The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-01-28 00:00:00

DORSET WINTER ASSIZES.

Mr. Justice Mellor came to Dorchester privately
on Wednesday, leaving Mr. Justice Denman to the
honours of a formal reception iv the High Sheriff,
and the foefere of the County P lice. His lordship
entered the curiae* on the arrival 4.1 the 3.58 train,
and, accompanied by the High Sheriff of the County
13Mr• Mouttgue Williams), the Under-Sheriff (Mr.
ilea Symonds), the Sheriff's chaplsin, and nth. r
Aldan, wu conveyed In the High tdivriff's carriers
to the County House, a retinue of the county con-
atabillary and trumpeters being in attendance, as
usual.

-
commission was opine! in the Crown C
and the trials fixed to commence at 11 t.-day (Thurs-
day). Three prisoners were on hail—John Gillingham.
criminal assault at Glanville's Wootton ; John Francis
Perry, obtaining cheese and other articles value
£34 17.. 10.1. at Weymouth; and George Deaven,
stealing hamm icks and tablecloths at Portland. It
had been reported that the" Law" cases were heavy;
but we understand the cause list had been much
shortened.

From the Crown Court his lordship ornoseded with the
High Sheriff. the ch• Wain (the Rev. J. Bodies) ood fb•
Under Sheriff (Mr. G. Srmondt) to St Peter% Church,
when Divine service woe hdd. The Mayor of Dorchester
r• Alfred Pope), wearlos his scarlet cloak awl chefs of
°Mak alsn Alderman Ostpin and D trio, Caunrillors
GrofrulT. F. lAA, Barnett, and W. Mirden. and the
DaPoty.Town Cl .irk (Mr. H. &Vended the
0.".108. and there was a ono tryst It large rookredatioo.
When the Reline (Rev. T W. Knits.) arrived, prayers
were read, and the Hich Sheriff% Chaphain
_preached the
saes* sermon front I Too •thy. lip I. S. a rb• fv,
gentleman referred with (gnat ability to the fact that
Christians hays almost tovarishly been no the solo of
establiehod law and order. from the tine when Paul
escape, the uproar a. Eptiesos Sty the imitimeni 16" "u"
Common-anise of the Town C erk.

The business of these aseises was cunmenoed on
numbly mornlnj, vr,•en Mr. .In.tice Denman eat in
the Crown Court end Mr. Juntice Mellor at Nisi
Prima
The following gentlemen were sworn on the Grand
Jury:—
Eon. E. H. T. Digby, Mr. John Batten
M. P. (foreman) Mr. H. Williams, jun.
Sir St. 11. Nepean, Bart. Mr. G. 0. Churchill
Sir Richard Glyn, Bart. ' Mr. .1. A. Bragge
Mr. John Floyer, M.P. Mr. T. Coitus
Mr. W. B Brymer, hLP., , Mr. J. W. B. Hawkseworth
Mr. H. N. Middleton Mr. P. Matthews
Mr. J. P. Manesl-Plodell I Mr. J. K. P. Gaodden
Mr. B. W. %%Willem* Mr. W. A Biddle
Mr. J. P. F. Gundry Mr. W. H. C dm&
Mr. C. J. 0. Swatheld ' Mr. J. B. T. Sullen
Mr. C. B. Glyn

