The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-03-29 00:00:00

WESTERN CIRCUIT.

BODMIN, M.that 22.

The commission for the county of Cornwall was
opened in this town yesterday evening. This morning
Mr. Justice Crowder having gone to church, the Judges
proceeded to the courts and commenced the business,
Mr. Justice Crowder presiding in the Crown court, and
Kr. Heron Watson sitting at Nisi l'rius.
The business on the civil side was very light ; there
were only four cases entered; but on the c I side
there were 40 prisimeis for trial, notwithstanding there
WAS a winter assizes held in this county. With one
exception, however, the offences are not of that serious
character which we have been accustomed to see, but
theme are several cases of violence to women. The t
important case appears to be where the captain of a
vessel is charged with having attempted to induce his
WAWIICA tol.cuitle the vessel.

Nisi (ount:- Berm Mr. Baron Warsoa.)

r. WILLIAMS.

This case was withdrawn.
MICKEL!. r. EINE AND OTIIERN.

Mr. Kingilon appeared for the plaintiff.
The caw was au action uf ejectment, but was undo-
_ . . . .

' Veriiict for the plaintiff, with immediate pouession.

DAMBLY V. ItoAKII.I.Y AND ANOTREK.

Mr. Kar4lako wait counto.l for the plaintiff.
This was an action of ejectment, but wax undefended.
Verdict for the plaintiff, with immediate posainiaion.

BEKRTMAN r.

Mr. Slade and Mr. Kingdon were counsel for the
plaintiff. and Mr. M. Smith and Mr. It. T. Cole for the
defendant. . .

This wax an action of seduction, but the parties
agreed that a verdict should be taken by consent for the
plaintiff with £lOO damages, and without an order of
affiliation.

MARCH Zi.

CROWN COVRT.—(Relure Mr. Justice CROWDER.
George lAng was indicted for unlawfully soliciting
James Gourley, when on the high seas, to east away and
destroy a veesel celled tine Mary Worrell, on the 26th of
December, Ittiti, with intent to prejudice different per-
sons. . _

Mr. Kerslake was counsel for the prosecution, and Mr.
Coleridge defended the prisoner.
It appeared that the vessel called Mary Worn'lL a
bark of 253 tons burden, took in a cargo at Liverpool
fur Honduras. The prisoner was the captain of the
vessel. On the 9th of December the vessel was hauled
out of dock and was anchored in the river. In the
course of that night there was a very heavy gale, and the
ship lost one of her best anchors. The prisoner was not
then on board, but on his coming on board in the course
44 the day the unite told him oh the loss of the anchor.
The prisoner told 1 to go forward and mind his own
business. The ship then proceeded to sea, and encoun-
tered /cry heavy gales. The prisoner ordered a press of
sail hi be put on during the gales, and the consequence
was that the ship strained very hi. On the 17th of
December, when the sea was breaking over the ship, the
prisoner ordered the cables to be stowed, to slo which it
was necessary to take off the hatch. This mate re •
strated, but the prisoner insisted upon having his orders
obeyed, and the vessel shipped a great deal of water,
and the crew were washesl from the cables, and the ship
was in much danger. They loosed several vessels that
were lying to. One hand was constantly kept at the
pump. The prisoner was much in liquor, and on the
19th of December he assaulted one of the crew. Hu
afterwanls ordered the mate to conic down in the cabin
and drink with MM. The mate refused, and then the
prisoner assaulted him. The conduct of the prisoner
became so extraordinary that on the 23rd of December a
consultation was held between the mate and the
crew, and it was determined to put the prisoner in irons
mid to take the vessel back to queenstown. The mate
told the crew that he was in charge of the ship, as the
Captain WAS unfit to command. On the '27itli of December
the prisoner was partially released, and he made up his
official log and wrote a letter to his owners. The mate had
kept up his log. The prisoner then said that if the
mate would tear the leaf out of his log he would tear
the leaf out of his log, mid burn the letter he had
written to his owners. On the %di of December, on
the prisoner promising not to drink Any more, the nate
released him from the irons. On that same night, at
12 o'clock, the prisoner went upon sleek and sacred one
of the mates named Hunter, 1:1 and two gold watches,
told him he wanted to have the vessel scuttled, and
then uffered him rat to get wine one to scuttle the
vessel ; lie also said he had a share in the ship and some
of the cargo, to the extent of CM, and he did not wish
the ship to get back. The prisoner then hal a conver-
sation with • seaman named r:uurlay, mid he offered
him first £25 awl then CO and the two geld watches,
to seuttlu the ship, as he should be a ruined Mali if they
went to Queenstown. Ile told I he could take off
the fore scuttle and go to work with his axe on the side,
and, as they were in inisdeltannel, they would be sure to
be picked up by IMMO V.tnel, and their lives would not
be in danger. They at last got the vessel into Fai-
th, and the primmer then entered a protest, slescri•
lung the gales the ship hail enc. ttttt tures'. This protest
the wates and crew signed. Nothing WAS said Moiling.
ling the prisoner. On the following slay the prisoner
gave the crew a gratuity, end they left the ship, and the
mate then made a communication to the owners, and
the prisoner was taken into custody and committed for
trial.

Four witnesses, being the mates end crew of the
vessel, were called to prove the case for the prosecution,
There were great discrepancies in their evidence, as con-
trasted with statements they had previously made.
Mr. Coleridge, in adiln.ssing the jury for the prisoner,
urged that the evidence was given in sucha manner that
the jury could not believe the witnesees. If the offer
was ever inside, it was when the prisoner was in such •
drunken senseless state that he did not know what he
was saying, and was not serious in his oiler. The 'tory
altogether was grossly improbable, and no reconl was
made of it.

Mr. Justice Crowder suinnied up. They were not
trying the prisoner for getting drunk. because the de-
fence was that he was always so drunk that he wade
this offer without knowing what he was doing, or being
serious in his offer.
The jury returned • verdict of Not Guilty.

The Judge (to the prisonsr).—lt's of no use oaution•
ing you'aiiul drunkrun. •.. ; 3.011 1,,0111 to be a dutur•
mined drunkard.