The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-03-12 00:00:00

FELONY AT MOORE CIITCHTLIA

Charles 'Mulcts was indicted with stealing two flannel
petticoats and one cotton vest, the property of William
Paytres, at Moore Critchell, on the 22nd January last.
The property was stolen at the prosecutor's lodging
house, where he had slept, and was found at the lodg-
ing house at Bhuniford, where the prisoner slept. He
was seen to conceal something, and on searching the
place these articles were found. Prisoner had been
twice previously convicted.--Sentenced to 18 months'
hard labour.

The Grand Jury on concluding their labours made the
following representation:—" e, the Grand Jury, of
the County of Dorset, desire to express to her Majesty's
Judges of assize our opinion that the present scale of
allowance to prosecutors and witnesses is so low that
in all cases a dislike to become prosecutor, and a
reluctance to give evidence, ii induced, and in many
instances there is a failure of justice from parties
refusing or neglecting to bring ewes forward, under
the apprehension of their doing so entailing the necessity
of appearance at the assizes or sessions. The present
scale is wholly inadequate to cover the ordinary and
necessary expenses of any witness at the assize town,
whose situation is that above the labouring climes.
The uniformity of allowances to all grades is improves
and unfair, since it is manifest that the accouiudation
which that allowance would furnish is not such as
clergymen and other professional men and the higher
classes of tradesmen and their families are entitled to
claim, whilst at the same time there are many instances
amongst those classes where the position of the parties
renders any call for increased expenditure a serious
obstacle to their coming forward to assist the public in
the suppsession of crime and the due punishment of
offenders. The Grand Jury therefore hope that your
Lordships will represent the matter to the proper
authorities, that their attention be directed to such
alteration as will remove the cause of complaint which
now exists."

The basilicas of thia court terminated at half part 5
o'clock.

(Before Mr. Justice Wimke.)
The Court opened at 9 o'clock.
STEALING A PEWTER CUP •ND A GLASS.

Alarm Ann Vincent (42), was indicted for stealing a
cup and glass From a publichouse in Dorchester on the
14th of February. Prisoner pleaded not guilty.
Mr. l'urkis mid he was the landlord of the Coach and
Horses Inn. Prisoner was in the tap room on the 4th
of February with some other persons drinking. Pri-
soner was left behind, and after she had gone the
articles were missed. P.B. Barrett said from informa-
tion he received he went to the Queen's Head, Fording.
ton, and taxed prisoner with taking the articles.
Bhe denied it, but on being taken into custody,
the articles were found in her possession,
. - .

.hich were identified by Mr. Purkis, having
his initials on the pot. The jury found the prisoner
"Guilty," and a former conviction having been proved,
she was materials' to three cabodu swath'il bud
labus.—Mr. Bus prosecuted.

STEALING METAL.
Dooms &tat, (48), was charged with stealing a quan-
tity or Metal, the property of his master, at Wiiiihorne
Minster, on the sth February. Prisoner pleaded not
guilty.—Mr. Cooke prosecuted, and Mr. W. Ffooks de.
fended.
George Clark paid be was in the employ of Mr.
Urry, the prosecutor. On the sth February lie WU
repairing an engine, and missed several articles which
he was using. Ho saw the brass cocks which were
taken from the prisoner, which be could swear as being
his inamtvt'a property, although they were broken up.
The prisoner had nothing whatever to do with the
_ _

