The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-03-08 00:00:00

RICHARDSON r.

Mr. Slade and Mr. Kerslake were counsel for the I
plaintiff, and Mr. Minn and Mr. Poulden fur the
defendant.
This was an action for false imprisonment. The
defendant pleaded " Not Guilty.°
Mr. Slade said this was an action brought by Arthur
Riciiardson (by his father), a young man 16 years of age,
who was an apprentice to Mr. Newby, a chemist, at
Gosport, to recover damages for false imprisonment
under circumstances which were completely unparalleled.
The defendant was a lady who kept an eatablishinent
for young ladies about two miles from Gosport. She
hail three assistants, or pupils, of considerable attrac-
tions—Misa Caroline Lampard, Miss Elite Goodrum,
and Miss Mary Clarke. Mr. Mumby had also another
apprentice named Dyer, and they bad a friend named
Rix. Of course, the three young ladies were very
natural attractions to these young men of enterprising
habits, and they were sure to conic together. They
frequented the same chapel, and at a tea-ineeting there
had been introduced to each other, and they had gone
house to Mrs. Storey's with the young ladies, and is.
Storey had given them a general invitation. In the
course of time it would prom that the young gentlemen
did not visit the young ladies au often as they whihed,
and they commenced a correspondence of rather a warm
character, and Hwy bent the young gentlemen wine
lx•autifully worked bookquarkers, having on each the
motto, " Isivest thou use !" An invitation of this sort
was irrestilile ; they must have been unworthy the name
of men if they had not responded to such an appeal ;
their visits became more frequent. The young ladies
used to point out certain verses in the soup of Solomon.
Ile result of all this WWI inevitable. They ggentle•
111..11 were constant in their attendance, but anxious that
Mrs. Storey, who had passed the heyday of youth,
should not know it. One of the young ladles was r.
great French scholar, and she wrote wine French cou-
plets apestrupizing the moon. (in smile occasions they
were obliged to hide behind the laurels. Rix in a very
foolish manner wrote a paragraph to the Southampton
s'paper stating that a burglar', had been attetepted at
Mrs. Storey's; lie also wrote a second paragraph of the
' sense nature. This put the police 1,11 the qui rive, and
c tttttt uunication too between
k place betwn them and Mrs.
ibul
• , and it was determined to lay a trap, Mrs. Storey
, calla on Mrs. Iluiihy and told her eke was going to her
sister's and should not be 1101012 until 10 o'clock at
night. In the course of the afternoon Richardson was
sent out with a parcel to be delivered at Alhert-cottap,
near Mrs. Storey's. On the way lie saw Rix and asked
him to accompany hiss. They went on, and bad to pass
Mrs. Storey's bowie. They saw the servant at the
door, and asked her where Albert-cottage was. The
servant said she did not know, but would go in and
inquire. She went in, but of course nothing was said
about Albert-cottage, Lott the servant returned with •
request that the young gentlemen would walk in. Miss
I Clark was then away. Richardson and Itix went into
the bowie, where they found Miss Lampard and Miss
1 Goodram, but almost before they had time for • mutual
salute • policeman mule his appearance, and said, 1
1" You are the young gentleman I sin in search of • you '
I must come along with ine ;" and he proceeded to hand-
I cuff thew reapectahle young men, and walked them two
I miles to Gosport, locked them up in the station-house,
refused bail, and kept them there all night. The next
morning they were taken before • magistrate, but, no
one appearing against them, they were discharged. On
' Mrs. Storey's return that evening she asked if the
young lIICII had been there, and if they had been taken,
and expreuied a hope that they would be locked up all
night. The plaintiff did not seek for damage*, but if
the defendant would make an apology for the outrage
be would be satiated; but if she would not, then they
must uk for damages.
The plaintiff was called, and stated the facts before
detailed.
In cross-examination lie said he MU not paying his
addresses to ally one of the young ladies in particular,
but he had made love to them all. They had not had
time to settle down. There had been some idea of
sending Mrs. Storey a dead cat, but the young ladies
had recommended them not to do it.
Rix said lie wrote his own love letters, sometimes to
one of the girls, winetiines to another. He wrote the
paragraphs for the newspaper. They sometimes threw
gravel up at the windows, at the suggestion Of the
girls.
In cross-examination, be said be had also brought an
action ; the attorney was Richardson's brother. Had
gone in different costumes; sometimes lake a trou-
badour.
The next day Mrs. Storey was asked why she had
done this, and she said they had no right in her house.
Miss Leopard was called —My father lives at Mg.
versity-street, London. I wu • teacher at Mrs. Storey's.
Miss elute and Miss Goodram came. I first made the
acquaintance of Richardson at the teaqueetipp. We
were introduced there. He escorted us home. He left
us at the gate. The next time he came to fetch Mrs.
Mumby, he came into the room for a few minutes. He
mune again, accompanied by Rix. There was music.
A greater
md seerintima us.
& w
rese,. aZe the
paired off. in
etwo,with Dyer, used
to ...i
saw tbe I thought they were • hoax. It was
all • joke aboal sending the dead cat. On the day in
questa= I don't know exactly what brought thew in.

