The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-09-28 00:00:00

TUB ADJOURNILD VESTRY MUTING

Was held In the new Town Hall on Thursday evening,
and was very largaiy attended. General IllarL-an pre-
sided, and the first speaker was the Itiv. E F. Trotman,
who said be hoped the proceedings would be rf • more
pacific character than they bad been at the meeting on the
preceding Frtisy. He moved a resolution tl the effect
that the meeting deprecated the re-pentng of accounts
already passed by vestry, and regretted that the language
adopted in the printed notice convening the adjourned
meeting was offensive to the late churchwarden,.
This was seconded by Mr. T. LAIN% and • warm and
frequently intarnated discussion took place, In the course
of which It trans red that the piece of land known as
Bell Acre, was so for Al5O from Mr. Hopkins, as then
churchwarden to the Rev. R. F. 'hotelman, who Fe.
conveyed the same to Mr. Hopkins in his private capa-
city.
Kr. Wicion demanded, on behalf of the ratePaYern to
els the bank pus book of the ex-churchwarden (Yr.
Hopkins), who, it was stated, was away by the advice of
Mr, Broth.

Wt. FlLAltrrom (Kr. Hopkina's late colleague) said the
bank book was not at the meeting. The socounts and
vouchers were there, but he toll the vestry wee not
entitled to the bank book, which contained other matters
than 'imply particulars of the churchwardens' accounts.
Yr. Darinr endorsed the seine opinion, but Mr. WILSON
maintained the contrary.
Mr. nonwg said it appeared to be • matter of law as
to whether the vestry wee or was not entitled to the bank
book. One side laid 'Yea," and the other "No."
Mr. Witamt said he supposed that meant they could
armed to the law. He did not agree with the church
maize forward and telling them to appeal to the law.
He believed In the standard of honesty and justice, which
appeared to him to be far superior to that of the honesty
and morality of the church. (Applause and great interrup-

On Mr. Titinitha's reeolution being put to the meeting
21 voted in fevour of and 90 against it.
A very animated discussion followed, and ultimately it
was mutually decided, on the suggestion of Mr. Frampton,
one of the ex-churchwardens, that an auditor on either
aide should be appointed to audit the late churchwardens
aooounts for the peat six years. and that Kr. C. liana.
ton, the vestry clerk. should act as auditor on behalf of
the vestry, and the auditor, of the Wimbarn• Union poor
law *moues should act on behalf of the en-church-
warden,. '

--.4.-r-e;Olution was also paned that the meeting adjourn
till such time se the reports of the auditors could be laid
before the vestry, and that the second adjourned vestry
meeting, be held at seven cr:lock in the evening.

TAR BCRIALR Brit. The first interment in
accordance with the new Burials Act in the parish
churchyard took ylace on Wednesday, when the infant
daughter of Mr. Samuel Ponds was buried there by the
Rex. B. Cray, 8.A., minister of the Congregational
Church. The Rex. J. Corbett, the clergyman in
charge on being applied to upon the subject, expressed
his pleasure in being enabled to oblige his Yonoonform•
ist friends. If the clergy generally will only exhibit
this feeling there nod be no fear of the scenes
prophetiokny croaked by the Ravens who opposed the

'Lon Friday morning four cottages at Clanaton,
the property of Mr. Charles Tlambm were burnt
down. Three of them were occupied by labourers on the
farm of Mr. Keynes, and the other was not inhabited.
One of the oottaers, Mrs. Miller, first gave the alarm
about half -past s x in the morning, and from =examina-
tion of the place it is evident it commenced upon her
premises, and had probably been caused by lighted
cinders been carried into the a= house, the thatched roof
of which almost touches the ground. The cottager,
fortunately saved their furniture.

DEATH OF THE VICAR OF SPETTISBrRY.
The attack of paralysis which seised the Rev. J.
Blunt, the respected yluz of Spettisbury, on ?donde
last while he was visiting I,lr. Nesbitt's
studio at Biandford, has, we regret to say,
although not unexpectedly, with his death. He
never quite recovered consciousness afterwards, and
expired on Friday mottling last.

BLANDFORD PETTY SESSIONEL--Samanar.
Before the Hon. W. It B. Portman, M.P., Hr. J.
J. F nhanso General Blr Charles D'Oyley, and
hialog Parke, C.B.
Witham Mauer was charged with being drunk In
the streets of Blandford on the 11th of September.—
Defendant pleaded guilty, but said he weir not Quite
drunk% dm aim.. ihe Policeman interfered -with him,
and biotitaini ata insult him—He waitole he was
net snmosJ for that, and was fined ti,074 and
84 6d. oats.

