The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-12-26 00:00:00

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WEYMOUTH.

THE CARE OF SAMUEL SIM-MOND& —A letter has
been received by Captain Gridley, M.P., from the
Secretary of State, stating that inquiries in the case
of the convict Samuel Simmonde were still pending,
and that as soon as the result had been decided the
decision should be made known to Captain Gridley.
VirsyßY Maim:soh—A parish meeting was held in
the vestry of St. Mary's Church on Thursday, for
the purp. se of considering the proposed basis of
the proposed county rate. It was deemed inex-
pedient at present to make any judicial comments
upon it, and • vote of thanks to Mn, Churchwarden
Vincent, who occupied the Chair in the absence of
the rector, brought the proceedings to a close.
ON Thursday afternoon the body of the other
Cowes pilotman who was drowned from the pilot
cutter Spider, of that port, in Portland Roads, was
discovered on the beach at Durdle Door, near Lul-
worth. The unfortunate man has been miesng
about a month or five weeks, and considering the
time the body has been in the water was in a good
state of preservation, only one finger being eaten
off. The body was taken to Osmington, and
interred by the side of the other pilot, Brinecomh,
who met his death at the same time, but was found
soon after.
ROBBERY BY A RAILWAY Poßylirt. —On Wednes•
day, George Courtney, who, till a month ago, was
the foreman porter at the goods station of the London
and Sonth-Western RailwAy Company, was brought
up in custody before the Mayor and F.: Bayley,, Esq.,
charged with stealing • (peaky of leather, value 35.,
the property of the Company. Mr. Avuold, station-
master, said prisoner was discharged about a month
ago, being suspected of dishonesty. On 31st August
last a bundle of leather was consigned from Crew-
kerne to Messrs. Edmonds and Co., Weymouth, and,
when delivered, One elsoadder piece was missing. A
portion of ~it wiur totind in the god:U.6ll6d, Ind on
Tuesday afternoon Edward Hewlett, a constable of
the S. W. R. Company, with Superintendent Lidbury,
searched prisoner's house, and in • drawer upstairs
found three pieces of leather, which exactly cor-
responded with the piece found in the shed.
Prisoner said a man named Meech purchased the
pieces for him to sole his boots with, but Meeoh
denied it. He wan remanded till Friday, when Mr.
Edmonds attended, and said the leather produced
wai similar to that in the bundle which he received,
but he could not swear to it, The case was again
adjourned,
CIIRMTWAS MAR/MT.—Oar Christmas show of
meat and poultrY took place on Thursday, and at-
tracted much attention. First and foremost stands
the splendid lot of meat of every description ex-
hibited by the Messrs. Baunton. Amongst their
splendid collection was the beautiful Devon ox,
which was honoured with prone at the resent
agricultural shows held at Yeovil, Sherbortie%
and Sturminster. Besides a large quantity of
heifer beef, about 30 splendid South-down
sheep, and 22 Portland sheep attracted
much attention. Mr. Stickland, although not
such a large exhibitor, displayed a very 'choice
selecrion of beef and mutton, the former being grazed
yr Mr. Crocker, of Ilchester, and the cattle by Mr.
Levi Luckham, of Broadway. Mr. Roberta ex-
hibited some splendid beasts grated by Mr. John
Crocker, and also some very choice mutton.
Mr. Bolt's Devon ox, and heifers, grated by
Mr. Smith, of Stafford, were greatly admired,
whilst his show of mutton could hot be ex-
celled. Mr. Saunders wee great in Devon
heifer beef, and his show of sheep was admirable.
Mr. G. Dominy exhibited two very large and
exceedingly prime Devon oxen, about 73 score each,
from the stall of Mr. IT. Munckton, of Allen farm,
Langport. Heifer beef, and mutton of all kinds
were in great foroe, and the sheep were really splen-
did specimens of grazing. Mr. Rabbits showed
some beautiful Devon oxen and heifer beef; grazed
by himself, as also some expellent Portland sheep.
The pork butchers and poulterers were not behind
hand, and altogether, the exhibition has not been
surpassed on any previous occasion. Mr. Stocks,
who stands at the head of the pork butchers ex-
hibited about a dozen or fourteen of the moat splendid
porkers, dairy fed, we have seen fpr a long time
past.

PORTLAND.
BEGGING.—A miserable looking tramp, named
Thomas Mita:then, who as he was making his Way to
Exeter, WWI committed on Saturday for 7 days hard
labour for begging in this island on Wednesday night.

