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

NISI PRIUS COURT.—THURSDAY.
(Before Mr. Baron MARTIN.)
CHARGE MR A FUNERAL.

Spreekley v. Buoiltun.—Thid was an action brought
for the recovery of C 35, being the anioutst claimed
for a funeral conducted by plaintiff.—Mr. Collier,
with whom wee Mr. Cole, was conned for the
plaintiff, and Mr. Kerslake, Q.C., with whom was Mr.
Kingston, appeared for the defendant.
Mr. Cole opened the pleadings, and Mr. Collier stated
the case to the jury. Ile mei the plaintiff wee a draper
:aid undertaker residing at Weymouth, and the defen-
dent was the widow of a Mr. Welton, formerly • livery
stable keeper ill 1.0110011, in guod eircueetences. Last
eumnier he came down to Weymouth for the benefit of
his health, alld took one of the prineimil lodging-houaes
in that place. Ile died in August last, and the plaintiff FRIDAY.
received instructions Irons Mr. Itishop—a friend of the
defenibuit, who the jury might imegine was too much (Before Mr. Blron MASTIS.)
alptorbr.l iu grief to attend to the matter herself —to The Court opencel sit t) o'clock.
find the coffin tied cousluct the funerel. He wee re- IlltirlWAV Minima 034 Tan WlllllOlllll ROAD.
tioested to obtain the bust description of polished oak
coffin, and the other arrengeincids were to be carried J"" 11'i/flaws end /Merl (7/iffirral, were charged with
out use for a funeral fur a geutleman. Even 'ling wee violently &equalling William Orchanl on the public
&m,, iteeonling to the satiafaction 44 Mr. Bishop, but highway. end :dealing from him a purse and LID fie.,
w'aen the bill was wilt in, it wee 11/laded, 111111 UM Ile. 011 the itith October lest, and Mary Awo IVO/Muir was
fendent had haul into court what she considered charged with beiegati accessory.— Mr. Stock prosecuted,
a fair charge. lie Alloul•ldattormer, chow that the cliargee end Mr. Cele defendea the prisoners.
William Orchard, on being sworn, deposed, I am •
were fair aid reasonable, sod that the plaintiff had !raid
considerably mire then the "."" !Pia IUI./ court, out fanner red,ling in the Isle of Wight. I formerly lived
id his own pueltet. at Ilroadwey, awl attetclol the Dorchester fair on the
2:illllictober last. I prop 'see to sleep at lll...Awry that
The plaintiff said he was a draper and uuderteker at
Weymouth, and mono:times conduct, d funerals. On the night, end stinted on foot toward% Weymouth, expert-
lli is August het, lie Waillilled upon ta go to l'alteney I ing ale Wines'. to fellow and lisle me Uf in his wagon.
billeting., to c ttttt Met the funeral of Mr. Boulten, whom I had bought souse farm implemente of him that day.
body was lyiue there, lie s tee Mr. lliehop, who ter°. I aine't at the °al inn, end aterwarda had a glees
warted himself as being a (noel of deceased, and alio of gin tool water at the Plownix, atid on leaving the
asked I . the prices of several things neceseiry for the town lied a ghee. of sic at the Jena lintel. My
funeral, swat es sliell, 001111. hearse, am- lie then left Purse. a blue kuitted one, with is or slides, contained
the room for short time, mei on his return he gave an 1:19 104. in geld arid about 15s. in silver. While pik4l6-
order for • Abell. Ile afterwanbi said the body would lie tog along the foot-loth on the Weymouth reed, when
removed to London, end perhaps the shell would be near the first mile stone, I ss as pulled backwards,
°poliol after it arr:ved there. llaiiitid told him lie kielc..ll, knelt on, Rll.l my purse etolen from my pocket.
would then take the necessary precautions that the laxly As the partici were leaving 1111, I saw three men, with
should not appear tumbled mid bruieed in the transit, law crowned hate or caps. I recognise Williams and
fuel that lie would provide the necessary additioniel CI Aini to be two of the twit. They went AM..% the
ealllll.ll/1, ke. Mr. Bishop afterwat la ordered one of the fidd by the side of the marl in the direction of Maiden
very hest polidied It kk CAW. that Colll,l be made, 111111 rledle. I IRV its the read about ten
lie (plaintilTl, iu accordance with hi* instructions, pro- get lip, mid Mr. Witmer cane) along and auisted 1110
cured for it a tiet of the handsomest furniture that could bIA ta Donaiester. This was, I think, on Thurelay.
