The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-07-04 00:00:00

STALING IIAY.

Witham Pao'," and Manny Randall, were charged with
stealing on the Z'th of June, at Toller Poretirum, the lcwt
of hay the property of Mr. C. K. Loader—Both prisoners
pleaded not guilty. Mr. Warden prosecitted.—Mr
Lock defended the male prisoner.—Mr. C. K. Loader, coa
merchant, purchased a rick of hay of the Ninal
prisoner's.husluind, which was to be left on his premises
to be trussed as wanted. Ile gave no authority to
anyone but his servants to take it away --John
Gale, was living at Kingcombe, near the female
prisoner's house. The husband had a rick of hay
on the 20th of June, and the male prisoner Caine to truss
it. lie came into his shop and said he hail been drink-
ing the day before, and witness gave hint a drink of cider.
In the evening he again canie to his shop and asked him
if he wanted to buy a" nitch " of hay, and witness said
no, he should not buy any stolen property. About half-
past nine he saw the male prisoner go Into Randell's shed
with some hay on his back. Ile bad seen prisoner Payne
carrying hay across the same place before, and into
RandelTs premises.—Mary Pearce. • servant for Mr.
Thomas Gale, of Kingeembe, was looking out of the
kitchen window, and could see Mr. Itandell's rick.
Witness saw prisoner Payne take two armfuls of hay from
the rick and carry to Mr. Itendall's premistet. —P.C.
Larcombe stationed at Toiler Porcorum, went to Mr.
Randell's on the lith of June, and an seeing
the female prisoner asked her to show hhu
the hay on her husband's premises, and in a out-
house he saw a quantity of hay in two heaps. She pointed
to one heap and said it was what Ur. Loader's man told
her to bring in. This weighed 121111. In another shed lie
found some more hay, and Mrs. Randall said that the
man must have brought it in himself on Tuesday night.
lie took samples of the bay (produced). The male prisoner
had slept at 'Handal's on several occasions. The female
prisoner made • statement to witness to the elfixt that
prisoner told her to bring in the hay. Ile apprehended
the male prisoner at Fordington on Sunday morning.
Ile charged him with stealing hay from his toaster,
and he said he brought home all the hay that was there.
—Mr. Lock called Mr. Thomas Gale, a farmer, of King.
combe, as to the character of the female prisoner.- -Mr.
John Itowe also gave her a good character. -Mr. Lock
then addressed the jury for the female prisoner, and the
Chairman summed up; the jury returned • verdict of not
guilty, and both prisoners were discharged.
EGGS.

STEAILE

-.----
Richard Barrett, stealing live eggs. at Kinzon, on the
16th April, the property of Mr. Joseph Slade. -Mr. Udall
prosecuted and Mr. Lock defendmL-Joseph Slade, •
farmer, living at Wallis' Down, said he knew the pri-
soner, who lived near. On the 16th April the policeman
came to his house and they saw the nest with eggs in it,
They watched it sad saw prisoner come down mid take
out the eggs produced.-Cross-examined : lie had seen
his hens come out of the hedge every day. The prisoner's
ground is part of the allotment gardens. No one kept hens
near his house.-P.C. Bennett stationed at Kinson, on 16th
April went to Mr. Sladea's house and he told him he had
lost eggs. Ile watched for some time and saw the prisoner
come down by the side of the bank and take out the ego
from the nest. The witness asked him for the eggs he
had taken out, and prisoner gave them lilt, remarking
that he had never taken an egg from there iiefore.- -For
the defence Mr. Lack called Mr. James BleWilliain, agent
to the owners of the estate, who produced a plan of the
house and held, with the hedge, dir., which seemed not to
belong to the Prosecutor, but to the owners.-A technical
discussion ensued between the learned gentlemen and the
Chairman, and the latter after consulting with the learned
gentleman presiding in the First Court, said they had
decided that the eggs belonged to the hen which laid
them, and that Mr. Slade WILK the proper prosecutor.-
Mr. Lock then addressed the jury for the prisoner, and
Mr. Udall replied en the whole CAW, and the Chairman
summed up. -The jury found the prisoner not guilty, the
foreman of the jury expressing an opinion that the hens
were trespassing.

. -
The Court then adjoumed till ten o'clock on Thturdni
morning.