A marine store dealer raid that on the 2:ith January
he was in Winitionie, and there saw the prisoner. He
asked him whether lie wished to buy ionic old mete]
which he had at home. Whines saki he did not mind,
and in the evening he bought the metal, and gave the
prisoner 2s. 64. for it.
In crosa.elaminatboi he said be threw the metal which
he bought of prisoner amongst • heap of old metal, so
that he could not swear to the article.. He sold the
metal purchased of the prisoner to another dealer, who
handed it over to the policeman, by whom it was pro-
duced in court.
A statement was read from the prisoner,which stated
that be sold the uietal, but lie did not steal it.
Mr. Ffooks, in addressing the jury for the defence,
referred to the evidence of the marine store dealer, and
said that half of the crhnes shriller to that which was
SUM before the court, were caused by such character, us
the marine store iit tiler, who hail just given hoes iileflCV.
The prisoner would not love been in the position lie
no* was hue,l it tint been for him.
The learned Judge, in summing up. mid lie agreed
with the counsel for the defence, that a great deal of
such thefts as that now occupying the attention of the
Court was in a greet lIIICASUIC caused by marine store
dealers.
The jury returned a verdict of " Gnilty," and a
former conviction having been proved against him, he
was sentenced to 6 calendar months' hard labour.
The jury in giving their verdict, stated that they
were sorry the marine store dealer himself hail not been
planed at the bar, as they considered by his dirty con-
duct that lie ought to have been indicted.
His Lordship said he agreed with what the jury had
said, but as it was against both law and custom he
could not do so. He said, howtver, that his expenses
should not he allowed. He then addressed the ihealer,
and warned him that in future the re,lice would keep a
strict watch upon him, and he would certainly deserve
any attention which might be paid by them to him.
•LLEORD CHILD MURDER AT alltDrOar.
Hetes Hutchings. (26), was placed in the dock charged
with wilfully murdering her illegitimate femule child,
at Bridport, on the 4th of November—The prisoner
pleaded " Not Guilty" '•
Mr. Stock appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Cole
for the defence.
Mary Hill said : T was in the service of Mr. Gundry on
the 4th Noven.ber last as housemaid. He has two sons
in the house. The prisoner was cook there. There was
also a man servant. There were two kitchens in the
house, likewise two bedrooms on the top
The prironer occupied one and I the other.
and Janos Foley slept in a room above. On the 4th of
February the prisoner came down stairs and had
some breakfast. She afterwards complained that she
was ill. She then went to bed, but did not undress.
No one came to the prisoner during the day. A woman
named Batson was sent for. She was sent for tb
maid in the house in consequence of the cook being ill.
Mr. Corey was sent for and Mrs. Belson went up to the
bed room of the prisoner with him. He shortly after-
wards went away. The sister of prisoner came in
during the day, and she went up stairs to gee her
sister. She cried out "Oh I Mrs. Batson," and" Oh
Mary, Mary." They asked her what she cried out for,
and she saw that she had had a child and that it was in
the closet. Mr. Corey was again sent for, and he came
immediately. On his going upstairs lie asked her for
the child, and she told him it was in the closet. He
then fetched it out of the closet, wrapped up in • carpet.
I saw that the child was cut about the face. I saw the
razor and also saw the blood upon it. The
blood was fresh, I had seen the rarer before in Mr.
Sidney Gundry's bedroom. I also saw the prisoner
with it some days before. She said she had It for the
purpose of cutting her corns.
Cross-examined : I understood she had had the razor
for cutting her corns. I heard a noise in the prisoner's
bedroom. I could hear what passed. I heard her get
out of bed. I did not hear anything cry. I observed
her shape, and knew that dres-es had been lent her.
I did not hear Mrs. Belson say " You are in the (wily
way." The child was in a closet. The closet had no
doors, but it was covered by • curtain.
Re-examined : The shelf was about six feet from the
ground. Clothes were kept on the shelves of the
closet.
James Foley: I was in the employ of Mr Gundry on
the 4tl, November. I saw the prisoner come down in
the kitchen on that day. I do not remember
seeing her go up stairs. Ido not know whether any
person went up into the prisoner's room. I went for
Mr. Cory, and ?lan to Mrs. Belson. I did not go upstairs
to the prisoners bedroom on either occasion.
Mary Ann liaison: I am the wife of Joseph [Wenn. I
have occasionally gone to Mr. Gureiry'a house to help.
I was requested to go to Mr. Gundry's house to assist. I
went to the house at half past six o'cl.sck. Mr. Corry was
there, and I went with him to the bedroom of
the prisoner. He told her she was in the family way.
She said she was not. He said, " I'll take your word
for it. I shall be sure to know on the morrow." She
did not say anything about her master. I went down
stairs with Mr. Cory. Prisoner's sister came in the
kitchen while I was down there. We then went to the
