The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-02-04 00:00:00


SINGULAR ROBBERY' AT A BOOKSELLER'S
SHOP.

A ease is.. before the borotigh ntegietnites on
Thursday last, which seems likely to dimmer • new
mode .4 seriudling, even in them days whoa " • smut'
theft" Is hot of infrequent occurrence. A well-.lased
elderly man, tail and portly, and of gentlemanly appear'
mos was brought up for stealing two books. vale* 10...
frim the shop of Mr. H. ling, bookseller, Of High
West-street, on the previous afternoon. The amettraters
present were—John o.lpin, Eq. [in the Chair), J. P.
Hodge., Esq., M. Deeshish. Fsq., IL Davis, Esq., and
Dr. Aldridge. Ca being asks' bias..., the prisoner
replied that, for family reason., he declined giving his
name or addresses' it might bring a greet (halo( trouble
upon those with whom he was apnoea& —Mr. Pinny,
the locum hamar of the Magistrates' Clerk. raid: We
cannot help that. Do I understand that you rinse to
give your nano 7—A. It would bring the lose of bread
to my family. As to myself 'nest ask the Noah to
deal with use is etendfally as they ean.—Q. What
name do yolk give no, then 7—A. It might as well be
that Shish I gays the police yesterday,
Wethatied. —Mr. Galan: Do you ameent to give that
G 4 your name I—Prisoner : Yes, sir. Throughout the
hearing he bald his head down and appeared meth dis-
honest by the position hre was in.
Mr. Henry Liag said: lea. bookseller and stationer,
currying on bruin's' at the County Hope, Dorshater.
Shortly after foer o'elook yesterday afternoon, the
peignoir came into my shop and asked if he could
"look around." At the tilde lie Pared the shop he
was not In the sante guise as at present; As bail very
eta bleak early Ear then—(laimbler). My essi.tait,
Mryer, in answer to the prisoner's questios with rapes
to looking round, replied " Yes, *mainly, sir." I was
present at the timeand beard the remark. Brycv after-
wards opened the glass ems, to allow him to examine
the books. He looked at emend volumes and asked
the price of one(Varighsn's"Wholessme Word. f Jams
Christ"), to which 1 replied 64. He then inquirsd
if we had any Latin sehoohbooks, and I aka him to
step op to the other end of the shop where those books
were kept. He looked amend the shelve", hut did not
purchase anything then. I offered hire 00010 apology
for my stock Ming no digorclerei, as the magma were
at erork effittlng an alteration in the premise..
Prisoner monist it did not matter; prob.bly he might
"call again another day!" He then returned to the
front part of the shot) and went on looking at the books
In the ease'
, but as we wore bogy I attended to other
stator:Pim Prisoner sborMy afterwards picked meths book
of which he bail aired the pries, and holding it up said,
"I think you lend me 3s. r He said "I'll take this;
you can mop it up." I was under the impression to
wee an old book-buyer; we often get gentlemen of
that kind looking at the stock. I wae serving Mr..
flaps at this time, and prisoner raid, very politely,
"An you ere serving • hay there is no hurry." I
mopped up the book and he handed me • sovereign in
payment, and I pee him the change, •II in tiler,. The
prisoner turned to leave its shop, and as he was on
the door Men. • large book fell from tinder hi. coat epos
the door. The hook was of • different ooiour to that
which I had cold him, and was not enclosed in paper;
consequently my suspicions were at ones aroused. The
prisoner picked up the book hurriedly and lat 0004
went to the door to see the direction In *bah ha
went. ft• walked hastily berme the road to the
thoroughfare near Mr. Shea* and al he elai Ping
under the melt I Me hi Male to "elope," I then
fetched thY hat, had went in pursuit of him. I weld
tot find him, however, and pee Islomptioo at once to
the police. I told them It we. likely he wallet hem
gone to the railway station, eon profaned op Prince's-
street, re route for the Great Western stati in, while the
police went the other way, by South-street. I celled
In at the Royal Oak Inn, when I found • man unwire
Inc tho prisoner'n description had been there shortly
before, and had throe pennyworth of whisky, &inn
reaching the station I met P.C. Mitchell, who sil 1 be
cottld not and the delinquent, add rtigmated thee Pi
should Mora Fordineton yield towards the South
Western station. We had just started, when Mitchell
exclaimed "Here hr. comes ; two to one that's he r and
, I perceived a nem coming to meet us apparently from
the Sooth•Watern station. He then carried a port-
inenteau in his hand. He had the dark curly Piton at
the time, and I at ones recognised him as the man who
hod been to my shop, and told the oonsabls so. P.C.
Harebell went tip to him; hut! did not hear what be
said. The prisoner intniediatell dropped hi. port-
inantean, and rolled out • bunch of 'keys. Prisoner
looked up And asked the timetable it MI had • Samna?
to *bait *Wien replied "No," whereupon he rattan
to open the pertinent- an, and replaced the keys in his
