The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-03-10 00:00:00

CROWN COURT.—FaIDAT.
(Before Mr. Jostles Buccsou.)
_ 00.111.411 AT 11111DPORT.
_ _ _

Joseph Oreherd. • youth of 16, was oharpd with
committing. rape apes Elizabeth Ann COL, at Held-
Port. Mr- nooks prosecuted, and prisoner was us-
defended. Berland* John Ooz, said: lam surveyor of
the Bridport Highway Board, and prisoner bad been in
my employ for 12 months aa groom. On the 19th Dee.
I and my wife went from home. There was left in the
boon my daughters Elizabeth Ann and Mary Ann, the
maid servant Julia Crate, and the prisoner. Elisabeth
Ann Cox was 10 years old last November, aad Mary Ana
was six. We returned boost about seven in the evening.
On tha 23rd I found my daughter Elizabeth Ann wee
and Ur. Denziloo, surgeon, was sent for. BOON com-
munication was made to me by the surgeon, and I told
the girl to send prisoner to the loft. I went up there,
threw him down, and tied his heads and legs. Mr.
Denzil°e then came up and examined the prisoner, and
we saw he wee suffering from diseue. I charged
him with assaulting my daughter, and coup
musicians the disease to her. He made no
, reply. We left prisoner alone tied. Shortly
, after I went back and found he had cut his
throat, and there was • quantity of blood on the
loon—Cross-examined by prisoner: I tied you up by
your bands and fastened your lap. I never struck you
with my Set in the face, or at all.—Mr. Matthew
Dimailoe, surgeon, slated that be was called in by the
hat witoose on the ska December, to attend his
daughter, Elizabeth Ana. He found she had been
violated and was Nigeria( from infection. She was
also suffering froin inflammator7 fever. Sue was still
and unable to leave her bed. On the 31st Dimerober
be examined prisoner with the assistance of Cox.
He told prisoner he had assaulted Mr. Cox's
daughter, in reply to shied be said," I have done her
no harm." Shortly after it was found prisoner bad cut
kin throat He sewed it up, and prisoner was then taken
intocustody.—Proas.examined : Could not au the girl
had not been toughed before, but believed nob—Prisoner
said she had two or three times, and so had the ser-
vant girL —Mr. F. W. Gundry, the magistrates' clerk,
said Flizabeth Ann Cox true:mined in the proem°. of the
prisoner, and had full opportunity of cross-examining
the witness, and did put several questions. The deposi-
tions were signed in his preeenoe.—These were then
road, and showed that the girl went to the room adjoin-
ing prisoner's bedroom for the dust pan, and found
prisoner there, ant no one else. Prisoner took hold of
her round the waist, and dragged her into his bedroom.
He threw her on the bed, when she tried to get away
and screamed. He shut the door, and again laid bold
of her, and told her if she screeched he would kill her.
He then committed the offence churd. Again he
threatened that if she told he would kill her, and he
repeated the threat whenever he saw her afterwuds.
Julia Brake, servant to Mrs. Cox, said on the 19th Dec.
after my muter and mistress left, I was employed
cleaning mistrges's bedroom. I wanted a dust pan sad
Elisabeth Ann Cox went for it to the room adjoining
prisoner's bedroom, and brought It. Shortly before
witness saw Orchard in the yard. He slept in
an apartment adjoining the lionse, and by the
side of his bedroom there was a room where
he cleaned knives, be. Sew him there shortly
before her muter and mistress left. To get to that
room Miss Cox had to go down one pair of stake and
another.—Cross-examlned : I was never in the room
with you. I and the girl did not entice you there.
Ws. DM ía tb• room will, Mist Oes. —The j•ry, altar •
few seconds' consideration, found the prisoner guilty. -
Prisoner: lam not guilty.—His lordship: I cannot have
the least doubt that the verdict of the jury is perfectly
right. The offence is one which does not require any
statement of mine to show what a frightful offence you
have committed. You are vary young indeed to
have done this, and that may somewhat mitigate
it, but notwithstanding your youth I most pass
upon you a very severe sentence. You committed • rape
upon • child barely tee years of age. and I cannot
pass • leas sentence than that you be kept to penal
servitude for clx years. The prisoner throughout the
trial maintained an impudent demeanour, and appeared
quite indifferent to the montane* sussed upon him.

MISDEMEANOR AT Loyart.m.

Robert Hill, 42, labourer, was indicts' for committ-
ing a nameless offenos on the Btb October, on theft:in of
Mr. Saunders, at Loogfieet, for whom he wee then
working. He was found not guilty, and discharged.

