The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-03-15 00:00:00

IDorortsbirt.
DORSET SPRING ASSIZES.

Th.. Arius, u we stated in our lad number of the
IF...epees*, were opened on Monday last at the Mire-
ball, before Mr. Justice Crowder and Baron Watson.

CROWN COURT.—TuERDAT.
(Before Mr. Baron WAreox.)

The business ad this snot commenced at half-pest 10
o'clock, when the following gentlemen appeared to
answer to their names on the Grand Jot,' :—John
Floyer, Esq. (foreman), B. H. Bingham, J. H. Bridge,
.1. T. Baskets. John Brymer. G. ChurchiP, H. P. Cain.
bridge, E. Castleman, C. W. Digby, F. Dalton, L. S.
w. b. Denier, J. .1. Farquharson, jun., A. B. Foster,
.1. F. Falwaseer. 0. W. Ferrer, H. C. (Madden, W. L
Heaping. and Edward Lee, &qrs.
His Lordship, in charging the Grand Jury, congratn-
isted them on the state of the calendar. Although
there were rather more ewes than usual, he 111111 happy
in say that they were not of a very serious nature. The
calendar contained the names of 27 persons charged
with various offences. He had carefully gone through
the evidence, and there appeared to him to be, with
nee it two exceptions. sufficient evidence to put the
patios on their trial for the offences with which they
are charged. There were two for arson, and one or two
for concealing the birth of their children; and there
were several "0.2 of rubbery, which he feared would
always be found to exist in any state of society. His
Lordship then congratulated them on living in an agri-
cultural county, where the people were under their
power. and crime was not an prevalent as in more
densely populated towns, Anil he had no doubt by the
of vigilant police they tended very much to lessen
ern, It was by a system of wholesome °ducat'
to the industrious masses of the people Dist they were
led into habits of honesty and sobriety, which would
tend more than by any other means to prevent crime.
lbs Lordship then &ionised them to their duties.

ARSON AT DEWLIBII.
A little boy named Johot Cross, only eleven years of
ogs, who had been admitted to bail, was charged with
having maliciously set fire to • barley-stack, at Dewlish,
on the 14th of September last.
Mr. Comm' prosecuted, the prisoner was undefended.
A labourer, named Frederick Foot said he was at
work ill an allotment on the above day. In an adjoin-
ing gold wea a stack of barley belonging to Mr. Squib.
About II ia the morning he saw smoke arising from the
stack, sad immediately afterwards the prisoner ran
away. ffe called after the boy and said, "You young
oscil, what have you done. You're sure to be hung."
Ths hey said, "I done it." Stephen Cutler, on appre-
hending the prisoner, be said, "1 hope Stephen you will
forgive me this time, and I'll not do it any more." One
calendar month with hard labour, at the expiration of
that time to be sent to • Reformatory for five years.
Joseph Clarke (Is), was charged with stealing one tub
of butter, the property of the Great Western Railway
Company, at Brulpole, on the sth November, 185 S.
Mr. Coleridge. prosecuted, and Mr. Wucelford Hooks
defended the pnsoner.
Mr. Nowland, the station-muter at the Bridport
station, said the prisoner had been employed as an engine
cleaner, and had no business in the goods shed.
William Fountain, • porter, reinoved 17 tubs of butter
brought to the station on the 4th of November one of
the tabs was smaller than the remainder. He afterwards
missed the little tub.
Robert Old said the prisoner lodged at his mother's
Louse at Bradpole. He went with the prisoner to the
Bridport railway station on the 4th of November last.
They first went to the engine-house and afterwards to
the goods shed, where there were several casks of
butter. Prisoner said "Here's one." which witness
took sad carried towards the door. They subsequently
buried the butter in a field under some lung.
Isabella How, the mother of the last witness said she
saw some butter on a shelf in her house, on the 12th of
November. She asked the prisoner where he had got
the butter, and he said go to li—. She then said if
he did not take the butter back again be should not
atop ia her house. It was nearly Christmas before the
butter was finished. Soon after the tiutter was finished,
ahe saw the prisoner cutting a little tub whch lie said
would do for washing bands in, and it was used for that
purpose until it was taken by the police.
Sept. Me'Hale said he apprehended the prisoner on
the 72nd of February, and he denied knowing anything
about the butter.