Ise procured. There were none handeene enough in Oa the following 3144:e1ey, I went to the Dereherter
Weymouth. and he I,ed to go to Dorchester for it. lie gaol. Au ~,,, if lea or Ow, I*,, men whom I Saw there, I
hail a hearse and two horses, for which he charge 1 reeogniee 1 Clifford through the Will,toW • lintely I
1 I 12s. 61 The bearers bad cloaks, awl lie hail to go Pcsa. him. After I went into the yard and looked round,
Dorcheeter fer thesis. Ills instrueti ~,, A were to bury the I re''Wgeiee't 'i's illi'"".
deceased as a gentleman. The coffin was mule by a Cruss-examine I : The superintendent of police catne
reepectaLle tradesman in Weymouth. He peel e 2 18, ikl. for use to the Isle ,If Wight, :,,,,1 said lie latlienel. front
for the inner coffin, and charged L 3 3r. Oil, For Dm deseript ion I had given of the men, lie had got them.
the outer coffin lie paid Li 75., and charge.l NO oat, spoke ttt me in the prison yard to enable tile to
Ells. I Is., but this included mill and attendance:, for &ratify them. When thee left Me, after robbing me,
which it was usual to charge a guistere each. him gave ill'y went away very quiekly. When I gave a deeerip-
-1 gi•syell to the liearceS. KR seas UsUal 111 the* of the men at the station house, I did not see I
such cases in this part of the country. The station- neile not recognise them. I raid they
master lucl also gloves. It eves always usual with hint were well-dressed men, of • nevvy.like appear'
to give gloves to the station•nowter when a tOrre Wee knee, 1100 Vera. Lail. I had only two glasses
I conveyed by rail. There were six bearers. They hail of grog and a glees of ale during the whole of the day.
1 :le each. islet lie said I2s. fur refreshments for them. 1 was about the 10011 a :Vali deal that day. I will wear
It war always usual to girt: refreshments to bearers 1 woe not in company with a woman. I never went up
euil charge for the 114111 e, when refreslintenes were 110 a R 11010 With Is woman. I bad my purse in my pocket in
given at the house. The (moral was conducted on the Sontlestreet, but I never snit my hand in my pocket
meet respectaLle Mile, and Mr. Biebute after they had till 'aim' i hmi hem' r"htie I.
arrived at the railway etatioll. IshuOk halide with hint Ite•exe ~, i,, cal : I did not see the Superinkeelent of
J arol expiessed his gratification at the wy iii which lie l'olice at the stetion. Ile came to me at Mr. Bennett's,
hul carried it out, lie had charged nothing for his where I slept. sleet ay I was leaving Dorchester to go
own personal troulde further than the attlitiolial charge to Itroadsvey, I went to is newqmper office for • paper.
on the ....dim The whole of I.i* time for two days was I t.. ..1c my parse out to pay, and being told there was
nothing to pay for it, I put my purse in ray pocket, and
occupied in reference to :lie matter. lie lael conducted '
other funerals of is similar nature, Wel Ili:, charge wee went on. I heel no oce.simi to take it out again. I
ou the seine scale as in the present instance. He know there were three men together when I was rubbed.
charged 12s. fur engraviug the breast elate on the I Tim" might hive he'm heir*
oath'. The doctor, the clergyman, mid himself hail hat- Mr. Saunders sai : d I wet at, Dorchester fair on the
.th October. I end Inv father went there in a cart from
b . oils anti *cads. This Was usual eta gentleman's funeral. 2:"
Mr. IlishOti Dever gave instructions 1101 S. eUpply these Friar Wieelee. We hail to plea Maiden Cantle, and
things. The furniture of the coffin cost him Eli (hi., and cross the Fordington Field, and come into the Wu-
" eheeged £7 7.. The c„r,„ , wa„ „,,,,,„ of Ij
f 001, I mouth road near the Cemetery. On leaving Dorchester
pnvty I I went to the Great Western Railway Station respectuak board. He did not see pany the funeral
further than the railway stetion at Weyniuuth. 1.,,,, ! ing an appoilitment which I expected. After twin);
desease4l was buried in Lundell. 1 the station I walked on the road house, and about 40
William Norman, foreman to Moseni. Reynolds and ! yards f the read, in the Fonlington Field, I met
Son, said that Mr. Spreckley gave him orders for a shell ' four teen. One of them was in advance of the rest. I
end coffin. They were made of the best materiel, the I naked them if they hail met a cart. I saw the two
best Wurkelailehill was bestowed on them, and they 1 prisoners in the prison on the 3rd November. I pointed
were the best articles that could be supplied. The out Clifford, whom I believed, was one of the
coffin wee the best that lied ever been made in the emu 1 ma' lie w" &beat' the bite 54 one of II"' I
.h.p..„d .1., onoe w.. v.. 7.. lie believed tin" did not know them.
