Road, has bequeathed the follow-
jog legacies for charitable purposes :—Bath Eye
Infirmary, £1,000; Bath United Hospital, £1,000;
Church Missionary Society, £1,000; Wesleyan Missio-
nary Society, £10,000; Wesleyan Ministers' Fund,
£5,000; Wesleyan Widows' Fund, £5,000; Bible
Society, £5,000; Pool's School at Road, £2,500 stock;
and to the Wesleyan Church at Road, £4OO stock.

BRISTOL.—Tnn GRAND JURY n Pal
The SESSIONS.—
The grand jury at the Bristol Sessions, now being held,
consisted of five " colts" (as new jurymen are styled,)
who subscribed, as usual, se. esoh, and the min of 255.,
thee raised, was agreed to be given to the Refuge for the
Friendless Poor.

BBIDGWATER.--COLOWIL TTNTE, M.P.—At the
Bridgwater County Court, on Friday, the case of
Colonel Tynta was heard. It was an adjourned
judgment. At the previous court a judg-
ment summons was heard, when the imme-
diate relatives of the defendant (Colonel Tynte) were
, called to prove that b• possessed• no means or property
of any kind, and tha he whole of the effects in the
family mansion at H swell belonged to the sister of:
the defendant, having been beitmathed to her by the
will of the lute Colonel Tynte, the father of the present
Colonel. His Honor now held that the summons must
be dismissed, se the evidenoe adduced at the previous
court showed that the defendant possessed no property
or funds under his own control, and was therefore
unable to pay ; neither was there proof that he pos-
sessed means at the time of the judgment or since it
wee given. .