Mr. Ffooks : Did you ask the prisoner any question?
—Witness : I would rather not answer that question.—
His Lordship: (warmly) you :oust answer the question,
sir. Did you put any question to the prisoner?
Witness: Two days afterwards I said to him: "1
thought you told me two days ago that you did not
know anything about the butter, but I find you did."
Pnsoner said he should not have taken the butter if it
had not been for Old; but they took it and carried it to
a field where they buried it, and carried it home about
a week afterwards.

The Judge: But that was two days afterwards.—
Witness it wu. The Judge: And yet you said nothing
of this, which is the only evidence against the prisoner,
when before the magistrates on the 14 of March.—
Witness: Will you allow we to explain.—His Lordship
(very warmly) : No ; I will not allow you to explain.
I must request the magistrates to take this matter into
their must serious consideration ; and if it is your
practice constantly to examine prisoners in this way,
.1 should advice your dismissal at once from the service.
Mr. Ffooks having replied for the prisoner, his lord-
ship in summing up, commented very strongly on the
conduct of the !whim officer, who after the apprehension
of the prisoner had endeavoured to pick up, by asking
questions, evidence as to the prisoners guilt. The prac-
tice of policemen questioning a prisoner was • very bad
one, and ono which could not too strongly be con•
deinned. An Act of Parliament had been passed for
the puropse of motecting prisoners from being questioned
on their examination before the magistrates. In this
case, the only evidence that was worth anything, had
been surreptitiously obtained ; and he would direa
them not to put any faith in it; but to return a verdict
of acquittal. The jury immediately returned a verdict
in aooonlmioe with his lordship's directions.
THE BANK NOTES FORGERY.

Peter Ho!Iowa!, alias Ilegh Derereamr (69), described
as a cattle dealer, was indicted for uttering a forged CIO
Bank of England note at Wool, on the 17th of October,
Md. He was further charged with uttering a forged
CIO note at Cheddiugton, on the 23r.1 of October, N.V.
There was • further indictment against him, for utter.
Mg • forged Li note at Twerton, in Somerset, well
knowing the same to have been forged.
Mr. Cole and Mr. Coleridge conducted the care for
tie prosecution. The prisoner was undefended.
Francis Perry, inkeeper of Wynyard's Gap : On the
=nd October the prisoner came to my house and asked
for a bed. A man named Wray was in the taproom,
and prisoner got into conversation with him. He said
he was coachman to Lord Westminster, and wanted to
purchase • pony for that nobleman's daughter, who bad
Just come of age and was staying at Abbotsbury Castle.
He said be had been recommended by a respectable man
in Crewkerne, who had told him he had a very nice cob
for sale: bat prisoner did not want to go to a long price
for it. Prisoner and Darby had breakfast together, and
after breakfast prisoner, Darby, and myself went to
look at the oob ; he agreed to give 1,25 for the pony,
sad said he would give bins a sovereign to bind the
bargain. He gave me what I thought was a CIO note. I
took the note from his hand, and gave him nine wee.
reigns. Prisoner said he would call for the cob. About
a quarter of an hour after he had left the house a man
named England came in, and in consequence of seine
conversation, the note wan produced. I then went in
pursuit of the prisoner. When I got to Maiden
Newtoo I went to the house of a man named Kendall,
and also to the White Horse Inn, and showed the note
to the landlord of that house. The number of the note
wan 79639. I went to the station, where I saw the pri-
soner get into the train. I maw • policeman and after a
little conversation we got into the train and CAllle on to
Dorchester. When we arrived at Dorchester I pre.
sented the note at Messrs. Williams' bank, and it was
returned marked "forged.' The note was subsequently
given to the landlord of the White Hart at Maiden
Newton : it then passed into the hands of Mr. Holdall,
who took it to Sergeant Tee's house; and that officer
immediately went to Dorchester with Mr. Perry, and
apprehened hian at that station.
Serjeant Tee, sworn: When on the platform I charged
the prisoner with uttering a 1;10 forged note at Wyu-
Yard's Gap. Prisoner said, "There is no need of making
any bother about at. Where is the man? I will give
him his money again." When I charged him with the
offence he said his name was Hugh Devereaux, and he
came from Walworth, near London. He said " It's all
right. I took the note of • gentleman worth thousands."
I asked him who the gentleman was, when he said,
"You'll get nothing out of me, I'll keep that to myself."
When be got to the station he maid he Mlle from
Croydon, and not from Walworth. I took hiui to End-
port and he was committed to Dorchester prison. Hu
was at my house at Maiden Newton about an hour.
While there he said, "I suppose my boys will be
anxious to know what Is become of the poor old general.
There are several about the country. There were two
on the platform when you took me, but you did not
know it. They will see nae well defended."
The next ems was for uttering • forged £5 note at
Twerton. Some witnesses having been examined,
mother charge was proceeded with.
Mr. des. Heals said : On Saturday, the 9th of
October, the prisoner and Mr. Stuntman° into my shop
at Ruislaton Tarrant. He gave his name as William
Moore, and he said he bad been to the Plough Inn and
had had breakfast; but could not pay for it as they
could not change his .C. 5 note. Prisoner asked use to
change the note; but not liking the look of it, Mr.
Blunt said be would be responsible for it. Prisoner
Mid if I did not like the note be was going to Weyhill
fair to sell ponies where he would see the man lie got
at from, and when ho came beck he would take the
note and give me the cash. Ile wrote " Williaw Moore.
Marnhull, near Blandford, Dorset," on the back of the
note.