pocket. Mitchell then took hold of the prironer sod
said he moat accompany him to the police station, am he
was charged with stealing a book troop Mr. Ling', shop.
then left the prisoner In ele irge of the. etnimman end
retained home. The books new aced are my
property. I irlentify them by my private trade marks.
I had not sold those books to the prisoner or anyone
elm, and saw them safe in the shop on Tuesday, the
day previa. to the theft. The hook that fell from the
primmer's preen was "Child's Colon•ed (lift Book,"
with scarlet binding, and to. book produced is damage.'
he the fall. The other book was entitled " Wit and
Windom of Sydney Smith," end the selling pries of the
volumes was Ea sect. The book now prodoced (in the
envelope) is that whale ,I mkt to the prisoner, and tie
wrapper had sot beset taken off. [Primmer did not wish
to LA witness any qesetioses.)
P.O. Mitchell said: In easeqnsinoe of information
remised I went in permit of primmer, and whilst in
smapany with Mr. Line. I met him in the footpath
leading from the Soutb-Wertern to MN Greet Western
Railway station. He was spraying a portmanteau, and
at the time had on bleat curly her end • Isrge sear(
round hit neek. I ttikl him, "You are the min I have
been looking for;' but be did not reply. Seeing his
breast pocket was bnlparl out, I asked him what he had
ancealed there, butt, this he made popsy.... I thee
asked if he would allow me to mash him, when
hi. replied "No; fog that 1011000 r Hie pet
the portmanteau on the &nide% etin I thin
I had reason to think he had some property in hit
paces-ion which did not belong to him. He
replied. "I have not, then." I then told him I should
take him into moody, whereupon the prisoner said,
"You will not search me unless you have • march
warrant." I then charged him with dealing • book
from Mr. Lin,'" shop, but he aide no reply, and I
leek him at ones to the station. I serried the port-
insoteatt, and on the way to the I rok-ap he said,
" There is some mistake according to (I regarding) those
books." I cautioned him sotto make sateselant to
me; bait me be had any statement to mate it Should be
made before the mediates, I farther d him thet
whams" he told me I should use Is 'videos.. He then
said, "1 have epee books in MI y poet's that I near
pal for ; is there any way of remedying it if I see the
gentleman'" He added, "I don't mind giving EA"
I then told him be was in monody and would be brought
b-fore the mairistretea Re took the two books Oe-
dema out of his left broaajlocket, and handing them
to me said. "Here they are. When we arrived at the
polieltanatioe be delivered up the book enclosed in the
envelope. The hooks have been in me possession ever
sines. I searched the miaow and in his pocket I found
ft 111 e. 6d. In gold and "aver. At the time be had on
the bleak early wig predated, and in the portmanteau
was found a false pair of whiskers.
P.S. Cooties sald t Between Igo and six o'clock last
menthe I toted Hit jektentser in ousitorty at the station'
hooch, and asked lest 1/100111111 if be bad been searched.
Miichall replied that he bad searelmid all his pockets,
and told me the quantity of mosey he had taken. I
asked the prisoner if be had anything else in his
on, when be plied "No ; you are welcome to
r:orti re
all my pockets." I marched him again, and
around his waist I found • large belt, attached to which
there was a pocket, which I opened, though the prisoner
tried to restrain me by Matching it with his hand. In
the pocket I found 16 new Bank of Zeeland noted.,
which I now predate. They are dated 29th Oath. r,
1667. sad rumbaed from "T. 0. 41,611 to 0,630
inaluave. Mr. bog was peatent when I found the
notes, mid said "11. has not the seas Plowed hair
as when he came into my shop to-day ; it wee bleak
this afternoon r the sell, Lt could I.oi
Ind anything there, and I asked the primmer whore the
wig was that be bad Pee weariog He mid be knew
mollies about a wig; but I gain I sbould as if he had
it about for I should strip him asked. I told him
to sate Me his aroma, when he said "Ohl there's no
mossion for that," and, potting hie hand inside hin
trousers, he pasha the wig down his right leg. On
examining the portmanteau I found • thick burly
beard, h sides • large qmintity of books. [The
portinanteaa was opened and disclosed • coneiderable
number of books, mostly new' end some 'mimed in
wrappers, mime of which had been obtained at South-
empton and other towns, besides a pocket book,
several shirts and collar., • amanita, mackintosh, •
tar of bine spectacles with sides, but nothing to show
Ike name or residence of the primmer.)
Primp's. "eked that his apostasies might be returned
to tan, as be could not road without them, and the
request was greeted. He was then formally remanded
hi Monday negt.
Prisoner Is there no better place for me to remit.
lb" Lb. police sells? It is esseediegl gold there
Oathlt'. °stela Yee will be remeadej t,p lb. tlounty
Priam"' kg I hate eau wow to obeala lose
eatables?