obtaus..
The learned Judd said he hi Id in hi. band that
which was called the c_ilender of the prisoner' to be
tried at the seizen to be held at Dorchester on Wed-
nesday, the Vol January ; but strictly ileuribed it
was no calendar ,i 1 Ori.ttne", because there .14.
in"
person at present in prism awaiting his trial; all
thou person' whist* cases were to come before the
tiri fur runri.l.rntinn are
iut on hail. As generally
I of fair argument, it
appear", when a rue is capee .
will he found that prisoners will not be kept In prison 1
but admitted to bail hf agistratee ad discreet'. in
admittin • pisoion to b di, unlit-, thecae* is such that
very dangerints to society, or that for some
reason or other granting ball is not a desirable course
to pois.,e. Prow that very fact tiara • very serious
question—whether it is desirable or necessary (and if
neceeeary it is desirable) that assizes should be held at
sorb an extremely Inc invenient time of the you se
this when the Grand Jury are called on to exercise
th ir duties. He might my indeed it does more
credit to the county to which they belong that there
should have been omith • good attendance of grand
jurymen. taking into consideration all the circum-
stances of weather, of climate, and of great perinea'
inconvenience under sehlch they bad come. Grand
jurors of this and of all counties may well consider
where there may not be a Itlpleth2otil expenditure of
judicial and magisterial strength in calling together
the body nf the county at thin time, when the cases
might be (Rimmed of at another time with comparatively
little inconvenience. Trying them at this inclement
season has had in many cuee the effect of ilerwiving
the court of that advantage which it always desires—
the best eviile ce that cal be obtained. Thus it
happened at Winchest-r, it wan a-mired of very im-
portant miel testimony, owing to the absence of
witness,' through the prevalence of bronchitis and
other complaints troublesome at this time of the year,
and so the court was compelled to be content with the
evidence of a doctor and others, whereas opportuni-
ties for cross-examination are very important when
the petty jury have to decide satWactorily won the
truth of the case. He really should not dwell upon
topics such as those if there was • great amount of
business at this suite, because he held it to be the
duty of the Jodie not to wants time in general
phew-rations. 'Phis Is a matter which the Grand
Jurors. are se • body most capable of forming
• true opinion; they are interested 101 l because they
know more of the wants of their county than others
can. Sometimes it is snouted that the difficulty is
not that of having the 11,114• Al at • particular time.
but that they should be better distributed. it used
to he the notice to have YAWS only a few math.
apart, and then pri oars might be kept waiting a long
time for their triels. but there warn & difference between
having four amuses in the year and say three. If they
had three assizes at ertubilidant period*, they might
avoid having one at this inclement season, when
travelling is not only ilangerone to health, but In 111.
Again, it hem been said there should be amazes four
times • year; hot not in every county—that counties
should be clubbed together. Bat so difficult less the
moving of witnesses from one county to another
that be had himself seen justice defeated by that.
At all events, it did not seem important that when
an aged person hal been knocked on the head
by • footpad in • remote part of Cornwall, she
should be brought up to Exeter, or that Dor-
chester people should he taken to Winchester or
Salisbury in order that the prisoner should the more
quickly begin to serve his sentence if convicted, or be
diu.harged if be dirndl be innocent As • body, he
aid not think the judges are so much interested in the
matter as witnesses sad gentlemen in the position of
the Grand Jury. As the whole body of the county.
that I. the representative body of the county in
general, it was worth their while to consider whether
the present arrangement for four ageism in the year
might not he overdoing the matter on the side of
intended humanity, and be really lees humane than
having three unites instead of four. Paring to
another subject, he underetood by what appeared to
be a very good authority, the report of the Conference
witting in London, of the Reformatory and Diacharged
Prisoners' Aid Societies, that they are in coneiderable
alarm lest a recent Act should prove detrimental to
the interests of humanity. That Conference. he
understood. fish that a new arrangement by which
prisoner. sentenced to small terms of Imprisonment
receive pay by way of remuneration, may prove
detrimental—that the allowance made is too small to
be of any real assistance. In some towns it has had
the effect of starting great gin pilau in the neigh-
bourhood id gaol.' in which the small allowances are
spent almost to the lest penny, and the prisoners
become penniless again. The Prisons' Act haa un-
doubtedly had the effect of diminishing the interest
taken by gentlemen like the Grand Jury in the
management of gaols, It was not to be expected that
gentlemen deprived of their authority should talcs the
same interest that they did in olden times. That
mat be • great injury, beano' be (Ili not know •
single instance wherein • better effect was produced
than In the interest token by county gentlemen in the
Prisons. His lordship believed that, though it looked
difficult at present. means will be devised of motoring
that interest, if it has declined, as he fund He
heartily trusted it may be restored—the Interest taken
by gentlemen like themselves in the good manage-
ment of the gals and towards the inmates. He did
not speak with any authority on the subject. but
referred to the opinion of such • man as Mr. Baker,
one who took an active intend in that Conference.
All felt there is something wanting which cannot be
supplied by mere Government assistance. It is eon.
teary to the interests of this country that we should
be trusting in everything to the assistana of Govern-
ment hoards or authorities, and hie lordship was quite
sure this country would not be whet it wee formerly
II one magistrates are not utilised, as they have been
by their own goodness and desire to do right—lf they
are not made use of for the purposes so benevolent as
they have been called upon to fulfil. Passing to the
cuss on the calendar, and remarking on the evidence
in each case, his lordship remarked it wee quite right ,
to admit each of the prisoners to bail. There was as
inoonsieteacy, however, for though one of the investi-
gations before the magistrates took place aa long ago
es the 6th of August, the prisoner bad had no trial
although there was • winter sasize for Dorset, beano;
the cues of psisoners on bail were not takes at the
Winter Assisi- He did not greatly admire the
of taking people some distance for trial, and="l
think some other remedy might be found, but he
noticed this as • rather inconsistent thing. In the
other Court, It wee true there were four [civil] mess
for trial ; but whether it would have been
serious injury to the parties in hawing the postponedrnr
he could not say; but whilst they tried these cases —at
Dorchester, the jurlges and other. had to travel to
three or four other places, thus taking up judicial
time in which they might have tried perhaps meaty
out of the 200 or 300 cues that are awaiting taut 6,
London, so that something may be said in favour of
fewer arises from the civil-court point of view, H
they were to have about three cases in every county,
he should not judge it necessary to have more than
say one amine in october, another at the end of
Yelwuary, and again at the end of June, and more
good, he believed. would be done, and the business of
U. county be better disposed of than by the present
arrangement. His lordship added—l am the more
decided about this because I know that very often the
rartdwho know least ab .ut these things have more
opinions than those who know most &tont

--
Hb Lordship having dim's,' the Grand Jury to
tboir &Woo, the'', after finding the various line,
made the following

-PIIIIVOITXINT :-

The Grand Jury beg to present that they quit.
agree with ths remarks of your lordship es to
them of bolding amiss. It Is their opinion that three
dadi deliveries is the year will peovldu all oppoctuul.
ties that are necessary for ths speedy trial of prisonem
His Lordship discharged them with the thanks of
the musty for their services.

CROWN COURT.—Tirtramaut
• P 0111.43,0 WMIWX4I/.
Swim &sem a marine Oros fc Pooling ea
jwyry 6 it two hammock. wed tablecloths. As Prallart,
of Haag Charles, seotbec weshernesi.
Kr. Tssheisr Pirsseeeted. instructed by Mr • N.
go•sid.
Prosecutor and primmer Sr. rival wasberowes, and
curlew bound_
_his woad.' tub dieturbed, arid afterwards
that obi& had he.. received
frets ftM.B Wards. Is. wodlloaa P.O. Simi salt
wont prleseer's hew", about!. or ii/O irsrds
tor's. sat round two hammocks la
AlvEsir"•
ga ~WAS Plata 1118•8 ethers. Os tilt
.iioto had Ma whom wet the beak et
meoperbesser aegormitz%mwed this withers to dune Shaira•
aid 54 kw, ithst. Win &Skid OMR NOW