The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-09-16 00:00:00

Thursday last, that of the Wesleyan, the Baptist,
and the Nicholas-street schools, took place in Belfleld
Park, kindly placed at the disposal of the teachers
for the occasion. The children, about 700 in
number, paraded the streets shortly after noon with
flags and banners, and the Wesleyan School was ,
headed by the Portland Wesleyan Sunday School
band. On arriving at Bellffeld Park the children
were allowed to indulge in various athletic sports, ,
and right merrily they passed the few fleeting
hours. At tea-time the several schools formed
into groups to discuss the good things provided for
them. Mr. Anderson, the energetic and much-
beloved superintendent of the Wesleyan school, had
erected • small copper in a quiet nook, and the
consequence was the children under hie superinten -
dance enjoyed an excellent beverage, hot from the
teapot, which, owing to the chilly state of
the atmosphere in the evening, was most acceptable.
The managers of the other schools unfortunately had
overlooked, this great desideratum, and some of the
little urchins fancied that but for their pleasures in
the field, they would have enjoyed their " tea"
pretty nearly as well at home. They will be stare
to manage things better another year. Altogether,
however,a vary happy afternoon was spent together.
The serpent of a balloon announced the time for de-
parture from the park, and the company returned
to the town, again headed by the band. We
can but congratniate the superintendent of the Wes-
leyan Sunday School at Fortune's Well upon having
got up so excellent a band as that of which he is the
leader. Thursday is the first time we have had the
pleasure of listening to it, and the manner in which
the several selections of music were executed
certainly did great credit to the whole • of
the performers.
By the intelligence brought by the Anglo
Saxon on Tuesday, it appears that the Great
Eastern struck upon a rock at Montauk Point, stove
in a hole in her bottom, bet the accident is not con-
sidered serbus. The leakages aro not sufficient to
impair her safety.
A SLY Jos.—We have received a long letter,
Written in very bad English, describing what is
termed a "sly job," perpetrated by a Low-man on a
poor half-witted fellow named Bob Sly. According
to our correspondent's communication it appears
that Bob, as he is called, is able and willing to work,
and fully competent to get his own living, but
that, to keep up the family dignity, some of his
kind relatives have managed to get him shut up in
the Union Workhouse, in opposition to his will,
and kept there at the expense of the ratepayers
We forbear to give our correspondent's remarks on
the case until we have learned feller particulars
respecting it; in the meantime it is quite evident-
that some inquiry should be instituted for clearing
up the scandal
WYKE REGIS.—EscAre AND RECAPTURE OF
Foes CONVICTS. —The quiet little village of Wyke
was on Monday last thrown into a state of consider-
able excitement. It appears that twenty-three
convicts from Dartmoor prison were being conveyed
in an omnibus and van from the railway station at
Weymouth to the convict establishment at Portland,
and that on their way thither, when arriving at a
place called Wyke !nap, four of them managed
simultaneously to slip their &able and "bolt." The
ringleader of the party who 'escaped was named
Bruce, alias Carpenter, a native of Wareham, who
received sentence of penal servitude some time since
at Dorchester tor breaking into the dwelling-house
of Mr; Groves, brewer, of Weymouth, and stealing
therefrom a silk dress and other articles, and Who;
it will be recollected, effected his escape from
Dorchester Gaol by making a desperate leap from
thereof of the gaol to the tap of • wall 30 feet
distant and l feet below, and subsequently wading
through the river. Two of the men jumped
over • hedge into a field, but were speedily recap-
titred by the warders who were in charge of them.
The third ran into Wyke village, where he sought
to hide himself in Mr. Reglar's garden. He was,
however, captured by the inhabitaats, and shortly
afterwards delivered up to the authorities. Carpenter
gave considerable trouble. At Broths ran back on the
road towards Weymouth, but meeting a man and
woman he jumped the fence of Miss Ilayh3y's shrub-
bery, and got away into 'Francis' Bottom, and hid
himself amongst a large cluster of nettles and
brambles, where Sergeant Pitfield, of the county
eonstabulary, after two hours' search, captured him
after a severe struggle. His biding-place was dim-
eovered by a boy, who being himself trespassing,
IlOoght to evade thi police oliket by jumping over
the fent(); When he came down tiVou the convict:
After he *as captured he smith& Sergeant Piifleld
what the Dorchester poeyple thought about his leap
when he rOcaped froth Dorchester Gaol, and added
that he Yrotild not now have captured him so easily
but that he broke • blood wood on that occasion.