The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-01-27 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

A Bagwell' FINED £loo.—At the Willenhain Petty
Session, on Monday, Stephen Mason, a retail brewer,
of Welnisafield Heath, WWI charged, on the informa-
tion of Mr. Album, supervisor of inland revenue, with
neglecting to enter the brewing of eight boatels of
malt on two several occasions. Defendant's wife ap-
peared and admitted the offence. She pleaded in de.
fenoe that neither her husband nor herself could write,
and that they bad left a "little girl" to make the
entry. In reply, however, to the Bench she admitted
that she knew that the eliild had not iside the entry ;
and further, that she knew what penalty she was ex•
posing herself to by not waking it. The 'impetrate*
reducd the penally in each offence from £2OO to 1:50,
In all £lOO, and also gave her permission to apply to
the Commisaioners of inland Revenue to stall.further
mitigate the penalty.
clireett SWINDLING DT • MANCHESTER THIEF.—
A most ingenious case of swindling was on Wednesday
brought to light at the Liverpool police-court. A well-
known Manchester thief, who gave the name of
Patrick Alfred Clark, was charged with obtaining goods
in the following manner :—On the 10th ult, he went to
the shop of Mr. Millward, 27, Bury-street, and pre-
sented a document bearing the printed heading,
" Local Board of Health, Canton." The document
purported to be an order signed by the clerk of that
board, and ran u follows :—" Messrs. Millward and
Bons,—Gentlemen,--Be good enough to forward per
bearer, for the use of the Garston Board of Health,
twelve yards of strong linen suitable for coarse towel-
lings, and 20 yards twilled calico, widest sample.
Please send prices and invoice by bearer. John It.
Harrison, clerk to the Board." The goods were given
to the bearer, and he signed a receipt in the name of
Thomas Chadwieke. On the 9th inst. the prisoner
swindled Meier*. Anderson and Sons of goods to the
extent of rsi 2s. Bd. by presenting a similar note to
that which he had favoured ifeurs. Unheard. When
taken into custody a paper beaded "Canton Local
Board of Health" wee found in his possession, as was
also a list of the principal tradesmen in Bizkenhead and
Liverpool.

. A decision was given on Wednesday in the Court of
Counitnn Pleas, which seems to put an extraordinary
power into the hands of the country instates. The
justices of Braintree had convicted some men under the
new Poaching Act. The men had been taken into
custody with dead rabbits in their posaession and nets
fur catching rabbits. Tl.ey were not found trespaaaing
on any land in pursuit of game. and it was contended
on their behalf that it ahould be proved that they had
so trespassed before they could be convicted. Lord
Chief Justice tile, in delivering the judgment of the
Court, said that to prove • luan had been treat:malting
in pursuit of game a policeman was not bound to pro-
duce evidence of the prisoner having been actually seen
trespassing. The justices had a right to deal with the
facts of the case according to the truthful inference
those facts led to. This seems to be a complete re-
versal of the late derision of the Recorder of Stamford;
and. if it be • good law, a man may now be convicted,
not nn evidence adduced, but upon the inferences which
the justices choose to draw.
The assistant cashier of the Hull Banking Company
was charged at the Hull Pulicacourt, on Monday, with
embetzling the large sum of £.1,163. The prisoner's
name is John Henry North. and it appears that he
has been in the employ of the company for twenty
years. Ily his own accounts the embezzlements have
extended over, period of fourteen years, the proceedu
being applied to the education of his family and the
supply of his losses in railway speculations.