THI BANKRUPTCY OF THE LANDLORD OF THE
CLIFTON Horxr...—At the Exeter District Court of
Bankruptcy, on Thursday, before Mr. Ounmissioner
Andrews, the esse of Stein, of the Clifton Hotel. Port-
land, came on for hearing, the meeting being for lest
examination and discharge.—Mr. Howard,of Weymouth,
appeared for the estate; and Mr. Hirtzel of Exeter, for
the bankrupt —The official assignee read his report,
from which it appeared that the bankrupt's debts
amounted to £402 19a. 61., total assets, £'242 Os. 9d.
Mr. Baxter, the creditors' assignee, is entered as a
creditor for £75, but as the bill of sale, which he held
as security, was given nip at the first meeting of creditors,
and he proved his debt, he should have been entered as
azi unse.nred creditor—On the suggestion of Mr.
Howard the bankrupt was examined, in the emir I of
which he stated that he was made • bankrupt on the
24th of October last, but previous to that he had reurei d
none of his goofs; no packages war,. sent away from his
tense by himself a day or two before his bankru Am. He
had no knowledge of b-coining a laiikrupt 48 hour. before
his bankruptcy. Previous to his bankruptcy he was
only in possession of one watch, which he had already
amounted for to the court. He believed that there had
been 110106 goods removed from his house a short time
before his benkruptoy, but it was not done with his
consent or knowledge.—Kr. Baxter, the trade assigme,
was next examined, and gave evidence to the effect that
he had seen goods removed from the bankupt's house to
&place in Albert-tetrace.james Rustyck, a cab driver
In the employ of the proprietor of the Royal Hotel,
proved having been engaged to &ism a large quantity of
goods from the bankrupt's reddence to a house in
Albert-terrace.—Miss Mary Ann Stein, daughter of the
bankrupt, was then called. 'the admitted that some
goods had been removed from her father's residence,
bat stated that they belonged to her. She also said
that While she was In a situation at the Isle of Wight
she was in the habit of remitting her mother money
,nthly, with which goods were bought. The money
orders Were made payable to her mother at Portland.—
Mr. Howard then AppliEd for gn adjournment of the
case, in order that he might make ferther inquiries.—
A lengthened discussion took piece, and ultimately His
Honour adjourned the case for nine days.
TRAFFICKING WITH CONVICTS. On Saturday
last, William James Turner, lately employed as a
warder at Portland prison, wee brought up at the
Shirehall, Dorchester, on remand, before Herbert
Williams, Esq., charged with having conveyed a
letter to a relative of the convict William Roupell,
contrary to the regulations of the prison. It is
notorious to all who live in this neighbourhood that
& considerable amount of trafikking with the con-
victs takes place. In this case the Warder was
detected through the good faith of Roupell, who
has thus earned a new claim to the title of "an ex-
cellent prisoner," which the Governor lately gave
him. It appears that the convicts work in gangs
under different warders. The prisoner, Turner, sent
to Roupell by a convict in his (the Warder's) gang a
le ter saying that he heard his friends had been in).
posed on by some who had applied for money on his
tehalf, but he (Turner) would serve him faithfully ;
he suggested that Roupell should write for £lO,
which would enable him to have other comforts
which he had not in the prison, directing it to be
sent by float-office order to "William Haig," Pay-
able at Weymouth, and he enclosed a sheet of toper
for the purpose. The convict, on receiving this, felt
nuoyed that his friends had been imposed on by
people pretending to apply for money for him, be-
cause be did not want anything from them, and he ,
showed the letter to the Governor, who, thereupon, '
got Roupell to write a letter in pencil to his sister,
Mies Roupell, asking her to send £lO aocording
to Turner directions. This he • conveyed
to Turner through the convict who brought
the Etat note. Turner then wrote on
the ay-sheet of Roupell's note, suggesting that
the meney should be sent in two £5 notes, and
forwarded the letter to Miss RaapelL The Governor
wrote to her also explaining the cironmatances, and
asking her to send £5 by post-office order payable at
Weymouth, to William Haig, as Turner suggested.
Mies Roupell complied, and the letter with the
poet:office order was received by Turner on Eater'
day, December 16. On the following Monday
morning, he sent his wife to get the order cashed.
In answer to the Clerk's inquiriee, she said her
husband's name WOA William Haig, but neither he
nor she could write, so the order was not signed.
dupt. Underwood went to the convict eetabliabment,
when Turner was dieeharrel by the Governer, end
,

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rocq,s. c

be took him into custody. He wee brought up on
Tuesday and remanded till &anodes. Mr. Sy inoi.d,
appeared t, prosecute, and said he proposed ti take
I 1110 In tool proofs before appliing for a further
remand. He called Major Hickey, who said he was
one of the Deputy-Governors of Portland Convict
Esiablishment. The prisoner Turner joined the
woks in 13.58, and during this year bad been pro-
moted to be • warder. There was a charge against
him for trafficking with pris ,ners, and especia ly
with one named Reopen, now in custody at Port-
land. He uas advised that Roupell would be •
necessary •itness in support uf the present charge.
This had been reported to the Directors of Convict
Establishments, and they approved of the proceed•
ings now instituted, and of Roupell's being
examined at Portland, which would obviate his
removal as well as that of other convicts.
—Mr. Symonds then asked for a further remand and
that the examination might be made at Portland
prison.—Mr. Williams asked prisoner if he wished
to say anything on the subject. —Turner asked if the
case could not be settled then.—Mr. Symonds said
the only way of doing that would be by prisoner's
pleading guilty, a course which he did not suggest
in any way. Prisoner: I do plead guilty to the
charge of trafficking with prisoners—to forwarding a
letter from the convict boupell to his sister, and
receiving from her s letter with a post-office order,
and I hope you will settle the ease now.—Major
Hickey t We have a further (Marge against the
prisoner.—Mr. Symonds : That would be a separate
offence, which may possibly result in a charge of
felony.—The authorised regulations for the govern-
ment of the prison were put in.—Mr. Williams,
addressing prisoner, said: You have pleaded guilty
to this charge, and I am sorry to see • man of your
respectable appearance brought up for this offence,
which is one that we know from hearsay to be of
very frequent occurrence. No one can tell the
amount of harm it does both to yourselves and the
prisoners. It is very seldom this offence can be
brought home to those committing it as there is
reason to believe it would have tit en t iyou had you
not pleaded guilty, and a heavy punishment must be
inflicted oti you. You are sentenced to be kept in
the House of Correction for six months, with hard
labour.—Prisoner asked Major Hickey if the pay
due to him before his suspension was forfeited.—
Major Hickey said he was not sure on the point, but
he should think not.—Prisoner : If it is not, will
You be so. good as to see it is paid to my wife? —The
Major : I will if it con be paid.—lt is understood
that when Turner leaves ptison he will again be
apprehended on other charges of a shriller nature,
and also for stealing a watch belonging to one of
the prison officials.