The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-03-30 00:00:00

Somersttobire.

COUNTY COMITABOLARY. —Captain Willis, the
Government inspector, last week inspected the men
belonging to the Somerton division, at that town,
and, we understand, expressed great satisfitotion
with the efficiency of the tome, under Superinten.
dent Smith. On Tuesday the bead quarter' divi.
eon, at Glastonbury, was inspected, with an equally
favourable result.

TAONTON.—The inhabitants of this town have
decided by a majority of 281 on making a rate for
the purpose of rebuilding the tower of the parish
church. At the Well. Conebitoriel Court on Tuesday
lad, a faculty, or Bishop's license, was granted to
the churchwardens of Taunton Saint Miry Mag•
&lane, to enable them to take down and rebuild the
tower of the parish ohurch.

WINCANTON.—Capt. Willis, Government Inspector
of Constabulary, aooompamed by V. Goold, chief
constable of the county, made an inspection of the
police force in this dietricit, under Superintendent
Davies, on the 17th inst. end expressed himself per.
featly initialled with the appaaranoe of the men and
their appointments.

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SOUTH PKTHERTON. —On Wednesday week the
head boy, in the name of the pupils at the grammar
school, presented Mr. R. P. Billing with a handsome
silver centre piece for dessert, on which was the fol.
lowing inscription: "Presented to Mr. Robert
Phelps Billing, by his pupils, as a token of respect
and esteem. 25th February, 1858." The boys ex.
pressed their gratitude and thanks to Mr. Billing,
for the great interest he at all times evinoed for their
future welfare, in • manner highly gratifying to the
master and displaying the good feeling existing in
the school.

ORKWKERNL—Our Literary Association had their
annual field-night on Tuesday evening, when ilargs
party assembled in the Townhall, under the presi-
dency of B. J. M. Donne, Esq. The report, read
by Mr. Bridge, jun., the hon. secretary, stated the
number of members constituting the society at 109,
of whom 28 were ladies and 24 junior members.
The library contains 900 vols., 100 Irving been pre-
sented in the last year by Mir Perkins, W. Hoskins,
W. Sparks, and R. Bud, Baps. The report alluded
to the scheme of Mr. Murray, for founding &lump
tional classes, and the report of a sub-committee on
this subject, read by Mr. Sparks, recommended the
immediate establishment of educational claws. The
meeting were addressed by the Rev. Messrs. Ferris.
Dusatoy, Ramey, Evans, Davies, Mr. Allen, Mr.
J. Sparks, Mr, Toby, and Mr. J. Joliffe, and the
proceedings were enlivened by the performances of
the Musical Society.
Prrry Sitsarows, Saturday, before T. Hoskins,
Req., H. W. Richards, Esq., and H. W. Hoskins,
Esq..Tolos Gardner and hie Wife, EtaraA and
Mary Ann Williams, Sarah Wilkins, Jane Hooper,
and Henry Slade, were summoned by James Crewe,
for a "tumultuous affray" at Haaelbury, on the 17th
inst. The 'affray" was one of" skimmity riding."
Mr. Creeee is a dairyman employed by Mr. Parsons,
and Gardner lives next door to him. One Mary
Anne Clarke was a servant of Mr. Creeee's, and was
very intimate with the Gardners. Complainant had
occasion lately to make a complaint against Gardner,
and also to discharge his servant on Tuesday.
Immediately afterwards • report got into circulation
prejudicial to complainant's character and having
reference to the discharged servant. On the evening
in question the " skimmity riding" took place, the
party conducting the proceedings having been seen
to emerge from Gardner', house, where, it was
inferred, the "tumultuous affray" was organised.
A " mommett" of complainant was burned before
his own door, and there was a regular shindy, the
crowd being upwards of one hundred, and the
defendants taking an active part. The female
defendants were especially noisy, and used disgusting
and abusive language. Complainant, from his land-
ing window, contemplated the scene, and by the
light of his burning "counterfeit presentment,"
identified the ringleaders. Complainant's family
were in the house and, of course, heard the false
charges, and witnessed the riotous demonstration.
The language of the William's waa " awful". This
was the complainant's case. The lady defendants
positively denied having used bad language. Gard-
ner brought two witnesses to prove that he was not
present at all. Their worships did not consider
that Gardner had taken an active part, but they
should bind him over for his wife to keep the peace
for six months, and the other parties were also
bound over for a similar period.

BRIDGWATER. —Murder.—An old man named
Thome.' Pritchard, in his 71et year, a shoemaker,
' residing at fdiddlezoy, near this town, hal been mur-
dered by his wife, who is supposed to labour under
mental aberration. The deceased had been married
many years, and his wife had borne him several
children, one of whom, a daughter, resided with
them. On Wednesday, the 10th inst., the daughter
left her father, who was very intlrm and used two
sticks as crutches, sitting in the chimney corner.
Subsequently MTS. Pritchard went several times to
the house of a neighbour named Attwell, and on the
lad occasion she requested a woman who was present
to go with her to her own dwelling. She looked
wild, and her hands were covered with blood. The
woman being alarmed refused to go, but one of Att-
well's daughters, accompanied by her brother, went
to the house, and on crowing the threshold the old
man WU found lying on his book insensible, and
dreadfully beaten about the face. Re lingered till
Saturday night, and recovered sufficiently to state
that his wife bad suddenly attacked him with the
crutch-choke, knocked him down, and afterwards
poured boiling water on him. The woman has been
since confined- to her bed by illness; and it is stated
that she expressed pleasure that she had "done for
him," as well as intimated her fear that she should
be apprehended for what she had done. The woman
has not yet been interfered with by the police, and
the inquest was not held till Saturday.
As a proof of the diminution of crime by the estab-
lishment of Reformatory Schools, it appears that in
18455 and 1856 the number of convictions of boy. in
Bristol, under the age of 16, was 220, whilst in 1887
the number of the same class of convictions did not
amount to 70.