The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-05-22 00:00:00

SALVATIONIRTB AND THE " ENEMY " IN THE
POLICE-COURT.

The Smooch Petty Session Court WSu crow.b.d to
excess on Tneaday, to hear yard no cotes arising out of
the Preeence of the nalvationis a in Tiridp-rt. The
magistrates wry • Mr. A. Reynolds (Mayor), Dr. Hay,
M D., \lr. W. T. Wh..thatn. ant Mr. It. Howell
The fir 4 caw, heard wa. that of We-t r. Tucker.
The former is vtyled the " captain of the Bridport con.
tingent of the Salvation Army," and the defendant is
Mr. W. Tucker, c ,achbuilder, of liridport. There was
a cross-summons is•ued st the instance of Mr. Tucker,
for unlawfully assaulting John West, at the same (I .e
and piece.
Mr. R. Tucker ted on behalfof the S dvetion-
iota, and Mr. It. N. Howard, of Weymouth, defended
Mr. W. Tucker, who was charged with unlawfully
assaulting and beating John West on the 24th ult,
Thri following W4S the evidence :
John West, styling himself " Captain of the Silvation Army." said : On the the evening of the 24th of
April last he 0•0111 from South.etc et through Gun Icy.
lane to the Barracks. They were marching in proms.
goys. They met defendaot, who began to push them
about. Witness asked him to desist, and he refused.
Be told him if he did Dot cease he should summon
him. Defendant followed to the "Grove-room."
Before they got into the hall, defeodent c him
by the and in • moment he less visored by
s ,meone behind, whereupon he (witness) turned round
and ap,logised, saying soinvone had pushed him, and
he caul in't help it. Defendant ci Bared him swan,
struck him in the left cheek and left breast, and
cashed him about three or four yards into • pe•eage,
striking him 'gain, and knocking him down. Wii nese
had 'aid nothing to him. There were a "good few"
people about. Defendant appeared to be one of our
' oppostals "—at least, he suppose 1 so.
Mr. Howard : Opinions are not facts; never mind
what you suppose.
By Mr. -Howard : I am not a gener.ii, but a
captain. (Laughter.) I did not touch him first.
I touched him, but wee pushed against him
apologised. He was intoxicated, by hie conduct in the
sty its, I should think he was intoxicated because he
poshal me, and it was "as much NI en. r he could
walk."

-Mr. Howard : What were you before you were •
full fie !god ctiitainf (laughter.,
Witn-es : I an not .ibliged to answer that que6tion.
Mr. Howard : You don't care to limier it.
Wittier : Well, I came from Westonsuper4l ars,
and, in further anewer, he admitted being a hawker
of lamp oils, but on baril-preseing by Mr. Hower I,
refused etuphstically t i state whether he bad been
convicted by a banch of ma.tintratee, or whether he
bad been sent to prig in. He had talked to his
wltnewee on several occasions about this clad to-day.
Hia witnesses heard hie evidence this morning before
his solicitor. (Loud laughter.) When they got to the
door defendant was in front of him, and witness was
walking backwards. Whoa*, aiterwar i• said to
defendant "You shall not go into the meeting," and
witness kept him ontwide, alth iu4h defendant said he
wan going to an uncle of his, whose holm.) we. ap-
proached by the passage leading into the " Grove-
room."

—B
y. Hr. Tucker: He did not push againet me
personally in Gundry-lane.
Sarah Hounsell, sister"" of the "Army,' said
th.y were near the Bank in " peresesi,in." Defendant,
when we were in " pereession " pushed right up
se ,inet them, and the ceptain said "steady on, lad ;
fr you don't mind I shell summons y m." Defendent
struck torn in the breast; captain told him to be quiet.
Defendant kn 'eked him d )vrn "all along," and he
was i2tox.catA. _

_
By Mr. Howard : The Nieuwe to the " (Imre-m.ln "
logdg to Mr. Boddea's house. My. Midden and the
" Army esch had a key to the ()wag& The puM
was hard enough to kno,k ;invh fyd .W 0 ; h. pooh.
him mYe than five Cult... (0 les if oh ! an I lau4hte,.)
P sayboly has sworn dttf -.mit it is a ;ie. (Mr.
,w4r.l • Tnank you.) She how ilefimdant we
drunk, Ensmuse she con) I 0rn..11 the drink. (Lam.Sitrr.)
" Folks th tt don't drink can smell it."

Maria Joy, who 2411 Ow did not belong to thp
Army, saw the proces,inn. She in the '' M
and saw defendant in Gundry.ltne shove th- captain
four r five times ; sew him ptrike him in the I-f; 'lie It
and left hirea.t, and drug...A the caotain by he collar
three or four yards, and the cpptajn told him if he
would not be quiet he would .ummon
By Mr. Hard: I hayo heen aitemding the
" march.'" and services for 12 month", but am not •
" member "of the Army. The none bee I, he enrolled
sea mernh.r.

Mr. Tuckor A:touted to some question. lel by Mr.
Howard...a ex unto;
.tus " ollsa poe,ety."

Mr. Howard said he was not at all anxious to learn
the" .cot.." eepecially it rep ,rt op slc.. tron.. (Laugh-
ter.) Defendant was staggering, co the supposed he
was cd uok.