Li Me was below the usual price for hearse and pair of Marian Petta mid : I remember hearing of Mr. Orchard
horses. being rubbed on the Dorchester fair night in October
Richard Reynolds said he wee an endertuker. He bast. I saw the prisoner Williams that nieht. He
thought 1:11 Ills, was rather high for the coffin, but cons came to tbe bar window and had • glass of ale. It wee
eelering nothing was charged for pall and attendance after six o'clock. He was out of breath as though he
it was not as very high. All the' other charges men; hail been running. I maw no one with him. He had n
fair awl reasonable, and !several of the items were below donkey or low bat on. Cross-examined: Could not
the usual price. He hinieelf 'lever charged less than say how meny donkey hats she saw that day.
LI ts. for is beanie aid letir of horse& Edward Harvey sail : I was in the service of Mr.
J. A. Iluck call that he lied for many years carried Origg, of the Great Western Hotel, on the 25t1i Oct.
11,0 1.114110 W of cabinet maker and undertaker. The two gentlemen there—pointing to the prisoners—
lie thought that from Al to £lO was a fair price came there with a trap with two wheels. 'rhe horse
for • polished oak coffin. Ile himself u.uelly tore hie was in e''sweatisli" state. They took it to he shod. While
atteudance, and supplied the pall ill the cherge for the they were gone, a reepectably dressed tuan with sandy
coffin. The charge of CI 12s. 6.1. for hearse and pair of whisks rs came and RAW for them. They brought the
lee..ec wee below the ...I charge.. was also his, be, horee back, and left it, and I slid net see either of them
engraving the bre:Odd:etc, £2 24. was the usual p-rice again till after 74 o'clock. I had then heard of the
for the:former, mid el fur the latter. The other items r"blierY• I "aw Clifford again 41.* next morning
as to bears no, were not overcharges for a funeral such as between 7 and S. Williams came about half an hoar
be understood tide to be. after and asked me to put too. He asked me the
Mr. Milledge said he was with lii, uncle Mr. Jelin iii'mthee t" Vs rY"m"th. elel uhl he Wee going there. I
Mille Sze, one of the oldest establishments in the tOW,s gi,t on the Lank to see which way they went, and saw
Ile conpidersel that r. 7 to tin for all oak coffin Wee a they crossed the Wey iiiii nth tie, and continued on the
fair price. It was Ilea 1011ald to have the wallet boards road in the direction of Wareham. The man whom I
1110 re Mall 1 inch thick. He recollected only one in- saw the find day came again &eel asked if they had left
stance of a coffin being 11 inch thick, met that was 1.11 a parcel for him.
years ago. The charge for hearse and pair of horees Thomas (Irigg Naid :On Thursday, the 25th October,
Was below the tuned charge ; they always charged £2 2s. the prisoners came into his yard with • horse and trap.
He nineidered that the uslo, items were not ever. About lialf-east seven or • quarter to eight they CRIIIO
charges. The charges for • tradeaman's fuueral were 1"1° the l'""^" •"d aahed If the hos's ewe" remelt'
not BO great ac for a gentlemsn'is funeral, there all night. Clifford asked for a bed. He bail a
Mr. Thomas Smith. statien master at the South glass of ale, smoked Isis sire, and went to bed in •
Western Medway Station et Weymouth, said he moron- drothls-beddl room. Williams went away— he never
beret' Mr. Ilishop coming to him at the station ; and in asked for a bed. After Cliffonl had gone to bod a man
towakiiig of the funeral Aeitl everything was very nice, with sandy whiskers came and asked for the prisoners.
soil he Wm greatly pleased wills the amengements. Mr. Ile came the next morning for a bundle which they left
Spreckley afterward* came, and Mr. Biehop shook hands l'"r him•
with him ana thanked I ' . Mary Ann Grigg, wife of the last witness, said : The
Mrs. Sarah Ruulall Keel she kept the lodging house first time she saw the prisoners WM in the evening,
at Weyntenth where Mr. Doulton died, Mrs, iteeitee about helf-Past secs nor eight o'clock. Clifford askee
was. for a tell He sat iti the mister bar drinking • glass of
Wee in the bouu at the time ; and Mr. Bishop
there from the time he died to that of the funeral. Mr. ale and king a pipe. She asked him if two beds or
Ihelmi, Raw Mn'.Boulton from time to time. Never one was wanted. He replied that his companion was
heeed iheie tea
about ttie feeend. She went into the gone into the town to sleep. She sided him to gum and
room where the body was several times. Mr. Spreckley sit in the inner parlour, hut he refused. Williams, the
brought the shell, coffin, and other things: He came beet morning, paid the reelconing.
frequently to the house. She knew Mr. Ileshop lied Mary Garrett !laid she was standing at her door on
the onlenng of the funeral. Ile often went into her the fair night, when Williams and the female prisoner
room to her. Wheal the coffin was taken to the !dation Calllll along and asked her if else could recommend them
Mr. Bishop and Ilre. Mullion followed in a carriage. ta. a bed. She roc iiiii nended them to go to Mrs.