We bad not begun to play on the piano when the police-
man caine in. He handcuffed the young gentlt•men. I'
We did not go off in a faint. The policeman took them
away. It was about nine o'clock in the eviiiing. Mrs.
Storey had told us she should not be home till 10
o'clock. I hell communicated this by note to the
young gentlemen. Mrs. Storey returned a little after
10, and aiked if any one had been. 1 said "Yes, Mr.
Richardson and Mr. Rix." She said "And I hope the
policeman has taken them off." 1 told her he hail, and
they were handcuffed. She said she was very much
obliged to him, and rubbed her hands. Before we went
to bed the policeman called again, and Mrs. Storey told
I to be shown in. She said to him, "So you have
taken those boys off my premises r He said lie had.
She said she hoped they would enjoy their night's rest.
The policeman said he hoped they would for he had
locked them up himself. My father came down and
took inn r way. Ile told me he hail written to me to
say lie was coming. Um. Storey then produced the
letter. Before he came Mrs. Storey desired me to
write • statement. I silently resisted for 1101ile tune,
but Mrs. Storey told me I must write it quickly as the
magistrate would be there shortly. I wrote a statement
at Afro. Storey's dictation. I was had in before two
policemen, who asked me several questions. My father
Was in the drawing-room above. I went away in two
days after.
l'rosaexamined.-1 was a teacher. Mrs. Storey had
spoken to me wine tinie before this about the corresismil-
ence, and threatened to write to my father. She made
us pr ~,,, lee not to speak to them again. We saw them
, seven or eight times after, about nine in the evening.
, They never stayed longer than half an hour. We have
met them at half-past six in the morning. There was
no promise of marriage that I know of. There was ito
particular attachment that I know of. I wrote to Dyer,
but lie was not a particular favourite. They came just
, inside the door. The servants were in the secret, and
I posted the letters for us. I went out with Mrs. Storey
with a candle to look for them. I knew which side of
the garden they were on, and I took her to the other
I side, as I did not wish to show them up. We hail no
1 one else sighing for us. Stones were thrown up at
' the windows, but my window was too far off. I did
not tell Mrs. Storey of it. I worked a book-marker and
sent it to Richardson. There had been grapes stolen
from the garden, but the young gentlemen were after
i something sweeter than grapes. (The court was con-
vulsed with laughter during this exa 11l ll ation, in which
the witness most heartily joined.)
Miss Clarke heard the policeman tell Mrs. Storey that
he had her orders for taking the young men into cus-
tody. Mrs. Storey said Mr. filumby Was raging and
foaming like a little dog chained up, and was trying to
injure the policeman. She did not deny that she had
given the order.
Croaa-emmined.--I left because I would not promise
, not to renew the acquaintance henceforth and for ever.
1 I had not been in the garden with them quite so often
,as the others. I have now renewed the acquaintance,
with lily father's perfect knowledge and consent.
1 Mr. Phinn then addressed the jury for the defendant.
, His friend had attempted to bring a great deal of ridi-
, cule into the case, but he thought it one of a most seri-
, one nature. This lady bad been put to the ordeal of
having two actions brought against her, and it was
I attempted to visit her with oasts that would prove her
ruin. They had all been young, it was true, and knew
the pranks of boy', but he would tusk them whether
, what they had suffered had not served them right?
They would hardly like to intrust their daughters to