Wigioss Coward, ems., of Blanito'l. aPP•u?d to
answer & gammons olaradog him with being grunt and
refusing to quit the Old Caseale Inn.—Mr. Atkinson
defended.—P.C. Andrews proved seeing the defendant
there in a fighting position, and tanked him to go. He
sold several times he would go, but he did not, and at
last be pulled him out.—The defence was that he went
as soon as requested by the constable, but the polio.-
man said he did act leave for five minutes. —Defendant
etWeeeld his "TOW, and he was fined Is. 6d. and
Bs. 6d. costs. There was • second summons against the
defendant for another case of drunkenness, but this
the Bench damaged without going into it at all.
William Coward, La, wet summoned under pre-
cisely similar oirounatances ; but all the row seemed
to have arisen through his conduct; and be was fined
8.. 6.1., and Si. 6d. costa.
Williams Biz* for drunkenee• at Tarrent BMW's,
was final Is 61., and 81. Si. costs.
George BeGgell, of Cann, near Hhaftesbury, was sum-
moned for cruelty to a cow on August Sit —Defendant
did not appear.—John Whitmarsh, who had been sub-
Poiosed for the polka, said he saw the defendant on
the day in question thrashing the cow with a ground
aah bat, in • field at Tollard Farnham. He hit it 18
times. H. went to him and told him he had better
leave off; but be continued to beat it until the blood
Rowed from the nose and ears. The animal- belonged
to Mr. Spicer, and defendant sal 1 he was trying to get
It home.—Defeaciaot was fined El and 12a. costs, or •
month's hard labour.
Wiuiasi BertAolestew warn summoned or assaulting
George Adams and Bliss Martin. The parties live at
Charlton Marshall, and complainant said he was
driving house on the 21at of last month, and defendant
got up behind his cart. He told him to get off, but as
'be would not ea he knocked his bat off. On getting
home after • short time he went out into the village,
and then the defendant, who was hidden in the hedge,
suddenly jumped at him and knocked at Min down.
He also knocked Mrs. Martin, hia mother, down, and
kicked her violently in the leg.—Mrs. Martin said she
had been suffering greatly aver since, and she had been
under the dattorrs care.—Defendant pleaded that he
had been just as much knocked about by
He
Wen-
dents, who in reality first set upon him. He produced
his character from the army—The Bench said they
must dismal; the case, for Adams first commenced it
by knocking his bat off, and although Bartholemew
might have been very violent, yet he was no doabt
; rove:lied to it.
William Compton, of Charlton Marshall, was sum-
moned by FAlward Kuight for an assault —There was
• cruse summons.—Mr. Trevanion appeared for Knight
and Mr. Atkinson for Compton.—Edward Harvey
Knight, a carpenter, of Charlton Marshall, stated be
was working
in Blandkrd, and on the oth of September
left his work to go home. He warn overtaken on the
road near Sandford St. Mery turnOce-gate by the
defendant, who began to abuse him about his wife and
to push him about. He did not do more then, as P.O.
Legg came up. When they got near Sir Charlie
D'Oyley's gates, Compton put out his leg and tripped
Mm up. He then got on hiat and pummelled his head,
Libeling more than 20 blows. He (complainant) tried
all he could to get away, and pulled out defendant's
shirtaleeves in doing so. A man named Head arrived
on the mane, and called out for fair play. He got free
of Comptae then, and hit him as hard as he could in
the ribs In self defence. Defendant still came at him,
and then he knocked the defendant down.--Crarm
examined: He was related to Compton's wife. They
lived in adjoining cottages, which formerly belonged to
a Mr. Ball, who at hie death loft them one malt
Defendant had unfairly divided the azd
taken possession of the whole of the
They were quarreling all the way home, and be milled
the defendant • rogue. He did not know he gave the
defendant • broken rib, and he was blood and broken I
all over. What he did was to take his own poet
Defendant, when he first came up to him, asked bins
what he had been saying about his wife, but he did not
reply to him "So she fa." It was • rough and tumble
affab.—Willisan Head was called for the complainant,
and said when he creme up to the two men Knight was
on Compton.—Mr. Trevanion asked to be allowed to
treat the witness as a hostile witness, as he had made
statements quite contrary to that. —Witness was then
examined further accordingly. He said he could not
recollect seeing • man named Charles Oliver on the
night of the 9M—Did you tell him you helped to pull
Comptoo off Knight I—Then %were wrong U I did, for
Compton were under, and would have been beet three
times as much if I had not come along.—Didn't
you say Knight was beat the worse ? Knight
