The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-12-13 00:00:00

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WINCHEiTER, TurADAT, DEC. 6.

Edmund Wardroper, late solicitor, of Petersffeld, who
rivl'aud " Guilty " yesterday to two indictments charg-
ing him with forging two promissory notes, was this
morning put to the bar for sentence.
The learned Judge said,—You have pleaded guilty to
two several indictmentmi charging you with the crime of
forgery. I need not tell • person belonging to the pro-
fession of which you were a member that a few years
ago your life would have been forfeited; AS it is, it is •
crime that cannot be passed over lightly, and it certainly
is aggravated in your case by the position you have held
in society, in which you hasl obtained • long and exten-
sive practice, and which ought to have prevented you
committing such a crime. I desire to abstain from ag-
gravating your sufferings, but I cannot pass over the
offence without seine observations and explaining the
reason of passing the present sentence. If I had found
that these forgeries had been connected with any gross
misconduct in your professional character by which, as
• solicitor you had grossly abused the confidence which
your clients had placed in you, I should have felt it my
duty to pass a sentence the most severe that the law ad-
mits ; but whatever my suspicion may be, I have no
right to act upon that. I have only to deal with the
two cases that have been before me, and in respect of
which you have pleaded guilty ; and although your posi-
tion is one that greatly aggravates your offence. I do
not find it is one in which you are open to the charge
of having abused any confidence which your clients had
placed in you. Still, you have been guilty of having
Forged A negotiable instrument, and passed it through
your bankers, and obtained advances upon it. I feel,
considering your position, that I must pass upon you
a sentence of penal servitude, and that must be for ten
years.
The prisoner, a most respectable looking man, 60
years of age, was then removed from the bar, evidently
feeling his position most painfully.
John Parker, a soldier who pleaded "Guilty "yester-
day to an indictment charging him with having forged
• Post•office order, was sentenced tolB months' imprison-
ment with hard labour.

William Hellyer was indicted for cutting and wound-
ing Walter Knott with attempt to mist his apprehen-
sion at Alverstoke.
The jury found the prisoner guilty of unlawfully
wounding, and he was sentenced to six month,' im-
prisonment, with hard labour.
John Rolland William n Godchild were indicted for
cutting and wounding Thomas Holloway, a constable,
in the execution of his duty, with intent to do grievous
bodily harm and to prevent the lawful apprehension of
John Rolf.

MIW.M.. Cooke prosecuted, Mr. Russell defended
ftolf.

It appeared that on the elth of July Holloway and
Cobden heel Rolf in custody. He contrived to escape.
On the 30th of July Holloway went in plain clothes and
saw the two primmer' at !levant. Holloway endea-
voured to take Rolf into custody, but he ran away across
a ineeilow. Holloway followed, overtook, and took
hold of him and sail, "Hallos, Rolf, is this you ?" He
answered that his name was not Rolf. Holloway told
him it was, and lie wanted him vein. Rolf said that
wax not his name. Holloway told him it was, and an he
wax taken prisoner lie should behave like a man. Rolf
said lie would, mid Holloway took out his handcuffs to
handcuff him. Rolf said lie should not, and began to
ecuille with him. Goodchild was then coining up, and
Holloway asked him, in the Queen's name, to ;mixt bins
in taking Rolf. Holloway and Rolf fell to the ground,
and Holloway tried to put on the handcuffs, when they
were suddenly caught out of his hand by Goodchild,
who struck him on the head with them and knocked
him down. Blood began to flow over his face. thxxl-
child caught hold of Holloway and pulled hiui off Rolf,
and said, " Run, you fool !" Rolf ran away. Holloway
followed, and caught him again, ant drew his staff, but
Rolf took hold of him, and prevented his striking him.
They both again fell to the ground and xtruggled for
five minutes. Goodchild came up and pulled Holloway
away, and Rolf got the staff and ran away. Holloway
followed Rolf and collared him, and they struggled, and
Rolf put his thumb into Holloway's mouth. Holloway
bit the thumb and held it fast with his teeth, and was
in that way leading him along when he was tripped up.
Rolf put his hand in his locket. Holloway said, " Rolf,
don't draw your knife, or it will be a bad job." Rolf
said, " I'll knife you, you -r' and drew out his knife
and tried to open it with his teeth. Holloway then tried
to throw him. Rolf said to another ii,nn who was there,
but whom Holloway could not see for the blood that was
Bowing from his bead over !iis eyes, "C here and
hold the—while I cut his throat, and then we will
throw him into the pond." Holloway said," Don't cut
my throat ;my life is as sweet as yours. lam beat,
and I'll give in ;" and he let Rolf go. Holloway wax
then struck awl kicked in the face, and his teeth were
broken. The two men went away. There was one
knife-cut on his head nearly four inches in length. The
men were sober. It was between II and 12 o'clock at
night. Holloway was in plaia clothes. From the evi-
dence of the surgeon it appeared that lie was called
on that night to attend Holloway on the fluor of a room
in the Golden Lion, partially insensible. There wax •
severe incised wound extending acruua the head. There
wax another similar wound on the side of the head.
There was :deo a contused woand on the opposite side of
the head. There wax another wound over the right eye.
The lip wan laid open. Both eyes were contused. The
incised wound penetrated to the skull. Holloway xtill
suffered from the effects of the injury. Rolf was after.
wards taken into custody as lie was lying under a rick
covered with the straw. He had a knife in his pocket.
There was a large ,luantity of blood upon hi" shirt and
handkerchief.