Thomas Plummer, saddler, Wool, then said that on
the 16th of October last the prisoner mine to his $llOl5 at
Wool, and mid he MAW ping to get settled at the White
Hart, Wimborne. He purchased some goods of him. He
had known the prisoner 10 years ago, when he went by the
name of Kelly. The goods purchased amounted to k 3 3a.,
and prisoner tendered •1:10 note for payment. On the
13th of October he gave the note to Mr. Redmond, who
changed it for him, lie took the number of the note,
which he gave to his father.
lir. Bonehead, inspector of the Rank of England,
examined the notes, and pronounced them to be for-
geries in every respect. The .C 5 no were from the
saute plate as were also the £lO. The genuine notes
had the wave lines made in the paper; but these were
made in the plate.
Supt. Everitt searched the prisoner at the station and
found 13 sovs, and some silver concealed in a belt under
bis trousers.
Verdict—Guilty.—Two previous convictions were
then proved against him, for one of which he had been
widenced to 14 years transportation. His Lordship
sestenced him to 10 years' penal servitude.-110 Lord-
-44 ordered £9 to be given to Mr. Perry.
Raiseak Barring (38) on bail, was sentenced to six
weeks' imprisonment for concealing the birth of her
legitimate male child, ,4 Wootton Fitxpaine, on the
.th August, 18511.--Identence deferred.
Blame Drake pleaded guilty to having concealed the
birth of her male child, at Kington Magna, on the 17th
October, lei—Sentence deferred.
Peer lleLoeklen and Patrick Green, two soldiers of
the W ezford Militia, was charged with burglariously
tattering the dwelling-house of Mr. Bartholomew Cm.

gran, at Portland, and stealing therefrom a pocket-book
soil other articles. Green pleaded guilty ; and on the
recommendation of lir. }looks, the prisoner Sc'
tocklen was discharged, and his Lordship deterred the
senteutu upuu the other prisoner till Wednesday morn-
ing. _

THE FATAL FIGHT AT BCCIEHORN WESTON.
Joseph Uates (2i) pleaded guilty to the manslaughter
of Thomas Armstrong, at Buckhorn Weston. Mr. Cole,
on the part of the prisoner, said he could produce evidence
to show that the prisoner was a must quiet and inoffen-
sive man ; that the fight in which he had been engagod,
bad been perfectly fair; and that since his incarceration
in gaol (13 weeks), lie had behaved in the most ex-
emplarly manner. His lorilabip deferred the case till 9
o'clock on Wednesday morning.
Mary Pruning/fon was charged with unlawfully cut-
ting and stabbing George Clark, as Chardstoek, on the
20th February, 18MI. Mr. Portman prosecuted; the
prisoner was undefended.---lieorge Clarke, cordwainer,
Chardstock, said the prisoner lo4ed at his house. (In
the 19th of February last, he went to bed at half-past 10,
the prisoner came home about half-past 11. They
brought home MOMS cider ; after drinking which they
beesine quarrelsome. He got out of bed and went down
stairs, and sat no a chair souse time without speaking.
The wounin's husband kft the house, and she abused
witness in her husband's absence, and thniatened to
break his head with a poker. When her husband came
hark he struck witnesses daughter, and the prisoner
stabbed him undtr the eye. He did not see her stab.—
Jane Goddard said on the above night she SAW the
prisoner throw something away, which proved to be •
kuife.—Mr. J. S. Wells, surgeon, said prosecutor came
to Isis surgery to have Ins eye dressed. Ile found it to be
only a slight incised wound, just under the eye. Guilty
of unlawfully wounding. Sentenced to three months'
iniprisounient with hard labour.