THURSDAY.
There were two cases left for trial this day, and they
were heard by Mr. Herbert Williams.
The first was that of Charbs St.isc, a middle-aged
mariner, who was charged with stealing ship's stores,
the property of the owner of the vessel, Mr. George
Julius Vertue, of Weymouth. - Mr. Lock prosecuted,
and Mr. Castle defended.—From the evidence of Mr.
Vertue and his clerk, the latter of whom Mr. Castle had
to rebuke for his disrespectful mode of answering the
questions, it would seem the prisoner was allowed
a month for victualling the vessel, a small coaster. On
giving up command of the ship, the defendant f,s,k
away a quantity of provisions then on board. - In
reply to Mr. Castle, the witnesses admitted that if
the victualling cost more than the five guineas, he
would have to pay the difference out of his own
'socket, and that if, on the other hand, it amounted to
less, that would be ,90 much that he could put into
pocket Allowing that the defendant had this right yet
they would not admit that the remaining stores were
his property. —The Chairman ruled they were vested in
the defendant, and accordingly that portion of the vase
fell to the ground. Defendant was also charge I with
stealing a marling-spike and some canvass.—Mr.
Vertue swore to the spike by a peculiar twist, but the
Jury intimated they had heard enough and they
thought the case ought to be stopped. The prosiest'.
tion thereupon retired, and the mariner departed with

the marling-spike and canvass as trophies of the ordeal
through which he had passed.
The second case was perhaps one Gf the most
extraordinary heard at the sessions, that is in its result.
and probably the prisoner was not the least surprised
at the finding. Williaw Putt,Oc, on bail, a gentleman
who kept the court waiting sonic 10 minutes before he
was discovered in a neighbouring hostelry was charged
with—to use plain awl not legal phraseology
swindling Richard Truecott Saull out of
Mr. Castle prosecuted; Mr. Lock defended. Pottage
rents the tolls at the Portland pier ; and although
that his nothing to do with the case, we may say, awl
we believe he gives over LSO a year for them -a sum
about which the reader will form his own conclusion.
On the 'and of March an advertisement appeared in
the Tdegra ph with the initials "W.l'.' affixed
stating the advertiser was in want of a clerk to collect
tolls at the pier of a fashionable watering place, and
, that the appointment would he permanent for at
least seven years. To this Mr. Saull of Thames
Ditties replied. and on the 22nd of April he received
a communication from the prisoner informing him that
, he was one out of three selected candidates, but that as
he had upon other occasions been put to considerable
inconvenience in selecting a clerk (his present one had
received notice to leave for drunkenness), he would
require a &peek of 1:5 as a proof of his 40,04 pes,
to be returned as soon as the arrangements were com-
pleted. That bait did not at first take, but subse-
quently the inducement of 1.2 a week permanent
proved too much for the young man, and lie rent
the note. Subsequently he went to Weymouth to see
the prisoner, and he there found him at the London
drunk, and totally unable to transact any business.
Saull slept himself at the London, and, as fate
would have it. Ids bedroom adjoined the prisoner's.
Mr. and Mrs. Pottage, it would seem, when they went
to bed, had what in matrimonial circles is known mu. "a
few wools. Mr. Nttage suffers from an impedi-
ment in his speech. It need hardly be said this had
not been improved by his potation's, and the good lady
had the best of it. She availed herself of her oppor-
tunity, and threw this little matter the Li in the fate
of her, then, "wusser" half. Mr. Saidl, we may he sure,
eagerly took in every word. A still greater surprise,
however, awaited hmi when on coining down in the
morning be met another young man named (*much,
who informed I that I. was the collector of tolls,
that he had paid a deposit of £M)to the prisoner, and
was still under an engagement with him. Upon that
Seidl sees Pottage, tells hini he him found out the
situation is tilled —a feet he did not dispute -and asks
for his hack. The prisoner coolly replied he couldn't
give it him, as he had spent it.— On behalf of the pri-
soner, Mr. Lock urged and endeavoured to show
that the engagement with Crouch had terminated;
hut this Crouch most emphatically denied, staing that
he had been to the Isle of Wight by permission of the
Prisoner, because the boats not running there were no
tolls to collect, and that he bad never received any
notice on account of drunkenness. Prisoner had
given him a bill for CA ; but it was valueless, and
was certainly not a termination of the agreement.
He had not received a penny of his CM. To show the
prisoner's mode of business, Mr. Jones, the landlord
of the London, stated he now owed him Elfi, having
continually put off paying his bill on account of dis-
appointment in remittances.—The jury retired, and
after deliberating nearly an hour returned a verdict of
not guilty.—Prisoner afterwards expressed 'lug inten-
tbm in a " public " of paying those two young fellows
their mony. He ought to!