The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-09-11 00:00:00

ADULTERATION OF GIN.

Friday. at the Otley petty sessions—before Messrs. A.
Fawkes (chairman), T. C. Wilkinson, 11. Wyyille, J. W.
Hartley, and John Middleton—William Fielding, landlord
of the Royal Oak Inn, Otley, was charged that he did on
tho 2lst day of August sell to Superintendent Croft to the
prejudice of the said purchaser, a quart of gin, which was
not of the nature, substance, awl quality of gin demanded
by such purchaser. Defendant pleaded guilty.—Mr. Croft,
In stating the case, intimate' that he had been appointed
Inspector under the Act for the Otley division. On the
21st tilt, he purchased of the defendant a quart of Kin, for
which he paid 3s. il.; half of that quantity was left with
the defendant, and the other half was sent to the county
analyst, whose certificate of analysis net forth that the
gin was 13 degrees under proof. The bench, after looking
at the Act, remarked that it did not define what the
nature, substance, or quality of the gin should be.—Mr.
Croft replied that he held in his hand a case exactly
similar that had been tried by the judges, who fixed the
usual quality of gin as 20 degrees under proof—Mr.
Wilkinson remarked that the judges had nothing to do
with them ; the bench had to go by the Act of Parliament,
The case alluded to by Mr. Croft was Pastier v. StevenilL
wherein the justices' decision was appealed against, and
upheld, Baron (leash), being "of opinion the judges could
not interfere with the decision of the justices. The pur-
chaser had asked for gin, and though he did not specify
the quality, it must be taken that he implially meant the
usual quality, and not so fax below proof that the justices
found that what was sold was not the quality demanded.
The umlaut quality of gin was 20 under proof, but this wan
so great a difference that the justices were fairly justified
in finding as they di 1, that it was fraudulently to increase
the hulk of the food."—By that opinion Mr. Croft sub-
mitted the judges had decided the strength of gin as 9/
under proof. —After a lengthy conaultation, the Chairman
intimated that the majority of the bench were of opinion
the Kin was to much below what was required, and defen-
dant was fined Is. lid., and 13.. al., costa A similar
charge was preferred against Jonathan Bailey, of the
Wharf dale Inn, Otley, the gin sold by whom was found to
hell degree below proof.—Defendant pleaded guilty, and
he was mulcted in • similar fine with costa.

The funeral of M. Thiers on Saturday afternoon was the
moat imposing sight which the Parisians have witnessed
for many yearo.
TIM SALISBURY CATBREStAL ORGAN. —At • chapter
recently hell it was resolved that the new organ in the
Cathedral ohould be blown by a noiseless gm engine, and
not by water power, as originally intended.
The Thames overflowed its banks on Sunday, and
although such an event had been foreseen, and necessary
precautions had been taken, a great deal of damage was
done bY the afternoon tide.
The Porte is about to require all foreigners coming to
Turkey to have a passport, which must be exhihde,J to
some Turkish authority before the holder can quit the
Sultan's territory.
AT the Surrey SOSeiotlS • printer, of the uncommon
name of Jones, was, on Thursday, sentenced to seven years
penal servitude for stealing a ream of paper. He said ha
should prefer hanging but the Court declined to gratify
General Grant, on being presented with the freedom of
Inverness, expressed • hope that England and the United
States of America might live together to be friends
through centuries to come, and that the friendship now
existing would go on increasing for the benefit and
advancement of mankind.
The detective inspectors Meikkjohn, Druscovich, and
Palmer, and the solicitor Mr. Froggatt, were again on
Saturday brought before Sir James Ingham, at Bow-street
chief incident in the day's proceedings was the arrest of
Chief Inspector Clarke on the same charge as the other
prisoner&
Dr. Kenody attended a meeting at Stoke on Friday
night, It was the mod uproarious of the meetings he has
held this week. There were frequent fights, fireworks
we let off, and the proceedings throughout were most
damultassaa Several persons were hurt. Only a few
feends were held up for the vote of cofidence. Dr. Kenai!,
ITU hooted all the way to the railway station.
One of our citizens of an observing and experimental
darnof mind found • toad upon his doorstep recently, and
in order to discover whether it could hear well got down
upon his Wes and made different noises to teat the epee-
Men The toed here the noise and took part in the
with.uebwinaggint..tiot nature that the
Inquirer was working u consi interest in the
swelifier, when be happened to look up and found himself
essionsuaded by • crowd of people who were speculating
esseoi
Irak. themselves is to whether be was croey or simply