Mts. Boehm', the defendant, pail her bushel!' stied "Hide- Williams said they were quite full, end he
at Weymouth, she requested Mr. Bishop tam order the ilia not like a pulaic house. Sim remeineended them to
mulch end coffin mid the removal of the budy to the eta- go to lier Soleil 11OUse, which W.IS next door. 'The
lion. She only wanted a elicit She was afterward* in- women went in. Williams went away, but shortly
formed the body could not be teken away without a cease back. The w iiiii an, after being in tbe house, went
coffin, end she then gave orders to have a polielied oak into the garden twice. After they had gone to bed the
coffin. All the order% were given through 11r, Bishop, w iiiii On mune era gave her Mang wrapped up in a
Mr. Kereleke, Q.C., addreseed the jury for the handkerchief. tilie afterwards unwreptul the band-
defence, Rad !said that he lis.l often bean' Weymouth kenali.f. It colitaineel eleven sovervigns and three
WAN ail eepelleiVe I,laCe to live its, and it liOW appeered helf-aevereigne. When slue cane aown next ~,,, ruing
that it Wail au expensive place te ilia in. He then she guise her the handkerchief and desired her to lock
proceeded to state the origin il intention of Mrs. it Us. She slid not, but put it in her busont, and said
Boulten was simply to have a shell and to take the body " all right."
to ("Helmm for a collie' and the etceteras. The plaiutiff Merin Garrett, daughter-indew a the last witness,
' g aft. r the fair, she saw the two gentle-
laowescr. stated that it would be inspoesible to take the "id th"
lesly to Loudon without a coffin. An order was then men and tidy in the dock. Two of them aloud in her
given for • polielnel coffin and a hearse to take the house, and tole Mile to the house. The prisoner William
corpse to the reilway station, but he would call WithetaeS and the female rode away in a trap. She did not *ea
to shew that the harts:m.la, scsrfs all,l gltOree„ Were out ' what became of the other men.
oelly not ordered, bet that when the PUbject wee Sere:Mkt Yickei:s. !oda :In isessequenre of information
mentioned, the plaintiff WI,. tolalitretre was n..lleCese I jty he reCeiCea, he Went to Wareham with Supt. Brown on
for thee, things as they were strangers in the place. ' the 2oth ortober bud. They went to the Lord Nelson,
The urnamente, which had been representeel as be;ng I end on going up stair., they found William.' and the
suaerior guilt were nothing more then lacquenel braes j female prisoner in one leaCand Clifford in another bed,
°Melia:llth, while the COltill ititetel of being poliaLed 1 in the ta"ie "NMI. Clifford juitiPed nli "ml "iced what
hei Leell merely uiled end beeswaxed. was up. Ile hula them they acre wanted for a highway
Mr. Bishop, examined by Mr. Kingston, stated that rehliery near Dorchester. Clifford replied, " all right,
Ise etas ordered the outer coffin. He believed there was , C ~,,, e 1111 Wabash's." lie 1,-,ok 11,1. Clothe* of Clifford, and
a shell. Ile slid not state to the station master that the !
coffin nu un excellent one and the affair hail lams I eoperinteedent Brewn took those of Williams, into
another room, and semr.hed them. The 'weenier, then
..e
conducted in • satisfactory instiller. He might hove Id. renaed, and Willieurt said to Snrerintrinh at Brown,
shaken tem& with Mn, Sereekhi• lie also dole d , ' You prefer a charge againa m t e, it.% our duty to prove
gis rtt ordcra for the best oak coin!' that could be made, I oar innocence." Stsperititendellt Itr"we a:ked him his
or Haut sieves, hatbands, sashes, Ike.. were ordered hy I 11., ...old whore he eeine from. Ile "'rms.". to /fire
lime Mr. Fox wmi the eurgeou who ettended the I either. Waiteas then torned to Clifford, Pod *aid, "1
deeeesed in his illness, Willies:se
pleintiff to conduct the funeral. lie did fed "flier the • I beer nut, I have het it for awn° „,4,ime."
end he rt.". „ended the I s.uppose you here no nest, eitherr and he replied "No
extra cuallimui fur the shell, nor did he know they weir° efterwerds said they were bladhent "'le Female wa" lel i
supplied. in the bed room in diarge of Mrs. Ellis, the illPerint•••
Mn,. Corolla. Butterfield said that *Wm W. doit's wife. They titan wont back amid alatchad