The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-08-20 00:00:00

Legal.

CUTTING DOWN A TELEGRAPH POST.—On tho 4th
of July lag Mr. Chimney, of MiAsenden, • solicitor, aud
one of the coroners for the minty of Bucks. was in the
White Hart Inn, at Beaconsfield, where there were at
the time several Inhouring men. Hs off,red to give any
person preagg half-a•crown who would climb to the ,
top and remove the wire of the telegraphic post
erected in the public highway unix:Jail* to the inn by the
United Kingdom EleatrieTclegraph Company. As they
would not du what he wanted for the cairn offered, he
said he would give lOs. (id. to anyone who would fetch
an ax and saw and cut down the pot. The pog was
brought (loan, and the effect was, all communication
was interrupted. On Monday last a Petty Session was
held at Beaconsfield for the trial of the labourers who
were charged with cutting down the post, and of Mr.
Char'ley. who was charged with aiding and abetting
' them. For the latter it was maintained that the post
was a dangerous nuisance, and that he had a right to
remove it as such. The magiitrates, after hearing the
evidence on both irides, were of opinion that there was
not sufficient danger caused by the post to justify
being removed as a nuisance. The prosecutors having
stated that they wished a nominal verdict merely, the
defendants were convicted in the penalty of In., and
ordered to pay the damage, estimated at Lii, and the
costs.

Al, FAXIINTSIC Jersog.—Mr. Commissioner nine, of
the London Hankruptey court. having announced his
intention to read a letter which he hail written to Lord
l'almerston expressing his own feelings of indignation
at the manner in which the coisitniationers of the Bank-
ruptcy Court hail been treated in reference to the Bank-
ruptcy Act, and having requested the attendance of
the bar and the press on Tuesday at twelve o'clock, the
court was most incenveniently crowded by an expec-
tant auditory composed principally of legal men.
When twelve o'clock arrived the excitement prevailing
was heightened by delay caused by the absence of Mr.
Bagley, whose presence was deemed requisite but not
indispensable by his !loner, as eventually he proceeded
to say what lie had to say in the absence of the learned
gentleman. However, at length his Honor slid lie had
iseen advised by a gentleman of superior judgment to
phstpone his reading until after the long vacation,
when all the member* of the long rube profession would
be in town, and able to attend to hear the letter real.
Those gentlemen, therefore, he said, who CA.IIO in
anticipation of having their natural curiosity gratified
would he disappointed. This announcement was re-
ceived with a roar of laughter, in whirl& his Honor
faintly joined, Mr. C. E. Lewis said the disappoint-
ment would be lout than it might have been, for it
would afford food for talk in this dreary period of the
year—this hiatus between 'modems and partiblp
shooting, when everybody scarcely knew what to talk
about, the dearth of news was so great. His Honor
expressed hats regret that the gentlemen present should
be disappointed, but he consoled them by reminding
them it was nily for • little lime, and promising that
hit most mortal:3lb would read the letter at the time lie
had stated. The crowd then dispersed, laughing
heartily, and reminding each other of the fable of the
incrintain in labour.

At Brecon Ashes, last week, • farm servant, named
Powell, brought on action against • young veoinan who
had married A man also named Powell, for broach of
prmnise of marriage It appeared the def,ndant lied I
been a servant in her then husband's employment, and
while there hail promised to marry the plaintiff; and
it appeared from the evidence that on the nth of sem
timber, 1860. the plaintiff mot defendant went together
to • shop iußrecon,where thee bought the wedding ring.
and garments, which consi.ted of neckerchiefs, lavender I
kid gloves, and white riband ; they also ordered dinner
for four on the Monday following. However, ou the
plaintiff presenting himself on the Monday at tine do-
fendant's house se " clean gee tidy" that one of the '
witnesses did not at first recognise Lilll, he found the
' lady hail gone away with the master, to whom she was
married an the following Sunday--Mr. Grove con-
tended on the part of the defendant that there was no
evidence of any engazetnent, mud that it was only a
deliberate attempt to get money out of the defendant's
pocket.—The jury, after a short deliberation, returned
• verdict of " Not Guilty," which after some sapiens-
tion, was found to mean that the defendant had not
been guilty of promising to marry she plaintiff.
At the Croydon easiest an mike forbreeeh of promise
to many Irm breeill• by • Ivan wawa, in which she