bedroom, and prisoner's Mater, Louisa, began to upbraid
her for the state she was then in. Prisoner appeared
very agitated. We Raked her "whether she had had •
child '1 She said, " Oh, yes, you will find it in the
cupboard." We then said, ‘lt is not hurt, is it? She
answered. " Only a little cut." TI ey then sent for Mr.
Cerry, who went to the cupboard, and took the child
out. After seeing the child, he said " Now for the
instrument?' She then pointed to • razor which was
lying on theltable in a bloody state. A policeman was
sent for, and the prisoner was placed in his custody.
Cross-examined : She denied in the first place that she
was in the family way. Prisoner was in • dreadful
state, and we had great difficulty to keep her in bed.
Samuel S. Corry : I am a surgeon residing at Bridport.
I have practised there for many years. I remember
being sent for to go to Mr. Oundry's house. Prisoner
was in bed, and appeared to be in pain. I asked her if
she was pregnant. She add she was not. I I
told her she was pregnant, and asked her if anything
had paseed. She said "No." She desired me not to
tell her master about it. I do not remember anything
further teasing on that occasion. I was called for
again in the course of the evening. I went to the
house, and from what Mrs. Batson had told me I went
to the closet and took • bundle from the top shelf. I
took down the bundle and found it was the dead body
of a female child. I observed a cut on the mouth and •
cut on each side of the neck. I then said "where is
the instrument?' and some person told me it was on.
the table. I do not know whether prooner told me
it was on the table. The razor had wet blood on it. I
then gave her in charge of a policeman. I handed the
razor to the policeman, as also the body of the child.
I examined the prisoner's person the almond time, and
found she had been delivered within • few hours. The
body of the child was cold. On the next day I desired 1
Mr. Hemmen to make a post-mortem' examination of
the body, which he did in my presence. The body I
weighed 7lbs., and the umbilical had been cut and out
tied. The angle of the lower jaw had been cut Oei.
The cut extended froui ear to ear. The lower jaw boos
was cut from the socket. The jugular vein was cut
through, and the second rib was broken by the same
cut. The chest was laid open, through which a piece
of lung protruded. I put the lungs in water, and they
floated very buoyantly. The heart was healthy, and
the body was devoid of blood. The wounds caused the
blood to flow from the body. I believe the child was
born alive. The wound on either side of the neck was
sufficient to cause death. A bucket of water was found
under the bed, which was very bloody. At the time
the policeman arrived, she said, "Oh! Mr. Corry, I did
it to save others." I do not remember she said any-
thing else. She was very agitated. She was in pos.
session of her senses, but very highly excited. On the
first occasion she was very calm.
Croasesainined : I do not know whether this is her
first confinement. From the appearance of the child it
was a protractyd labour. In first confinements the
agony is Intense, and the mother will do almost anything
to relieve herself of her agony. The child might
breathe before it is born, and may die during
labour.
Mr. John Ilounsell—l am • surgeon residing at Brid-
port I have practiced since 161.9. I examined the
child with Mr. Corry. The wounds weretheCAU.o of death.
The blood would he less in the case of • child who had
been born dead than in the rose of • child who had
been born alive. I think the child was born alive.
Mr. Cole was about to cross-examine this witness,
when his Lordship interfered, stating that he did not
consider there was sufficient evidence to prove that the
child had been born alive, as it was proved hy the
medical man that the labour was a protracted one, and
therefore he recommended the jury to find her not
guilty of the capital offence of murder, and to field her
guilty of concealment of birth. It would be trifling
with facts to my that there was any doubt that she
had concealed the birth of her child, but to make her
guilty of murder it would be necessary to show that
the child had been actually born into the world alive be-
fore the wounds had been inflicted on the body. It
is not sufficient to show that the wounds ware inflicted
on the body in course of delivery, neither is it suffi-
cient to show, as was supposed in thia case, that be-
cause the lungs floated, the child was born alive. He
therefire recommended the jury to aomit lier of the
capital offence, and find her guilty of comealment of
birth. . . .

The jury, after • short consuliation, returned • ver-
dict in accordance with the opinions of the judge.
The learned Judge, in miming sentence, said the jury
had returned • very proper verdict, and he hoped she
was not guilty of the charge of murder. That, how-
ever, must he left between Almighty God and herself.
He should be compelled to pass • heavy sentence upon
her, its an example to other young women, for she not
only endangered the life of her child, but alro her own
life. The sentence of the Court would be that she
should be imprisoned for 18 colluder mouths' with
bud labour.