Charlse Pomeroy, I, hoenviker, said he WA. in
Gundry•lsne, and pr iceeded to il.ecrilwte actin of
defen lant. He saw sommine push &fends': tag unfit
the Captain. He thought defendant wan rather
int 'skate I.

By Mr. Howard : The Captiiin nearly fell down
with the u.h. I only saw defeidlant pu.h the Captain
once. Did not bear Tucker saw he did not wept to go
to the meeting.
Mr. Howard made a lengthy and powerful defence.
In the course of which he .tated be wiehed to uphold
the claims of any men who attempted to benefit their
fellow men. However, he would .av nothing of these
people calling themselves " Salvationiate " or their
strange ways, it was a question of whether or not
there had been an assault. The defendant wail •
most respectable man, against wh ,se character there
wan no slain; but this complainant, although he had
given him a chance, refueed to vindicate hie character,
if it wanted vindicating. Here were four witnesses
diffaring widely, so a deliberate fal.ehood wa, toll by
one or the other. The captain dli a grossly illegal
act in forbidding def.ndant to go through the entrance
legating to hi. uncle's. He felt sure the Bench would
not require him to call his witneem., but (Jinni's the

Bench thought It best to hoar the witnesses for
the defence.

Dan Stembridge, coal dealer, of South-street, saw
the Army on the evening in que.tion. He knew Mr.
Tucker (the defendant) vra. g iing to his uncle's for
hag.. He accompanied him along the "Rope Welke"
to the hack door leading to Mr. &Aden's. The army
was 10 yards "astern.' Tne captain ran after defen-
dant and himeelf, ant said "You are not going in
here ;" the captain took Wm hold like • mad man.
Defendant said, "1 must go; I am going to my
uncle's." In the struggle both fell down, and the
captain did not loosen his bolt. Tne "sisters" were
holloaing sod scratching. Defendant bad not touched
complainant until the latter collared him. After a
finale defendant went his way up to Sudden's.
Defendant was not the worse for drink.
_ .

By Mr. Tucker: To push anyone. into Tucker's
they most have come from the house side.
Cross-examined by Mr. If 'ward: Defendant was
not staggering drunk.
Mr. It. Budden, called by Mr. Howard, Droved that
the entrance to the Grove Room if ,rded the back
entrance to his uremia...
William Kingman, haulier. South.street, said he
saw the Army going towards the entrant:le to Mr.
Sudden'., and the Captain pulled back defendant, who
with gtewhridge wee going_ through the passage:.
Defendant did not touch the Ciptain before this. H.
had attended their " sprees " often, but had not inter.
ruotod.

_
In reply to Mr. Tucker, witness said he was on the
"stage " at,the Templar Hall on the previous (last)
night, and was ordered off with about 40 others.
Joseph Hardy, basket maker, said he saw the Army
on the evening of the 24.11. Defendant Stembridge
end Kingman was there by the Grove. When near
Mr. Budden's back door, the Captain caught hold of
Mr. Tucker, and said "You are not going in here."
If be (defendant) had pushed the Captain first he
would have seen it. Deleodsot told the Carden he
was not going to the meeting; but to his uncle/.
Tet. concluding the evidence, Mr. Howard asked
whether the Bench would give their decision In this
case or first hear,the charge against West, the "Captain"
of the Army.
The Bench decided to hear the evidence on the
croessenmutoce before cl-cidiug.
Mr. Howard then sugg.sted that the evidence
already given should apply to the croes.summons, Am
It wookt .ave g"log over the ground again—dc now.
It WAS decided that the evidence of the complainent
only should he given, and that he should be examined
only by the Bench.
Harry Tucker, coachbollder, said between seven and
eight p.m. he was going down Guedry.lane on the
way to his uncle's. He ceased the Salvation Army
without interrupting or being interrupted. Within
10 yards of the" Bunch." he pes.ed Mr. D. Stem.
bridge, and made e statement ti him. They ceased
on together in front of the trrity, arid when they got
to the passage Jobs West took bold .d him and would
not let him go. He did not strike him. After a lot
of pushing about West allowed him to pass. Heard
one of the women say " Hotter let him go by.
Witness went to his uncle's, did ble business, and
returned. hotne, .

deftn;dant : He did not push anyone through the
ranks. He did not strike West, but he knew who did.
This concluded the case, when the Smirk with theft
clerk, retired for nearly an hour.
Oa their return, the Mayor said they were divided,
and unable to give a decision. The evidence was very
conflicting in the mum, and, in conaequence, the
in .gretretes were unable to agree; it would cones-
quently eland adjourned. He wao, however, deelred
by the Bench to any that whll4 the holy calling them-
selves Salvationist' carried on their calling la order the
polioe would protect them. The Mayor than called
nut the " Captain," anl, addivasing him, sald—" I
%lull now repeat to you in public the advice I have
wend Com given you in private. If you are wise you
will cease these non*, and demonotrations by throwing
up tambourine" and ahouting in the street. they ercite
the ridicule and apparition of a large number. and are
a great annoyanoe, especially on Sundays—to the
atly and well-disposed. Will you do this r
Wan, in reply, said—" I can't, aslant I get ordres
from homigamtme." (Laughter, and MN of Oh.")