The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-04-04 00:00:00

COUNTY PETTY SESSIONS.

Strrnsurau., Saturday.—Before N. Middleton,
Esq. (chairman), Captain Manning, E. Pearce, G.
Troyte Bullock, R. H. Swaffield, and E. Williams,
Esqrs.
The court was occupied for • considerable time in
appointing the constables and overseers for the
several parishes in this division of the county for the
ensuing year.
STEALING OLD IRON AT PIDDLEHINTON.—CharIes
Force, a marine store dealer, was brought up in
custody charged with stealing an old iron saucepan,
value 3d., the property of Mr. George Mayo, of
Piddlehinton. Mr. Weston appeared for the
prisoner. It appeared that on Friday last Mr. Mayo
saw the prisoner come out of his yard, having
an old iron saucepan and a dilapidated kettle in his
hand, which he placed in a wagon he had there.
Prosecuter went to him, and asked what
badness he had there, and taking the
articles, the saucepan being his property,
when Force said the wife of prosecutor's
shepherd had told him that there was some old
iron there that he could have. Prosecutor took the
somospan,and went to the shepherd's wife (Frampton)
with prisoner, and asked her if she had given him
permission to take any old iron. She said, none
whatever. Mr. Weston said he could not deny but
that his client had taken the iron, but he was
instructed that prisoner went into the yard to see
the shepherd's'wife, and seeing the old saucepan
in question and a tea kettle, apparently left as
useless and worthless, he took them. He could not
justify Force in what he had done, but he was now
very sorry for it. Prisoner sleeted to be tried by
the magistrates, and pleaded not guilty. The
Chairman said the Bench entertained no doubt but
that prisoner took the saucepan with • felonious
intent, and sentenced him to seven days' hard

Rom3xitv or Snar.raxilis.—Alfred Meeoham and
Samuel Winzar, two well-known characters, were
brought up charged with stealing four sheepskins,
the property of William Manfield, Esq., at
Burton. Richard Treviso, labourer, in the
employ of William Manfield, Esq., said: On
the 30th March, at mid-thy, I saw the two
prisoners, Meeoham and Winzar, go into the
lambing-yard, and come out with a bag fall of some-
thing. I was 500 yards off at this time. I knew
the men before. Christopher Bowring, a boy of 13,
said: Last Thursday I saw Meeoham come out of
the lambing-yard, with a has to his back. Outside
the yard I saw Winaar with Meechaux They saw
me, and then ran away, taking the bag with them.
I wont and told Richard Greening, Mi. Mantield's
bailiff, what I had seen, and he ran after the men,
and overtook them. Richard Greening maid: On
the 30th March, Christopher Bowring oame
to my house, and in consequence of what
he told me, I went after the prisoners and
, overtook them. I asked them what they had
got in the bag. They told me nothing but what
they had bought and paid for. I inquired
where they bad bought it. They said at Char.
minster. I asked them if they had been to Mr.
Manfield's lambing-yard in the morning. They both
said they had not. I then asked them to show me
what they had got in the bag. Meecham threw the
bag down. I opened it, and found therein four
' slonepakins marked with an anchor, which is the
mark of William Manfield, Faq. (Skins produced.)
I can swear to the skins as Mr. Maufield's property‘
I took the skins to the police-station. The value of
the four skins is Al 4s. Both prisoners said they
were guilty, and asked the Bench to settle the case.
In answer to the Bench, Superintendent Underwood
said he had never known either of them to work.
The prisoners were each sentenced to six mouths'
hard labour.