The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-09-27 00:00:00

33 cbonsbirt.

EXTRAORDINARY OUARGE.—At the Exeter Guild-
hall on Saturday week, before the Mayor, Captain
Tanner, and a full bench of magistrates, Mr. Charles
Ashburnham Floyd, a cornet in the lith Lancers, the
depiA of which Is Dow stationed SA the Exeter bar-
racks, was charged with indecently assaulting
a young married woman, named Eliza Ann Cob-
ley, the wife of a porter. The evidence of the win-
plainant was of a most extraordinary character. She
stated that on the night of the Sth of September she
was walking in the Cowley-bridge-rmd, when she
was accosted by the defendant, who asked her to
take a walk with him. She refused, telling him that
she was a married woman, and that she was going
home. He said "The more safe for that," and then
endeavoured to force her into Bury-meadow. When
they came to a lane, defendant put his arm round
her waist, and forced her into it, and here he made
improper overtures and took indecent liberties with
her. For nearly two hours she was detained by the
defendant, and repeatedly resisted the attempts he
made upon her. When she arrived home her clothes
were very much disarranged, and on her husband
asking her the reason she told him all the circum-
stances. The defendant told her that his name was
Floyd, and that he was going Into the barracks. In
cross-examination by Mr. Gray, who appeared for
the defendant, the complainant admitted that she
did net raise any alarm when the defendant took
' liberties with her, awl that although a soldier passed
them when in the lane, she did not appeal to him
for protection. She swore positively that Mr. Floyd,
who was in court, was the gentleman who a.ssanltod
her, but he was not then in military uniform. In
order to get away from hint when she did she said
she agreed to meet him the next night, but she did
I not keep her appointment. As her husband was an-
-1 noyed. she wrote to Mr. Floyd asking him to meet
her, in order that he might apologize to her huslxind, ,
and thus prevent a public exposure. The diction
I and orthography of the letters were of a very pecu-
liar character, and highly amused a large auditory,
among whom were several of the defendant's bro-
ther officers. The following is one of the epistles :
Exeter, Sept. 14. "Sir,-1 beg you once more that
you will allow yourself to see use on those Particular
Terms as you have Destroyed my happyness with
my husband complete as I told you at the Time you
would, and he says he will have the law for it he this
Day would not be Put over from having a Police
; officer and search the Barracks for you but I told to
I him and he left it alone if you would only See me
and hear what I want to Say to you Do see me this
Evening at half past Seven o Clock at the lower Part
of Nertherny (monde the new railway you MR be on
tau: last Scut Down and 1 will he there at that Time

Precisly font fail let me beg of as I we' oblige to
say bow keep me from being in home Time and
what you ware but not Telling your name to him A
Cobley " Mr. Floyd's oral reply to the communica-
tion was that he knew nothing of the writer. For
the defence, Mr. Agnew, a cornet in the 9th Lancers,
WaB called, and positively stated that the defendant
was with him and other gentlemen the whole of the
day in question in the barracks, and they spent the
evening together from seven o'clock until twelve.
The complainant alleged that the assault took place
between nine and eleven. The solicitor who con-
ducted the case for the complainant said be was per-
fectly satisfied that an aliti bail been proved, and
that his client must have made a mistake. The
Mayor dismissed the case, made some strong remarks
on the conduct of the complainant, and observed
that no imputation whatever rested on the defen-
dant or any of his brother officers.

Exwrmt Grimm ALL. Saturday. A Clergyman
Fined for Axsault. —The venerable Samuel Chive
came to grief to-day. He was summoned by neigh-
bour Rodford for an assault. Radford was invited
to take Mr. Sam's opinion about a dog, and then for
cogent reasons thought be would not, using an oppro-
bions term at the same time. Sam went home,
reflected on the term, walked back to demand an
explanation, but unfortunately before coming to the
parley he up with a stick awl fetched Radford such a
" topper," that if his skull had not been built of the
touglnwt timber it must have gone crash. The fire
flew out of Radfonl's eytss, his senses were all
abroad, and he felt in the middle of next week in
the twinkling of a hod-post. There was no resource
but the law; he got a summons, and Mr. Samuel
(lave haAl now to defend himself before the con-
script fathers of the bench. Ile admitted that
he did deliver the terrible topper, that he
that he thought that Radford impeached his credit
with the adorable sex, mid flesh and blood would
not stand that. The bench ruljiulge.l him to Exty a
fine of ten shillings. He threw a sovereign down on
the table, thanked their worships for their decision,
pocketed his change, mid walked off. It was the
opinion of some in court that no doctor would under-
take to cure Railford's crack for double the money.
—ll"cstcra

THE I'INMOrTIf REFORM BANQUET.—The pm-
posts' reform dinner, which was to have been held
on Wednesday at Devonport, has been postponed
for the present to suit the convenience of the Hight
Hon. James Wilson, who is just now most busily
engaged in visiting various public bodies in the
north of England, or otherwise closely occupied in
transacting important business connected with his
new official position. When the dinner takes place
there will be a re-union of the late and present
members for Ikvonport, and no doubt the lined
room in the borough will be far too small to accom-
modate all those who will desire to be present.
AN Ass's Brrr_—On Monday morning week, a
potato° dealer, named William Splatt, met with his
death under the following peculiar circumstances
The deceased was in the habit of vending vegetables,
and kept a donkey and earl for that purpose. A few
days ago while giving the donkey a potatoc he pla-
ced his hand partly in the animal's mouth, when he
received a slight bite in the fleshy part between the
thumb and forefinger. The wound appeared so
trivial that he took no notice of it till Sunday
week, when his hand and arm commenced to swell
and discolour to a most alarming extent, and despite
medical assistance, mortification of the aim ensued,
and the poor man expired in great agony at about
half-pest 4on Monday morning. His widow is also
suffering in a like manner, having scratched her hand
with a broken bottle, that had contained a liniment
used for her husband's arm, it is feared that mor-
tification may ensue in this case also—Plymouth
Journat.