The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-09-06 00:00:00

BEAMINSTER.

COUNTY PETTY SESSIONS.

(Magistrates present: J. Gnndry, E. Fox. 8. Cox, J. T.
Mullen, and B. P. Gundry, Eavirs )

Monday, August 29th.—This being the day for grant-
ing certificates for the renewal of the licenses of the inn-
keepers in this district, there was • very full attendance;
the liet having been gone through, the whole was granted.
A few, however, had been marked by the county police,
and were cautioned acconlingly.
Smith, of Charmouth, applied for a license for a
house at that place. Mr. Jolliffe opposed the application
on the part or the owner and occupier of the George Inn,
on two grounds, viz., that the notices required by the
Act had not been complied with, and also, that the wants
of the village were iunply supplied by the two old-esta-
blished inns. Application refused.
F. Dunesjord, of Corscombe, charged by P.C. 70, for
being drunk, Ice., you, fined ss. and costs.
Daniel Pomeroy summoned Thomas Charles for 2s. tid.
for a day's work. Mr. F. W. Gundry for the defence.
It appeared that the defendant had broken the original
contract, and the Bench decided in complainant's
favour.
J. W. Slone, of Powerstock, charged by P.C. Barge,
with being drunk, retorted by charging the policeman
with being drunk three or four times a week. (Laughter.)
Fined fis., and es. cost..
()surge Gill and John Flood, with Mary Ann Flood,
his wife, were charged with assaulting Elizabeth Bags,
at Beaminster, on the 15th August. Mr. F. W. (Jun.
dry for the prosecution ; Mr. Jolliffe for the defence.
This case excited considerable interest from its connec-
tion with the late melancholy suicide of Lucy Flagg,
daughter of Use complainant—Elizabeth Bagg, examined
by Mr. F. Gundry : lam the wife of ThOmas Bagg.
The late Lucy Pegg was my da7Lhoutehdr.i.sy.shtGt.epGidtilhlrk.inee:t7.l
aatteeu tr brine atth eßean evening,de r wentO n
wised through to a parlour used for the side of beer.
went to look for my daughter Lucy. I saw her
lounging on the table with her head on her hand. I
had a stick in m 7 hand with which I intended to have
given her a flogging. I struck at her, but I don't know
if I hit her. I said "Come, Lucy," and she said "Oh !
mother," and got up and turned round as if to come
away with Inc. when Mary Ann Flood flew into the
room and said, " What business had you here, you d—d
old b—h," and began beating Inc about the bead ; then
her husband, John Flood, came in. My daughter was
present, when M. A. Flood begani to strike hem also.
When J. Flood canie in Le struck me violently about
the head and artn, the marks of which I now carry, and
one of my fingers is so injured that it will never be
sound again. I lime not been able to lay my head on
m ever since. I cried " Murder, ' and " Don't
kiyll My son John then came in, and said "D
—e,
what are you all striking my mother for." Then George
Gill came in, and said " Put the d—n old hitch out,"
and ',truck me back against the wall or partition with his
right hand, and gave me a blow on the stomach which I
now feel. My daughter was then in the room, and Flood
and his wife pulled her away out of it. I did not see her
again that night. I then left, through the shop as be-
fore, to the back, leßing to meet icy daughter at
another door. I found Gill there, and told bins I
wished to go in and search for my daughter. He said
" I'll be d—d if you shall, without a policeman." Flood
and his wife were present, and on my going down the
court she abused me again. I remained there till a
policeman came. She said she would " fight it out"
with me, and on her husband coining to assault as
Wain she said "No. no I am enough for her." A
policeman came and searches! the house but could no•
find my daughter. Cross-examined : I keep a hen-
house also. but was not unfriendly with Gill on that
scoount. I did not make any disrespectful observations
on the characters of Flood's or Bugler's wife.-114
Jai& Have you not had several of your children
commit suicide'-Mr. F Gundry objected to this queer
lion, and the Chairman immediately interferred. the
whole Bench remarking that the feelings of the witaeln
ought not to be harrowed in that manner. The queetires
was accordingly withdrawn, but not before the vitamin
bad answered in the negative. Witness: The neat
time I saw myd ter was about 11 the next neoneing. I
Mr. F. Gundry objected, as this had DO Nieuwe
to the assault iquestion • as likewise to motile I
question with reference to • hatchet, in which the Bane
also remonstrated. John Bags, John Marsh, Elisabeth
Bacon, and F. Marren, were severally examined and
severely cross-examined. For the defence the mother
of G. Gill was called, bother evidence was unimportant;
when the Bench suggested to Mr. Jolliffe that to save
the time of the court as well as in just's* to all parties,

the case might be at once left in the hands of the Bench,
to which Mr. Jolliffe having assented, the case was
dismissed as against G. Gill, but the other two defend-
ant. were fined be each, and 214 a. costs. Ths Bench read
the presentment of the late jury respecting the character
of G. Gill's houwe.
Scrims v. Warry.—This was an adjourned ems from
the last sessions. to obtain the evidence of the police.
constable SA to the sobriety of the parties, when hat
evidence completely rebutted that of Warry's Ottumwa._
and which was also confirmed by that of Mr. J. Ward,
the landlord of the Anchor Inn, hlosterton. acry
was fined 10e. and costs.