were on top, weren't 'er ? (Laughter.) He could
not recollect telling • man camel Tt/Op the same
thing; he had • bad memory. He didn't
believe he said to him—" I heaved the gnat
off Knight, otherwise he would have half killed him."
Witness, in answer to Mr. Atkineon, now said that
was the true vandal of the affair.—Toop was then
called to cm tradict the witnem—The cross-summons
was then called on, Mr. Atkinson asking the Bench to
say it was six of one and half-a-d. :en of the other,
and to dismiss the case.—Compton was sworn, and
deposed they had word; one it rams to blows. They
bad one or two ups and downs, and when he was in
the ditch Knight put his knee in He ribs and blacked
his eye. In the meantime Head came And pulled
Knight off him, and they had one or two more rounds
after that. He came to Mr. Ingram's, at Blan If .rd,
the same night, who ex imined him, ant found he had
• broken rib, and treated him for it. —Cross-examined :
In the Presence of P.O. Legg he did not hustle the
defendant In the first instance. He did not trip him
op.—The Bench said the cam need not go any further;
they would be bound over to keep the peace, and each
would pay his own coats.
Allred Nygren and Joists Weigle', of Charlton, were
charged with trespassing in pureutt of game on lands
in the occupation of Mr. J. G. Fowlen—Defendants
admitted that one of them shot the rabbit and the
other got over into the ground and picked it up.—Mr.
W. H. Fowler gave evidence.—Wrigler, who had the
gun, was fined El and 53. 31 carts, and Raton 53. and
54. 31. costa.
Rawl Wrgitheri, of BnetlishurT, Pleaded guilty to
trespassing in pursuit, on lands in the occupation of
Mr. J. G. Fowler.—Defendant took a rabbit out of •
wire.—He WWI fined 11. 6d. and 104. 61. costs.
Henry Wieder and Factutt, pleaded guilty to
trespassing on the Somerset and Dorset Railway, on the
14th September.—Defendants admitted they got over
on to the embankment in order to b ills in the river
on the other side.—A servant of the Company
proved he had cautioned them against this on the 2nd
previously. The inspector said the Company did
not wish to press the case, merely had to put a stop to
the trespass. as the wires and ponies were damaged.
They were fined 31. and 4g. 31. costs each.
Deborah HONK, through Mr. Atkinson, pleaded
guilty to assaulting Mary Peach, of Hi'tou, and
Robert Slade, was summoned fo7 assaulting Deborah
House, by knocking her down three times.—Emily
Mowlem was called u • witness, and said she saw
House throw the woman down twice It all arose out
of atone throwing by Peach's child.—Both parties
were bound over to keep the peace for 12 months.
Reheard Xing, Charm Fox, George Fox, Waiter Jeans..
and Henry Rim, five lads, were charred with stealing
wples from an orchard at Pitnperne, belonging to Mr.
Percy.—Mr. Atkinson defended.—George If/afloat
said on Sunday the 22nd August, he was watching in
the orchard and saw the five defendants come and throw
at the apples. Rice then went in end filled his pockets
and threw some over to the others.—. Mr. Atkinson
pleaded that it was a most trumpery offesos.--Supt.
Underwood said there had been continual complaints,
and the same parties were throwing the Sunday before.
—Each defendant was fined ss. and is. ca. carts and
told if they came there again they would he sent to
prison.

DORSET SUPERSTITIONS.

To the Editor of The risme —Sir,—lt may interest
some of the students of folk-lore to hear of • case
that came before us at the Board of Guardians of the
Shaftesbury Union last Thursday. A man of 50
applied for relief as unable to work; the doctor had
seen him and was unable to specify any cause, though
he said he was certainly incapable of labour. He
himself dated the cause to be that he had been
"overlooked" by his dater-in-law. His wile had been
to a "wise woman" at Stalbridge, a neighbouring
village, who had relieved him for a few days, but
since thee the spell had been too mighty, and he was
bad as ever. He declined medical aid as useless.
The afflicted man is a native of the parish of
GWingham, Dorset, where there is a Board School
and every appliance of education; yet even this is not
enough to eradicate this most ancient of superstitions,
as firmly believed in as ever. It is not long since that
a "cunning man" used to hold an annual levee in the
neighbourhood of Stalbridge, when he sold out to
crowds that thronged round him the legs torn from
the bodies of living toads and placed in • bag, which
was worn round the neck of the patient, and counted
• sovereign remedy or scrofula and the "overlooked,"
&a. It was called "Toad Fair." I may add that
this application for relief was refused by u&—l remain,
air, ORB OF TIER GUARDIASS.