the care of a lady in whose establishment were young
ladies who had given way to such giddy conduct. Mrs.
I Storey had remonstrated with them, but still these boys
continued their conduct of coining to the house to see
these girls. When the statements as to the supposed
burglary were wen in the papers the ratepayers would
naturally be asking what the police were about; and
thus it was necestary that some steps should be taken.
Mrs. Storey sought the assistance of Captain Purvis,
I and it was that gentleman who had given instructions
to the police, and it was in consequence of those instruc-
tions that the police hail acted. He submitted that Mrs.
Storey was not responsible, for she had only asked that
the police might apprehend IlliktloWil persons who were
found wandering about her premises. If the police had
exceeded their duty Mrs. Storey woe nut answerable.
MM. Storey said, Idle Was a WidoW. Soine of her
, itupiLt had informed her of the correspondence between
I the young ladies and these boys, and of uteeting
I the garden. She also heard of her teachers waving
pocket•handkerchiefs on a Sunday afternoon from the
I upper windows to these boys in a field. She mentioned
the circumatimce to Mr*. Sluinby, who said she knew
I nothing of it, but would certainly find out. Witness
I said she could not allow anything so improper. She
then spoke to her teachers, and linked if it was true
about the letters and bookmarkers. They were very
much confused and hesitated, and then admitted it, and
promised not to repeat it. She threatened to write to
their fathers. Had known the three young men from
their having served her in their shops. Never asked
them to her house, or said she should be glad to see
them. She spoke to Mr. Mumby, who said he should
not interfere, and that it was capital fun for the boys,
and lie liked it too much when a boy to interfere with
I others; but that, of course, witness would nut allow it.
I Witness said the miucans she should take to stop it would
' I be to discharge her teachers immediately. Heard noises
' at night and atones thrown against the windows, and
her grapes lied been stolen. Went to Captain Purvis,
, the magistrate, who said she should not be annoyed any
longer, and lie sent a policeman to Superintendent
I I Grant. 1/1d not mention the names of these young men
to C pury •
Captain Purvis or the police. A policeman afterwards
called to know the reason she had not given notice of
the attempted burglary, as it had appeared in the Ibmmmmjm-
stiie The paragraph was entirely false.
Miss Goodrain, a teacher in the defendant's school
who said she was 19 years old, and was still in her em-
ployment, gave evidence as to the meeting,' between
herself and the other teachers, and the plaiutiff and his
friends, but denied some of the istatetuents made by the
plaintifTs witnesses.
White. a county policeman, stationed at Alverstoke,
, proved the apprehension of the plaintiff and Rix. but de-
' nied that he did so by the instruct of the defendant,
although he admitted having been desired by her to ale
prehend any person he found unlawfully upon her

premises.
Mr. tilade having replied upon the whole caw, the
jury returned a verdict for the defendant.
OMELET r. WICTIIANK.

Mr. M. Smith and Mr. Kerslake were ermnset for the
plaintiff; and Mr. Carter and Mr. Kingdou for the de-
fendant.
The plaintiff was a carrier and jAmaxter at Ityde ;
the defendant was an innkeeper at Farehain, and the
action was brought to recover damages which the plaiii.
tiff a/leged he had sustained by the fraudulent reprearn-
tation and breach of warranty by the defendant iii the
exchange of two horses. The evidence was of the most
conflicting nature.
The jury found &verdict for the plaintiff for £46 las. fal