The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-10-22 00:00:00

TRIALS OF PRI3ONERS.

The ttials of prisoners oonitneneed on Wednearlay
morning.

Hit JOlllll AWDRY, in charging the Grand Jury, said
the calendar, with the additions that had been made to
it aim* it was printed, warn rather longer than they had
been used to lately, but still very small in comparison
with what they had mine years ago, before the practice
of trying felonies sunimerily under the Criminal Justioe
Act. nil number of ordinary cases of felony in the
calendar was very small. There warn a considerable
Lumber of serious assaults ard of frauds, and as re-
garded mune of these caw there was room for • great
deal of observation, but he did not think that he could
with advantage asy anything to them beforehand.
gnertlema of law had better remain for the court, and,
theufare, if they found proof of the offence as laid in
the indietment, their duty would be to find a true bill.
lie thaw dismissed the Grand Jury to their duties.

John Neu:micalt, charged with stealing • bag, some
food, and other articles, the property of Job Tull, •
labourer, at Stratford Sab-Csatle, was sentenced to six
months' iinprisuninent, after • former convictimi. Yr.
Snowdon prosecuted.

SaraA Setihi was charged with stealing a quantity of
iron and brass, the property of Mr. T. L. Henly, of
Cabs, on the Mat of July. The primmer was observed
coming from Mr. Henly's factory with • 'apt.' of chips,
and on being followed to her house, the property was
discovered amongst the chips and taken from lier. It
had been seen is the factory about an hour before. In
her defence she said she picket' up the property just
outside the factory. Sho was found guilty, and sen-
tenced to three calendar months' bard labour.

Enos Archer ITU indicted for cutting and wounding
Ann Archer, his wife, at Highworth, on the 29th July
last. Mr. Fisher proueuted. According to the state-
ment of the proaeontrix, the prisoner objected to her
cutting bin food before he went to work. On her
going near him he struck at her with • knife, and
induced • wound on her forehead. He then stabbed
her on the back of the head, and whilst she was on the
ground he inflicted another wound on her upper lip.
He afterwards struck her on the um with • stick. In
his defence the prisoner said his wife ran at him, to bite
and scratch his face, and that, having& knife in his hand
the wounds were accidently inflicted. The jury found
the pro.ner guilty hut recommended him to mercy,
believing that the wife had offered him some provoca-
tion. He wan eentenced to two Wender months' im-
prisonment with hard labour.
Edward Morrie, Eastland Rice, cad Hannah Elliott,
were indicted for indecently assaulting Elisabeth
Skinner, at Sheraton Magna. Mr. Herbert W.
Saunders prosecuted; Mr. Read defended the two men.
The assault was committed on the turpike road, on the
night a/ tho Luidtington revel. The particulars are
unfit for publication. The case lasted several hours.
It reaulted in a veidiot of acquittal as regarded each of
the prisoners.—The Court then rue.

SECOND COURT.
(Before H A. MulwgTHra, Esq., Q.C.)

. _ .
Cherirs Aretarvey, • man of colour, whis had pre-
viosely undergone three years' penal servitude for
houre•breaking, pleaded guilty to assaulting Charles
Pearce, at Box, on the 6th of Anguet, and was sentenced
to seven year. penal servitude. The prisoner impu-
dently thanked the chairman and wished him "Good
night."
Isaac Fidler was indicted for stealing • draining
plough bit, and an iron screw plate, the property of Mr.
Hobert Thompson, of hlalmesbury, on the first of May
last. Mr. Herbert Saunders prosecuted ;• the prisoner
was defended by Mr. Swayne. The prisoner, who had
been is the employ of the prosecutor, sold the articles
tea Mr. Hunt, • blacksmith, end it was shown that he
had previously denied all knowledge of them. The
defence was that the articles were lent to Hunt, and
that the prisoner had forgotten the circumstance.
After • long inquiry, the Puy found a verdict of guilty,
and the prisoner was sentenced to four calendar months'
hard labour.

lames rainier was indicted for stealing a bagel and
a half of bean., the property of his master, Mr. Charles
Arnold, at Forant. Mr. W. Slade prom...rated; Mr. 11.
.1. F. Stemple defended. On the morning of the 28th
September, the prosecutor, on going to his barn, found
that • robbery had been committed, there being •
quantity of be .ne strewn on the floor. The beaus had
all been swept up the night before. On the prisoner's
being searched some beans were found which
corresponded with those which were left in the barn.
There were vetches in both samples.—The defence was
that the beans could not be safely sworn to. The jury
found the prisoner guilty, and he woe sentenced
to two at.dar months' imprisonment with hard
labour.

Mary Ace Wear was indicted for stealing • parasol,
• veil, • pair of sleeves, and other articles, the property
of George Chapman, at Bradford, on the 17th Sep-
tember. The prisoner had been living in the service of
the prosecutor. On her box being searched, the
articles were found. The defence was that she received
the property from Mary Coles, a niece of lire. Chap-
man, tut this was denied by the witnesses. The sen-
tence was two years' penal servitude.

Joseph Henry Linen was charged with steeling 18 feet
of elm plank, the property of Messrs. Robbins and Co.,
at Ilighworth, to which he pleaded not guilty.—Mr. H.
J. F. Bwayne prosecuted, and Mr. Fisher defended.—
The circumstances of the case were rather peculiar. A
running account between the prosecutors and the pri-
soner for haulage still remains unsettled. The planks
were taken in open day, and in tb• presence of another
man, who lodged with the prisoner, and who said be
woald speak to Messrs. Robbins's foreman t'..e first time
be saw him. There was afterwards a conversation be-
tween the prisoner and the foreman at Marlborough.
The principal fact against the prisoner was that, on
being spoken to by a policeman, be said he bad no
planks in hie possession. On 'aerating his stables, how-
ever, the planks were found behind some straw. The
prisoner said he had no intention of concealing them ;
the planks had been openly placed in the stable, and
some litter was afterwards thrown in in the ordinary
course of business. He &leo said lie intended to pay for
the phuiks when the haulage account was settled. The
jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
The court then rose.