The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-03-14 00:00:00

PICKING POCKETS AT DORCHESTER.

Henry McLaughlin, hawker, was indicted for stealing
from the person of Mary Ann Curtis, a purse containing
a half sovereign, a half-orown, one florin, four shillings,
• sixpence, a threepenny-piece, and five half-pence, at
Dorchester, on the 14th of February.—Prisoner pleaded
guilty, and was sentenced to one year's imprisonment
with hard labour.
CUTTING AND WOUNDING Ai BROADWAY.
_ _ _

Henry Jenkins Honeybun, plumber, was indicted for
maliciously wounding and causing certain gal vans
bodily harm, to Elisabeth Toms, at Broadway, on the
4th of August —Mr. Collins prosecuted, and Mr. Cole
defended.—Mr. Collins, having opened the case, called
Elizabeth Bevies, formerly Elizabeth Toms, who said she
lived with the prisoner seven years as his wife. He was a
plumber and glazier. She lived with him at Upway
and Broadway, and also in Kent. She left him in July.
Prisoner hod previously told her to leave him. He
was very violent at the time. When she left hire, she
went to live at Litt'emoor, and her boxes were sent to
her there. On the 4th of August the prisoner came to
the house where she *as stopping. She was ooming
down-stairs at the time. She ttied to go back
but he followed her. She told him he must net
go up, when he said, " Where you go I will go."
She then came downstairs, and both of them went
into • room. Prisoner asked her which she intended to
marry—him or Bevis& She answered "Not you, Harry."
The prisoner then rushed forward and struck a knife
into her neck. He took the knife out of his pocket. IS
WAS • pen-knife. Her neck bled, but not much, and
after he had stabbed her he wanted her to go to Mr.
Headland to have the banns published. He said he
would finish her if she did not go with him. He then
wanted her to go to the dootoes to have the
wdund dressed. She went towards the doctor's with
him, but before he got there be said in an
abrupt way he would do it again. On tile way
be did not touch her. He took the knife out, and
pulled down her neck. He merely cut her
shawl, which she wore round her neck. When she
put her hands up to save herself, the knife
scratched her hand. He again aAlred her to go
to the clergyman, and she said she wanted time to
consider, when he said he would not give her • minute.
Fanny Devise was in the room when he struck her with
the knife.—Cross-examined The prisoner was very fond
Of her: lie had been drinking, and was usually very ex-
cited when he had taken drink. The prisoner was
anxious to go to the doctor, and when she wished to
have her brother, the prisoner went tot hirti. —Fenny
Bevies said that she was in the room with the prisoner
anddihee sistet. She did not see the knife. Did not
see if the prisOnet etruelr violently. The prisoner asked
her sister if she intended kr Merry biin or Bevis*, when
she replied, "No Harry, I shan't mat/ you," The
prisoner when he got out, said that if she wed + to the
doctor's it would be all right again then.—Mr.
John William Pridharn, a surgeon, practising at
Broadway, sold he remembered the 4th of
August. He saw the privemilnix on that day. She
had a wound on the hit side of her neck. The
wound was one inch and a quarter deep, and was
perpendicular from the surface of the skin. It was not
a dangerous wound. It was near the carotid artery,
about a quarter or half an inch from it. The knife
produced was such a One with which the wound might
hate been inflicted. The small blade of that knife would
produce stidin a wohnel.-=-Cross,examined by Mr, Cole:
/lad knows' the prisoner two eart slid a half. Hs was
known as a sober, industrious, and quiet mite. The
wound was in the soft part of the neck, about half.wity
up. A stab would have produced such a wound.
Owing to the knife being very sharp it would not
require much force to inflict the wound. The knife
went straight in, not downward.—P.C. Gale said he took
the prisoner into custody on the 4th of August. He
searched him and took a knife from him. He acid
"If she is wiHi that fellow when I come out of this I'll
murder her." He Artid that several times on the way
from Broadway to Dordhestet. The knife had no blood
on it. The prisoner did not appeal exeited:—Mr. Cole
said that he very much regretted to have to ad rem the
jury on the case as it was a very painful one. As it
appeared to him there was every reason to suppose that
had the prisoner been master of his actions he would
not have inflicted the wound. The prisoner and
prodectftrit had OW together as ruin and wife for seven
years most happily. When the banns were published
for her to be married to anothet, he naturally felt very
indignant, and whilst in that state he took too
much drink. He went to the house with Dia etvress
purpose to induce her to marry him, and when she said
she would not, but would marry Bevies he at the
moment struck her with the knife. A great deal of
itoisehad Peea made about the wound being near the
carotid arterY: /fee be could tell them it was a very ,
difficult thing to say where the carotid artery was. Be '
knew soniething of anatomy, but he eduld not say where
it was; and therefore it was not to be supposed the
prisoner intended to strike a dangerous part. As
regarded the evidence Si to Whet the prisoner mid to
the policeman they Shoilld remenibllt ptllieemen always
endeavoured to put the worst cenefirdetion On what
they heard. The learned counsel then asked the 'dry ,
to take • merciful view of the ease, and not i
to convict on the first count. Prisoner had been I
seven months in gaol on the charge. The
Judge said that it was for the jury to consider
whether It wee made out to do grievous bodily harm.
Drinikenneas was no defence if it led people to steal, to
commit violence: If thp passion of drunkenness and ex-
eiteanent led hint to do grievous bodily harm he was
guilty of the offence ehatged, He then noticed the
place where the blow was inflicted, rind said that though
the wound inflicted was not serious, yet the place whale
It was inflicted was likely to have caused it to be
serious, and if they considered that such wound was in-
flicted by the priscmer with the intention of doing bodily
harm pt the time It was inflicted, then he was guilty of
the offeice tot Ahieh he was charged. It, on the con-
trary, they were Of opinion that such feeling was not
then prevalent in his breast, then they would find
him guilty on tins second count. —The jury rat/imam:l
a verdict of guilty of unlawfully wounding.—The
Judge m The use of the knife in this country is
always considered a grave offence. Having been a eon-
siderable time in gaol, you must be further imprisoned
and kept to hard labour for 15 months.
STEALING A LAYS AT INTERNE MINSTER.
Pasha Green pleaded guilty to stealing a lamb, of the
value of 2a.. the property of John Pry, at lwerne
Minster, on the 2flth February, and was sentenced to
all months' herd labour.