The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-07-04 00:00:00

AN EXPLANATION.

To-day we are called upon to wear the white shoat of
penanc?, and we desire to do so with becomiog gravity
and self-abasement. Yet we cannot help feeliug that
we occupy this position as the victim of • misooncep-
Hon. When the discussion of the also of diary LiweU
was at its height, there was suddenly noised abroad an '
extraordinary story, to the effect, that in the County
Gaol, this girl's fingers had been planed on a hot stove
as • sort of ordeal to demonstrate her innocence or
guilt. The tale was In "everybody's month," but It
was so grotesluely absurd and altogether im-
probable, that as far as we ever learnt, it only pro-
voked laughter.with &dash of admiration for the inven-
tive faculties of somebody. Catching the humour of
the time, we, in an exuberant moment, penned the
following paragraph :
" Was she guilty? Evon at the 00enty gasi. ..hcre one
would think if anywhere the maxim " Whatm or is is right"
prevailed, this question (as we are informed) his been a mast
point; and, all 13th century testa a ion icon.) or guilt
having failed to solve the problem, resort has been had—
(' R 411001.11 speaks troty, thod34 le: do Ili' CALA for
Goa accunsey ef the stateovnl —to one of those In zealous
devices which found acceptance prior to the 13th century—
even the ordeal by Ore I ! The poor little mall's fingers (ea
Ike tale goes) were held over a hot Iron, and when—naturally
enough as we "outsiders" should imagine—their tips were
reddened by the heat, the applicanta of the ordeal proclaimed
her guilt, and, we suppose, set her to hard labour without
compunction."
That such words should be taken by anybody—
official or magistrate—as implying anything else
than that we treated the tale as a "flight of
fancy" unworthy of serious consideration, passes com-
prehension. However, if our poor fun has pained any-
one, or has in the least degree tended to wound the
reputation of any official, we profoundly regret it. The
Governor of the gaol, we have felt, occupies so high a
position in the estimation of the county at
Large, that he Is unassailable to every attack for
many years we have known him personally, as well
as by reputation, and have never heard a breath
against him, either in his official or private capacity:
we never thought anything of the kind, much loss said
Is, so that we foci it is rather hard measure to be
accused of "calumniating the gaoler." As for the
other officials at the prison, such of them as
we know are prrsons of the highest character,
performing duties of a difficult nature, with credit to
themselves and satisfaction to the county. We had no
will to "libel" them—and haven't done it, we protest.
Offering this explanation, it is not easy to withhold a
word as to the manner and language of our condemna-
tion on Tuesday. But we have no desire to provoke
strife; and on Coronation Day, at least, we will bear our
pillorying meekly, as we listen to the ringing bells,
rather preferring to join with the crowd of holiday-
makers in the upiration, "Long live the Queen," and,
wo will add, if you please, in the formniaol the Stigolll
court, "and the honourable Benda."