The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1875-09-28 00:00:00

siwitneasu.o wainowdslersdprod.nest, the ticket,
lb: '
He
andd ho
asheiMuld go back In It it ; by train;
he had
hold
Old "d s°. in
enrPra. was then sailed. she
Um Legg, mother of the prisoner,
of hlm, and he tbon mine quietly. On him fo.und R 3 in
was accorded • mat.
Lwg alit she had Inul no legacy of 3300 from any
pirhy. In July she was not
fx.;:ii:ionc afiraorythl:tlgrpeoiesoy, insgkrordfd
nor did dm tell her am to ask
she tell her son she hal any locacy
m. eitneee was af,c1,,,,i to mom, and could not sign her
deposition.
Mr Andrew Ondiani, of the Ameriem storm, had been
imo•inted with Mr I.egg more as a friend than a customer.
I On July 23 Mr Legg eame to him in the morning. and &Mimi
him to lend km Alb, for a lartleular purpose; but he did not
state the purpose then. Witness said he would do so II he
could get • respectable trukannan to back him. Ho reiurned
shortly after, mum into his office, and asked If witness would
accept Mr One and witness replied "Must certainly." In •
short time, Mr Gee came in after the prisoner The bill, for
RA was made out and signed by buth. [Bill produced.) Did
not think there was any further conversation In his °Mee,
except asking Mr Oesi whether he would sign the bill. Ile did
not say what he wanted the money for; only for a particular
purpose. This morning witness found the bill was taken up;
when It mine to maturity, it was taken up at tho
Bank. Ilad not asked Mr One for the money; had not any
right to ask Mr (lee for it before it came to maturity.
Should hare asked Mr Gee for the money this afternoon, had
not the bill been taken up.
This closed the case for the prosecntlon.
Mr Hanna asked whether the Bench thought there was any
Intention to fraud?
The Bench retired to consider.

On the return of the magletrates, the Mayor said they would
hear anything Mr {Janne had to say.
Mr Hanna said that bet re he t..iok upon Mittel( the duty of
addressing the magistrates, he should like to hear an °rpm-
slon of ophlio i from them with regard to the point he had
raised.

The Mayor declined.
Mr Marine than laid the prisoner was *young man who was
commencing life in this town,* here he,andlits father before him,
held respectable positions, and it was to him (Mr Benne) a
sours. off regret to see a young man like that brought before
the Bench on such a charge. Altlenigh prisoner's mouth was
shut, and he (Sir llanne) was not In a position to bring any
ei Hence to control ert that given by Mr One, yet ho had 'si-
mian's eancUon for giving • fiat denial of the alleged offence
with which he was charged. Considering the eircumete,o-,1
which had tranepired, and hearing that in Mr Orahania eiice
there was nothing said about a legacy, the Bench would agree
with him that there was not the slightest intention on the part
of the prieoner to cheat or defraud Mr Goa or Mr Graham.
Knowing that the till had been paid, how ciirld it be presumed
there was the slightest intention of Mitring Mr Oen lie had
not suffered, even in ono single hair of his head. It was not
till alter some ch cumetaiteee weighing perhaps rather heavily
against Mr Logy became known In the town, that Mr Gee com-
menced these proceedings. Mr Leggs going to Dorchester had
been mimemstrued ; but he (Mr flannel had his sanction for
telling the Bench that he wee going into the North of England
to see hie friends, and obtain some money to meet this bill, and
other things which were owing, and it was not until these
circumstances were known that the promedlop were com-
menced. It. hoped the Bench would give the prisoner the
benefit of any doubt In their minis, and would see that he did
not intend to cheat any one, and that they would not put him,
13
ln
sending him for trial to Dorchester, to any greater amount
on than he had already suffered; he hoped they
wotrlgidt'Be him another chance of retriei ing any stain on his
character, and dismiss him on this occasion.
The Mayor toll the prisoner the proceedings had been taken
against him under the WM section of the 14th and 25th
Victoria, which his worship read. The evidence showed that
he had been guilty of a most fraudulent pretence, when going
to Mr Gee and getting him to execute the bill for the purpose of
enabling the prisoner to raise money. That of itself was a
most disreputable proceeding, and he hoped prisoner would
feel it so It was an offence of great enormity; but the obtain-
ing of such a bill warn not of itself outfit-lent In law for convic-
tion, nuke, it were proved that he had • deliberate intent to
defraud or injure some person. The evidence, as laid before
the Bench, as to the subsequent payment, had but little effect
upon them Had that payment been made before theme pro-
ceedings were ointment:od, it would have hail a different effect
altogether; but It lied boon made idler his appreheudon. As to
the way in which ielsoner had left the town, that mu open to
certain constructions ; but the Bench had to deal with facts,
and the question was whether at the time the bill was made
ont and signed, there ie any evidence that he intended to defraud
Mr Graham of that money, or whether it is not reasonable to
suppose that he would have endeavoured to meet the bill, and
might from the position in which he then was, have been
enabled to meet the bill. The oonversaUon about the legacy
took place with Mr Gee and not with Mr. Graham, and Mr
Graham daunt that he advanced the sum of money on the
respectibility of the tradesman whom primmer induced to join
him In the bill. The Bench were not satisfied that there was
eofficient evidence to Justify them in sending the prisoner to
take his trial at Dorchester on the charge; but the whole of the
proceedings were most disreputable on his part, and most
unjustifiable, and he had only to thank the section of the Act
of Parliament for his discharge. The Mayor hoped and trusted
that neither the prisoner nor any other person would think
' that because he was not sent to take his trial at Dorchester,
they were Justified in doing anything of so disgraceful and dim
reputable • character. Prisoner would be discharged
' (applause. which was scarcely suppressed when prisoner left
' the dock).