•85AULT AT CHARDSTOCL.

Robert lama Deem, a middle-aged men, surrendered
to his bail, on a charge of assaulting Corollas Reedit')ls,
on two occasions, at Chardstock.—Mr. Spoke prosecuted,
and Mr. Collins defended. —Caroline Bowditoh said that
she was the wife of James Bowditeb, of Chardstook.
Her husband was sexton of the church. Prisoner lived
near them. Hs came to oar house on the 25th Nov.,
between two and three in the afternoon. He brought •
pair of shoes that he had minded for her. Her husband
was cutting fares for prisoner. She asked what the
eheee some to? when he made improper overtures to
her, pushed her back, and indecently assaulted her.
She screamed and mid she would tell his wife, and also
Inform her husband when he Game how. He replied
"for God in h 's sake don't say anything
about it, and I'll give you the becks I made
for you." She said the would not. When her
husband pone home she told him what had
happened. On the 22nd Jan. she went to defendant's
shop. It was in the dusk of the evening. She eaw
primmer mar, and he said" Car, mese out again, and
I'll give you anything you want." Souse time after
she LA to go again to prisorter's shoo for some =idles
and matches. Prisoner's little girl served her with the
matches. Prisoner same In, and the girl asked
him to supply her with the candles. He sent the girl
away; he gave her the candles and she paid him. He
said "On down in the linhay." Assisi' was going away,
prisoner had come out; he caught hold of her and
wanted her to go to the linbay with him. She refused.
and said it was • hard thing she maid not peas without !
his insulting her. He eatieht hold of her, saying "Come
up
hem" end palled her to the pigsty., by Meade of
the rood. He commenced to assault her, when
Soloman, prisoner's apprentice, same out at the front
door. Prisoner ran away, and mid "I'll be out in flee
minutes." He followed Wore she could get horns, and
came up with her at her orchard hedge. There her
husband won, sad showed himself. Deem said "Ah 1
I knowed you two eons of was agreed!" he laughed
ha-ha I and went off. Shortly after they sent for him
by letter about this affair, Prisoner came sod inked
"what was the sense of that paper!" She told
him he knew all about it, and repeated his words, when
Deem said "What shall I give thee r Her husband
said "Nothing, I'll bays thee before the migrates."
Primmer offered to settle the bill of what owed
him (14a.), if they would not say anything. Re then
increased his offer by 10e., and then a
Prisoner again called with a paper and asked her
husband to sign it, but he refund, and said they should
go to the tomMtrates.--Crosoexamined: The next house
was more than twenty yards off. Had not power to
scratch Deem. The week alter the firM offence she
went to Deere's house for • day to wash. Prisoner's
wife did not accuse her of stealing stockings. Frequently
weal to his shop afterwards. Did'nt swatch his
fa"- I suPPole. bosoms I was not tall
enough. During the second aseault she had some
candles in her hand the whole time, and they were not
broken. She did not drop them. She wanted her
husband to go to the Mop with her in the evening, but
he would not. Maria hei maid be near enough to see
Deem did not hurt her. He did arst tell Solomon what
his master had dose, beams be thought it was so
business of his—(langhter). When prisoner saw her
husband be said "Oh 1 I knew you two lions of—were
agreed," and they were agreed.—The Judge: What did
you send a letter to Deem for? did you want to
get some money from him and then you would
not chuffs him before the magistrates? Pro-
seentrix : We didn't want my money from him;
only to tell him he would be sunimmed.—The
judge told the jury be did not want to stop the
°ma., but if theythought the prossontriz was • sionsent.
tile Party it was useless to go on.— The jury did not
Immediately reply, and his lordship directed the case to
go on. —James Reedits*, the husband, eorroborated the
proesoutrix as to the part he took in the affair. He
said prisoner cane to his house with • paper and pen.
The pen had no holder, and witness got a bit of stick for
it, then it was found they had no Mk, sob. hod to get
some. The Pstes was prodused. It was as follows :
" This is to certify that all deements between
James Bowditeh and his wife Caroline Bowditeh, and
Robert Deem, do cease, and never more be brought up
by ("hot party.--Signed, Hosea? Dien." Witness
"food to sign it, so prisoner wonld not leave it, for he
said witness would show ale Osier/71nm (Hr. Wood.
cook).—Croes-exemined : I " soroushed" under the
rose-bush, and the moon was under • cloud.
Am not short-sighted. Can see you, and the
jury; can't tell exactly bow many them are—
(laughter). Ha took bold of my wife. He kilned
her—Hr. Collins Elbsi has sworn he didn't—Witness:
Oh, I do know better—ilanght•4 I mil he
(laughter). I didn't go up then. I waited to see what
he would do.—The judge said it WM quite melon to
Iraome where the wife went out Os ;Amoco. to
Lir°assed meulted, and the husband to wash IL—The jury
emeerred, sad reelesel a vesdlot et net guilty sot tee
prisms woo diedmogod,

