The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-01-29 00:00:00

Nistrict Otto.
Dozoing•Tim,
Wenirien TM. —Through the kindness of Mr.
nod Nfrs. H. Mills the Sunday school teachers and
choir sat down to tea at the schoolroom on Tuesday
leveeing last. A piano had been provided, awl after
tea sot • and duetts were snng, • most pleasant
evening terminating at ten o'clock. This is not the
first time Nfr. sad Mrs. Mills have shown their
mound "mina, with the work, and before separat-
ing • vote of thanks was unanimously passed to the
kind donors.
AULD Lege Firm—The felling of a lime tree in
Cedar Park has brought to light a curious
renliniscenoe of school days. It is the name of Mr.
Henry Spicer, carved in the bark by himself 50 years
ago' when at • school kept in the adjoining horse by
Mr. Daniel, who succeeded the Rev. F. Trenow, oa
his taking the living of Langton Herring. "IL
Spioer " is remarkably plaiw—Dored Chronicle.
Flier ADMIXIIBTLLTIVIt BASTALIOII Dolmen RIF=
Votorreeen.—Tbe annual statement for the year
ending October 31st, 1877, of this battalion has been
iseued. The total strength of the battalion is as
:—lAeut.-o3lonels, 2; majors, 2; adjutant, 1;
captains, 11; lieutenants. ; second lieutenants, ti
surgeon, 1 ; aadstant-surgeons, 2; swains-assistant
surgeons, 4; hon. assiatantourgeons, 6; acting chap-
lains, 3; hen. chaplisins, 8 • quartermaster. a; bon.
stag, 1; sergeants, 66; buglers, 19; rank and file,
767; sergeant instructors, 9—total, 918.
Anctext ORDER or lonserisia.—Tbit statistice of the
South Western District of Ws great Friendly Society.
made up to the 31et December, 1877 show that it Is now ,
comprised at 93 Courts, with 14.149 financial. and ,
honorary aarebern The Court fonds amount to 575875.
and the District funds to nixes. The sickness 4-
Parka:iced diving the year was 109.581 days, and the
mortality was 133 members and 76 wives or widows. The
new members initiated were 1,536 and CO left through
new-Forment of contributions. Three travelli lisuiumimsee
were granted to members piing in nerds of ens t.
Thirty-seem members were accepted by clearessoe from
other Courts, and 330 widows are returned as costrihating
to the District Funeral Fund. The Courts having bonds
with their treaasurere are 77, and with their escrineeSse
go. The Juvenile Societies cowrie, VA members, and
they possess funds amounting to -0.888 The total flambee
joining the Juvenile branch during the 7wer was 871, and
160 were transferred frogs the Juvenile branches to the
Courts The general result as coesairod with 1876 Is that
there is an increase of 776 Mandel and 10 honarary
members. The Courtiers richer in Sands to the extent
.f. 5,960 and the District by .CYL The &ye sickness were
more by Li" sad the dowsesl Ilsolubers by lg. The
Ju•011110 S clones have Moremed 403 in members, and
can Is funds. Our local Wert "Pnsgrses" is In connex-
Ma with the above district.
'1 us POULTRY 8110,Y—A writer in the Agricultural
Odattte sap, :—This exhibition ranks se one of the
heat in the Wag of England, not only on account of
the excellence of the birds, but also through that
generalgood management and prompt settlement of
claims with which every visitor and exhibitor must
now be acquainted; reading, as unfortunately we
continua/1y do, the many reports and oomplsints of
"no elects," or of indisposition to settle up even
thom inhabitants of Dorchester who are not fanciers
may feel so justly proud of the decided approval
'warded to their society, as to exclaim withrdeeeflz
on the wheel, "See what a dust we make r i
sinless entire confidence could be placed in those who
collect supplies and hold the reins so many demon of
cops would not be forthcoming; as it is, however, no
lees than 18 three-guinea cups and Lord Alington's
five-guinea one for "locals" are devoted to
poultry • whilst eleven cups or pieced of plate
are °Bend for pigeons altogether an attractive
sum total of about £lOO is available, we believe'
consequently, with the facilities of railways and
proximity of their stations, no one need be surprised
to find noted exhibiton from all parts of England
well represented at the county town of Dorset. We
must confess our wish to see a few more local
as, even if of small pecuniary value, they Mir uPPizZ
are favourably regarded by many who cannot compete
with others to whom exhibiting is either almost a
trade or a science. Local wire., in other words, are
calculated to draw out farmyard poultry, and if birds
are sent their owners generally Wm to come and have
a look ; and if the owners come they are more likely
to wish for the best specimens of the beet varieties ,•
and if, as is the case in Dorset, the representatives of
agriculture with for the beat that mnam:r ill buy they
generally get it; and so • few more to be com-
peted for only by residents might e the exhibition
more patronised, and manifest more thoroughly and
locally the utility of such societies.

