The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-08-01 00:00:00

WIXAORNE.
PUBLIC "MORALITr' IN WIMBORNE.

fLITIUOLDINLIT Malan OF FilthICATOlO VOTING Pam
At the Petty Sessions, on Friday last, the Court wee ,
inconveniently crowded consequent upon a amber of
surnmease• having been put down for hearing. relating
to alleged Mil. time in maneetion with Gag last
deolion of of Poor. It need. perhaps. hardly
' be eel& that se weal la this smart little town • consider-
able amount of party feeling bad been imported into the
diCsiLealistrovics.
,n
on the Beech were—C. J. Parke, Esq..
Capt. Cl.rkieGir Paget" W.
B444eirrler.
were two Attendants, list there were something
like half • down 6111110101111$ against then, NVilliatis
Randall, of Wimbonow and Frank Wooldridge, of
Horton, Miniboom, 'grocer, and the complaloonts who
" prayed for justice on the premises* were Thomas Laing.
John Buries.. and Gears* Chivy 8313111- The summons
nosiest Randal was that "pending the election of ,
Gicardiane of the Poor for the said perish of Miniboom
Minster under the statutes in that behalf wilfully and
fraudulently, and with the intent to affect thematic( the
said election unlawfully did falsely assume to sot in the
name of and on behalf of Robert Ridout, be being then a
pence entitled to vote at the said election.* The summoos
against Wooldridge was that he had unlawfully
eated a certain voting paper belonging to one Walter
Squibl%
Wooldsidge's CYO was taken first. and It ousupied nearly
four boars in hearing. He plesded not guilty. Mr.
nf 13outhennoton, was for the prosecution ; Mr.
Deludes Kingsford, of the Eastern Circuit, instructed by
Mr. Dibben, of Witoborne, for the defence
Mr. C orwell, in opening the men, add he appeared
against the defendant to prosecute him for an offence
under an Act for mandating the election of Guardiens in
Rural Dietricts, via,the 14th and 15th Victoria c 106, • 3.
In the month of April last, when the election, took place,
the defendant left. amongst others, • voting paper at the
residence of Walter Squibb, who arm entitled I. 1.0.4 for
the pariah Guardian, and resided et Holt.wood. On the
10th of May the defendant, Irf•DOIS Henry Wooldridge.
c died at Squibb's mildew* when he was away at work,
about three miles distant. He saw Km Squibb, and
asked her if she would give him her voting paper. She
replied yea, and she did so. And then. without the
slightest authority from either the wife or the husband,
the defeadantbegan to fill it ap. "' if. said Mr. (kneel%
"1 produce these facts—that neither Squibb or his wife
autharieed the defendant to sign his name, that it wee
deliberately done without their knowledee and Mantic.),
then I say the caw is a most serious oee.'' The areata
gravity of the offence w odd be shown in the fact that by
thou employed to look through the voting paper. It had
been found that • large number of others had undoubtedly
been rimed by thetzireon.
Mr. Kingsford oh ailed hls friend had n richt to In
into such anthem ea they wars brought forward they
would meet them, one by one.
Mr. Cox well continued: If the defend ant had no
authority Jodie the name of Squibb, then he het feloniously
signed it, and he was liable to three months' itunrison-
meat ;End the megistretas. be wee sled to say, win the
Summary Jariodietion Ad, had the power to Inflict a
pimalty. This prosecution has been taken up hy Ky.
Swims. Mr. lodes, and Mr. ROwe, not from any malicious
wish to pressers' the defendant, bat hoping to ruin stop
to these pernicious and immoral presto*, Sh I yoa
Cthildar ihia case, as I believe from my instruction* you
will find It fully proved. I May say we boy* no de-ma to
ns for • levers pnnishment--that. nnwes,r. "endemic,
leave in ram ha ii. (Clerisirs laughter in C rum)
George lathy Boon was then celled, end. In reply to
Mr. Caswell. said be was • ratepayer for the pariah, and
" Mint informer " lathe cam stalest the defendant.
I b.; ieea pee bee. ea" th.ps proceedings purely from •
desire to purify these elestions I—Moot entirely. (A
laugh).
Aod I believe • number of cows relating to the acing
Up of voting papers were brought to your notice I—Tee,
, and thie was theworst,
Ks. Kingsford I object to this witness stating his own
, particular views.
Mimed : I am dating fads.
Mr. Cogwell : Yon are in posseedon of fedi loam, this;
cam was the worst of all I—l ars.
. And you have inspected the voting papers I—The whole
I of them.
Twenty-six voting papers which the witness said he
had Planed together were then called for. Up in that Mr.
; Kiogefor I said the proper Goatee to perms would be for
his friend to erode°e the voodoo paper upon which be
fontwiod tut charm At preempt they bad oothing I 3 do
with other voting [awe Hoar was it onside for Mai in
that single ewe to deal with El Vagina Cana
Mr. Cox : Very well, theedseill deal with the voting
paper in qued:on, numbered" an:
Mr. Tanner, clerk to the Falrdians. and solicitor, wee
then put forward to prodoese it, which he did. He, beim
sworn, said he wee returning ellOd oh the election of
itn4rAiont in April lad by vista* of hie dim Ia tottaLW
' • tits vgips t • ems solves aural imp** Ulm; bj
• rejected. nee WM one:lumbered' WI • Wetttligial dish*
M sordaliF WOW: -