Maur Po•Offifus Air WuOte
George Parker, 33, George &wok, 19, Gurgle Look,
unil.B,4diGeoctelurgioepriadflnoiguiii,
mpomhe:diroeorge Wllli..m Parker, were
H. Tacker, at Wool—Mr.
'looks presecuted.—The three firdinentioned prisooers
pleaded guilty, and the last two not guilty, though they
admitted being there. The case was therefore tried.
It seemed that on tire night in question, whiah was clear
moonlight, the prisoners were seen going in the direc-
tion of Coombe, in two parties, 15 or 90 yards apart.
Information was given to the keepers of 5. J. Weld'
Esq., of Lulworth Castle, and several of them wire
watching in • coppice, where there was • onaiderable
number of pheasants. The Poachers rune up, George
Parker armed with • gun, Snook with • flail, Hones
with • life preserver, acid Lock with • stick. A gun
was fired and the keepers presented themselves. House
was at the bead of the poachers, and he said, "Come
on you ---, we are is order for you trnnight : we will
do for you." A keeper replied "All right, my lads,
we'll be with you." They sallied forth, when George
William Parker ran away. The others offered some
resistance, bus were gejekly overpowered. George
Parker quietly suocumbed, and the gun he had was
found to be loaded and capped. House had • life pre-
server attached to his wrist by • cord, and be streak
one of the keepers with it twice, but did not seriously
hurt him. Snook struck another with his flail,
and Look made use of his stick. The two prisoners
who pleaded not guilty were clearly identified.
the— a judge, i slordship having summed up, the jury
found both prisoners guilty, and said they believed
House was armed with • life preserver.—ln reply to
• keeper named Hammond said he had no
suspicion before that House was • poacher. He had
suspected neorge William Parker. Knew nothing
wrong against Loek.—His lordship remarked 020
George Parker and Spook had been convicted before.
In passing sentence, the judge said all five of them bad
been convicted, three on their own confession. There
was very clear evidence that all five were out together
in pursuit of game and armed. The esmoce of the
offense was going out armed, which in itself war, • very
busgerous practice, arid not anfrequently ended in
'murder. The °Hume of the several prisoners became
grave in proportion as they were armed. George Snook,
who had • bad character previously for other things,
had a flail. •hioh amid sot have been taken exasipt to
use against the keeper', and be eould not par • leas
sentence upon him than eight month" hard labour.
House was no doubt armed with • life preserver for •
alma" OurPnee, and the sentence upon him was eight
months' hard labour. Look had • stick and used it,
but it was not en deadly • weapon as the previous one"
had, and in his eau the punishment would be five
months' hard labour. George Parker was ermed with
a gun, which we. no doubt intended to kill pheasants,
and, though it might have been stied against the keepers,
It did not amuse ha made any tesistanee. His minuses
would be four months' hard labour. George William
Parker carried no weapon, and ran away immediately,
so he would be sentenced to imprisonment for two
months.

ROBIZILY AT MILO/310Z Runs.
William Keys, Frederick Wright, and Mary Carr,
three tramps, were charged with stealing four sheets,
the property of Thomas Strance, at Walpole-terrace,
lleloornbe Regis, January 24th. The sheets were
taken from prolocutor's wash-house, and the female
prisoner pleaded guilty to stealing them and some neck-
ties, *a the only question was whether the men had •
guilty knowledge of the affair. They were shown to be
tramping shoat together, and on the day after the
sheets were sto'en they were found behind • rick at
Radipole, and the female prisoner sold the neckties to
Elisabeth Damon, of PoxwelL The woman 'Wed that
Wright had been carrying the property in • bag, but
she said be did not know what was in the bag. But
Wright's own statement before the magistrates was
that on the morning after the three of them had been
sleeping by the rick. be =spatted the woman had
something wrong about her, and advired her to throw
it away, or they would get into trouble, and
then the sheets were kit there. Keys was
in their company, bet did not appear to deal at ell with
the property. Wright was found guilty, and Keys
acquitted. The woman, having been previously con-
victed of felony, was sentenced to six months' hard
labour, and Wright to three months.