K. Chapin yoe will he provided with everything
that is imionsary for you there. When you get to the
gaol the governor ertil deal with you so be Sods be bus
"Iblgit7 to do. If there is seything respecting your
diet you wish to mentiou you must mail application to

Prisoner: Bit I have no money.
dept. Pouney : Oh I they don't allow prisoners whew
linllking themselves; the governor will obtoin what is
neessaary for yen.
Toe_ pronely oar again broeght up on Monday, before
J. Haloes, For., febairinenl, M. Devenioli, Ho+, M.
Davis, El., and Dr. J. P. Aldridan. Mr. Walton
prosecuted, nog Mr. Howard appeared for the prisoner.
Mr. Howard said that by his advice the prisoner
would Ohad guilty to the charge, and throw himself
°P" tha morn; of the wart. He felt ezeredingiv the
norfn.foll panition in which be was pissed, and trusted
they would deal as tor tend; with him as possible. He
had also an appl•eatiou to make, that the odd monies
found in prisoner's possession mightlbe given up to him,
to pay for the legal advise he had had, and for his
maintenance while in gaol, Le having provided his own
fooa there.
. .

-
The Town Clerk said the money found upon him would
be handed to the gaoler.
Mr. Howard mid the Beneh bad power to order that
ear odd monies should be delivered to hlra acting as his
solicitor.
Mr. Welton said he raised no objection on fat as
reprded the money fouod upon him (11 15e. 6d). but
be totl.l Doi consent to the bank notes being given up.
The Bench thereupon granted Mr. gowned's op-
plication.
The Town Clerk mid a man going sheet on legitimate
buaineta was not likely to cony about a wig and false
whiskers, and the wilstrates could only presume he
bad some reason for having them.
Being called on to plead, the prisoner, who seemed
greetly dejected, said'l am sorry to say that I am
guilty."
In "Ply to another gocetion, he said be would plead
in the name of William Wathethead, but, he added,
teat woo not his right n'ne'
The Chairman told Irm he could give his proper name
II he liked. -

_
Prisoner : 1 will it is William Bennett.
Being told he /*Old say anythlng he oboes to the
03.gistmtes, he said he felt eseeedingly sorry for what bad
oocurrod, and be would do solthhni he "aid to mni"
(0(1 what h. had taken. Hs (mold not sooonnt for
what he had done it *et in on chtuardeid nvment, and
he felt no* that he sitorll be glid to be token from
this world, for be should only bring disgrace upon hi.
wife and family. He hoped the Court would deal with
him mercifully hi waned them It would not bo lost
upon him. The Bee d.y. he had been in eonflnement
had told upon him very much—ha had roo.lled ,•••7
things, and it elro•ld be I great kindnegs if they would
be lenient with him. Hit had been married brie.,
the loot time to • yoUng woman, and they had • family
the youegeet of whom was only six months, and thy
were doom dent upon him. 014 age WAS er•rptee
upon him, and be hoped they would be merciful : he
wished to be quite a d &rout man from what he was,
an i brooms • useful member of society.
It wasenuested to him that be might like to explain
•hy ha had a wig Mid (sloe whilera, mad in reply
he said ho wore • wig, because his head w•• bahl, and
ti shield him from rdisole, but be of, red no explana-
tion rewording the fol. whisk.rs.
The Town Clerk obeerved that there was a report
from Southamtton that he had stolen • book from Mr.
Philip's shop t ire
Superintendent Pouncy said it wail so, and the book
was valued at 7.. 61.

Prisoner aid nothing.
The magistrates sentenced him to three month's hard

7..
Prisoner lam exceedingly thankf el for the leniency
yoa have ehnwo depend upon it., it will not be
I Trown away. Be wont oo to 1.7 be should ba very
glad to pay M. Ling for the &Most don* to the
book which dropped on the Boor ; nod the Town Clerk
told him he bad better see Mr. Ling &haat that when
he came out of prism