SAMUEL FUDGE, THE EX-DOBSET MILITIA
BANDSMAN.
This worthy. Sam& Padre who on Satuday week last
effected a daring escape from the gaol at Sheldon Mallet.
was brought up in custody on remand at the Town-hall,
Shatesbury. cn Saturday , before Mr. Julio DuSeeley,
and Major Matthews, on the charge of steallng • box of
dears, value about 10s the property of amides Martin,
an Inn keeper. The prisoner went into the kitchen of the
King's Arms Inn. t Slower, on the 14th .ftstant, and
called for • glees of beer, reaminlng there from 9 o'clock
In the morning until wheat lie the afternoon. The land-
lady, Mrs. Martin, observed that the man appeared very
uneasy and kept on " shrugging up"hi. shadders, and
she entertained • suspicion that he had something under
his red which be wanted to conceal. About one o'clock
be got up from • seat in the kitchen and moved towards
the door. The landlady then discovered • caw on the
seat where he had been, and, going Immediately to the
bar, she mimed a box of "Colorado' r and accused the
prisoner of dealing it. The prisoner denied it: but a
man named Alfred French, who WU MINOt at the Wok
followed up the secusatioo. sad, taking bold of the
prisoner, threatened to "shako 'eas out co' ye if they
were not at once fertlicomil it• the cigars were grad-
luny dropping on the floor, Prisoser, deg no other
alternative, unbuttoned his waistcoat and shirt and draw
forth no less than 61 dors, which be had secreted round
his waist. This, of coons, accounted for the
mundane which the nriamlor had exhibited
being fearful lest one might fall out and
betray him. The landlady sent for a police constable.
At the Sher tesbury police-court the following day prisoner
was charged with the theft, and, aa It wee thought he was
the individual whom the gaol authorities at Menton
Mallet were 'whin: foe though be did not answer min-
utely every particular of the description °Detained in the
Potato 04ustra he was remanded till Saturday to enable a
warder from the gaol to attend. In the meantime he eras
incarcerated in the cells at Shaftesbury ; and here he
made another, though unsuccessful. attempt to defeat
the ends 01 justice. Daring the night of Wednesday Mr.
Superintimdent Pit&ld thought be heard an unusual
grating notes like somebody working in one of the cells
below, and on his coming down to ascertain what was
owl., be beard the prisoner inside. working at the
On going into the rill be found that one brick had been
moved and another was loam. On • further examination
Ile discovered that an attempt had been wide to form the
n.O window, • hole baring been bored at the side of it.
It Is supposed that this wee too tough for the primes',
who seemed to have soon abandoned it and directed his
efforts towards making • hole In the wall. Unknown to
the official, of the prison he had managed to secret shout
him • Mere of copper-plate about four inches equare and
1-16th of an inch in thickness. This he had best and
shapened int, an instrument something like Agoura, about
4 Inches long atid 1 in width, and of sufficient stoutness
to answer hie purpose. The wall, apparently recently
built, was about. 13 or 11 inches thick and the bricks
which the prisoner removed were tired mid...rays, so that
had not the ruperiatendent made his timely discovery in
the night. Fudge would in all probability have been at
large again before the morning. In reply to •question as
to what he was trying to do, he said be was only making
a hole to "amuse' himself. By way of " amusement,"
Mr. Pitfield thought it expedient to make him a little
more secure, which he accordingly did ; and on Saturday
gwo warder from Shantou Mallet gaol conic up, and
identified him as the prisoner who had escaped from the
prison on the prenous Saturday. Superintendent Pittleld
asked the Bench for permission to hand the prisoner over
to the warden, whirt was readily given. An understand-
ing was then come to that as soon as the gaol authorities
at Menton have done with Fudge, they will hand him
lack to the Donetehire constabulary, when the charge of
dealt with accordingly. The prisoner, when apprehended
bad disposed of the gaol uniform with the exception of
his stocking. and shoes. He was attired in a pair of light
Mowed., broken in the knee; a black waistcoat, which
hid evidently been made for • parson double his sise,
and an old threadbare cod. He was indeed • pitiable
object Ile was subsequently handcuffed to Warder
Die and big ironed, and was driven front Shaftesbury
to Oulliaghani In Mr. Pitdald, where they took hole for
Shepton.

THE PROPOSED MUSEUM, dc.
Sta,—Whether your correspondent is really " A
Stone-cutter.' or only *resumes that character. • Ido
not beliese his oOnions will be costarred in by on.
prejudiced readers.
Whet can be more absurd than to blame bene-
factor. because three whom they seek to benefit will
not avail themselves of their kindness, and yet it seems
that ill really all your correspondent's complaint
amounts to. Does he know that the Working so.'
Institute of this town is to • large extent, if not
chiefly, supported by voluntary subscriptions and
presentations of book.'
floes he realise that if the new building is ever
erected it will be mainly at the aspen/0 of "the rich
people ?" lam sure he does not take • right view of
his position, and I hope be will try to look upon
metiers in a more hopeful and satisfied manner.
I am not at all prepared to believe that the
supporters or committee of management of the
institute would be otherwise than pleased to sse what
are called by that ambiguous term "Working Men"
avail themselves more than they do of its advantages,
and surely if clergymen. lcc., are not opposed to share
those advantages with him It ill becomes the working
man to grumble at such a condition of his enjoying
what. as I have already stated, is to a large extent a
charitable provision for his intellectual requirement..
Claes.feellng, on doubt. is to be deplored, but "A
Stone-cutter" whilst looking to the interests of his
own elms should not be forgetful of what has been and
in continually being done for the working mast
throughout the county. H.S.
Dorchester, January 23rd, 18714.
• [We will assure H.S. that" Stone-cutter- is not an
assumed name, the writer being at the present
moment employed upon works at present going on in
ths town. ED.I