Mr. Russell. in addressing the jury, said that ho
thought lie should not shrink from his duty by telling
them that that he could not alter these facts, hut he
would su=est to them that ti-ey might take a merciful
view of the case anal find that there was no premedita-
tion or malice, and that the prisoner Rolf was guilty
only of the offence of unlawfully wounding.
The learned Judge summed up. The bounden duty
of Goodehild wan to assist Holloway.

The jury returned a verdict of guilty, with intent to
resist the lawful apprehension of Rolf.
The prisoners were then sentenced to three years'
penal servitude.
his Lord•hip then called up Holloway, and told bins
be had performed his duty with great courage, bravery,
and determination, and that in approbation of him con-
duct, •nil to encourage others, he ordered him to be paid
1:5 as a reward fur his conduct on that occasion.

W INCH ESTER, DEC. 7.
(Before Mr. Baron CHANNELL.)
John Connell was arraigned upon the comm.'s inqui'
sition (the grand jury having thrown out the hill),
charged with the wilful murder of Michael O'Bryan on
the Vitli of November.
Mr. l'oulden and Mr. Beetham were counsel for the
prosecution, and Mr. W. M. Cooke (at the request of
the Judge defended the prisoner.
. . .

It •pp,arerl that the prisoners and the deceased were
privates in the Waterford Artillery M'litia, stationed
at Ilaslar Barracks. near Gosport. On the evening of
the 2:ith of November, the prisoner, the deceased, and
several soldiers were in the canteen. At half-past eight
it was the duty if all officer to clear out the canteen.
The prisoner and the deceased and Mllarthy and Farrell
came out of the canteen at the same time, the prisoner
awl the deceased walking first, together, and the other
two following at some little distance. After going • few
yards the prisoner and the deceased were observed to be
.inarrelling, and the deceased fell ; lie gut up again,
and MU NMI to fall a second time. In a very short
time after this the prisoner rushed into one of the bar-
rack rooms, caught up the poker from the fire, and
rushed out of tile room again, apparently in a great
state 4,f excitement, and using very had language. Cries
of " Murder" were then heard. The ',entry went to-
wards the spot, but there he saw M'Carthy and Farrell
fighting, and lie returned to his beat. Sergeant Canty
C 51116 across the yard, and saw Farrell on the ground and
M'Carthy standing over him, and the sergeant saw ano-
ther man passing near ; but who that man was he could
not tell. In a very short time the prisoner rushed into
another of the barrack rooms, brandbliing the poker,
throwing it down violently, and using very bad lan-
guage. The corporal on duty took the prisoner into
custody, and locked him up in the guard•house. Imme-
diately after this a soldier crowing the barrack-yard
found the deceased lying on the ground. lie was nearly
insensible. He was carried to his bed, and it
was discovered that lie had received • very
severe blow on the head. He lingered for
some days, and then died. These were the facts of
the case. It WAX stet.' that in most cases of this kind
when A bill was ignored it was not usual to proceed upon
the coroner's inquisition, but in the present instance it
was thooght right that a full investigation of all the cir-
cum•tances should take place.

The evidence !domed that there had been a lament-
able state of drunkenneas that night among the soldieta
in the barracks.

The aurgeon stated that it wax possible, although
highly improbable, that the injury on the head might
have been OCCASIOIIed by a fall on • sharp stone. The
deceased appeared stupid from drink. The injury to the
head had caused the death.

Mr. rooke, on behalf of the prisoner, addressed the
jury. Ile urged that there had been a miserable state of
drunkenness among the soldiers that night. There was
not the slightest motive suggested for the cominissi of
such an offence by the primmer. The men were falling
about in a beastly drunken state, and a fall on • sharp
stone might have pbaluced the injury found on the head
of the deceased. Ile contended that the rushing into
the room and taking the poker Mll,l the mere freak of •
drunken loan. The jury would not speculate that he
took that poker for the purpose of colinnittitig • murder.
Would not a blow from the poker have caused instant
death! Another tribunal hail already investigate' the
facts, and had refused to find • bill. Assuming, how'
ever, that the prisoner hail given the blow, the offence
amountc4l only hi inanstr.ngliter, and not to murder.
The learned Judge, in h 'miming up, observed that
although the grand jury hail 01,...,7,4 it right to throw
out the bill, still he thought it inure satisfactory that
the investigation himuhl take place in the court.
The jury AcquittiNl the prisoner.
George Alfred. • sailor, was indicted for cutting and
maiming Mark Watts, with intent to do grievous bodily
harm, at Portsea, on the 24th if November.

The jury found the prisoner Guilty of unlawfully
wounding, and lie was sentenced to nine months' impri-
sonment, with hard labour.