The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-05-12 00:00:00

WIEBORNS PETTY SESSIONS.

FRIDAY, May 811.—Magistrates present: 151. John
Coventry, E.g., Sir E. Greathed, K.C.8., and J. T.
Haskell, Feig.
CRAWL OF ANlMA—George Jacobs, a seder, residing
at Chalbury, was brought up in oostody charged with
wilfully and maliciously setting fire to a plantation
called Clayford, the property of Sir E. Sleuthed, who
during the hearing of the case retired from the bench.
—Mr. Harker, of Poole, defended the prisoner. It
appeared from the evidence that the fire ormarred in the
plantation, etiortly after five o'clock, on the previous
Friday. George Buant, carter for Mr. Brown. first
diarovered it, who, after telling his master, got the
sasistanee of Mr. Partly, sir E. Greathed's woodman,
and they put it out, This took them about half ao
boor. From one and • half to two awes was burnt, con-
sist ng of hi ath, furze, and fir treed. Mr. Partly judged
thet the fire began in • brake of farm. They looked
about for foot prints, and Noon discovered some, which
Perdr, immediately he saw them. used were George
Jacobs's tracks. They were the marks of pegged boots,
which he had noticed Jacobs wore a few days before,
when he saw him at his father's house potato
planting, and that they made • peculiar mark. He
traced them marks both in going to the plenta.
lion and also in coming out in the direotion
of prisoner's father's honer. They were fresh tracks,
and no other could be seen in the plantetion. P.C.
Chinn went to apprehend the prisoner. When he got
to his hon. Jacobi wee standing at the door, but went
toss soon as he saw hies. He appeared very mesh eon-
fusee, and termed pale. Witness pointed te Use boots
be had on, and asked him if they were the ones he bad
on the previous night. He -.id "Yea."--" Had he any
ether boota in the house belonging to him r— "No.
He then asked to look at the bottoms of the boots, and
did so. He then asked him if he was in any one's
plantation during the night He replied, "No, be wen
at home all the evening." Witness then told him he
should take him into custody on suspicion of his having
set fire to Clayfor d plantetion. He replied " I eras never
there." On getting to Wimborne pollee station witness
took off prisoner's boots, which were taken to the
plantation, where Partly, the constable, and Superinten-
dent Baynton made marks with them by the side
of the tracks, said found they exactly corresponded.—
James Flapgood, of Row, in the parish of Wimborne,
who weeks for Ste B. Gresthed, said that on the 21st
April, about ten a.m.,he met the eel-weer near Clayford
plantation, going towards White Sheet. The same
evening he saw him at the Cross Kays, Manningtrest
about eight o'clock. He was drinking there, and Neon
after witness sat down, the prisoner made motions for
him to follow him out. He oomplied, and the prisoner
then said "Be you the man I met this morning?"
Witness replied that it was.—" Do you work there 7"—
" Yes."—He then said "Is there much furze or heath
where I seed you this morning, and is there any eggs
there." Witness replied he did not know ; and they
parted.—James Frampton' under-keeper at (Miens,
said that in company with the head keeper, on Wednes-
day, 22tb April, he went into Mr. Ppieers, the Railway
Inn, to take some refreshment. George Jacabe, the
prisoner, was there, and betan "braiding" or "twitiog"
them, Baying thist they had sent his brother Jim
to prison. James Frampton, the head keeper, made
answer that be had nothing to do with it. Jacobs then
said "II you didn't some of the rest of you up there
did, and I'm if! don't come up and have some of
your eggs," and then added, "I'll do something else for
you before long." Could not say but thee Jacobs was
the worse for liquor, but be was not over drunk. He
knew what he was about—James Frampton, the bead
keeper, confirmed the above, and also as to the tracks
correspondini with the prisoner's boots. It was a very
uncommon thing, he said, to see such tracks in the
plantation. This witness also pointed out that the
impress of the hollow of the boot, end the pegged sides
of the sole, were clearly diseerneble in the tracks.—
George Morgan, an intelligent little boy, who said that
he lived at the Cross Keys, Idannington, deposed
that on the morning of the fire be was keeping sheep on
the bill near where the fire occurred, and • little after
nine he saw Jambs going up the hill in the direction of
the Cross Keys public house. Witness watched him
over the hill, and after about • quarter of an hour he
came back again. Jacob, said "Von be keeping sheep.
then. This is a Dios day." Witness replied that it
was, and Jacobs then passed on in the direction of his
hone—John Wilcox, gate keeper at West Moors, de-
posed that he saw a fire in the direction of Clayford
plantation between twelve and one o'clock on the
morning of May Ise —This we. the whole of the evi-
dence, and Mr. Harker then addressed the Bench on
the prisoner's behalf, contending that the cane was not
one to send to • jury. The evidence for the prosecution,
which had evidently been got op with much care by the
pollee, appealed to rest entirely on two points, first,
the identity of the hoots worn by Isis client with the
tracks In the plantains, and the apparent threat seed
some time previously in the bearing of the keepers.
With regard to the first, it was clear theta large number
of boots were made similar to thou produced, and were
sold in almost every town. The plantation was well
stalked with game, and we. probibly frequented by
poachers and others. On the night of the fire the
prisoner was not aeon about by the gate-keeper or any
one else, and there was no proof he was there at aIL
Then with regard to the threats, it wee clearly shown
he was under the influence of liquor. Under these air-
cumstances he appealed to the Bench not to send his
client for trial, the erideooe being of too alight • nature
for a jery to convict —The migistrates, after retiring •
short time, addressing the prisoner, and cautioning in
the usual way, told him they should commit him for
tried.—Mr. Harker applied for bail, and the Bench
ultimateiy agreed to allow Ilea, himself in £5O, and two
sureties in £25 each. Pending the obtaining of which
the prisoner was committed.
GANN TlMPAll4.—Cbarles Bartlett, of Lytebett, we.
charged with taking • hare out of a wire on the 26th
April, and Henry Hayter and William Hayter were
cbarg d with settieg the slime on lands in the occupa-
tion of Mr. Ames, bet belonging to St. John Coventry,
Esq.- Tee defence of Bartlett was that he had Mr.
Ames' permission to set traps for rabbits, and when he
took the hare out, as it we. very small, he thought it
was a rabbit. Henry Reiter uid that he only re-eel
the trap in kindness for Bartlett, and William Hefter
pleaded that be only looked at the trap. After hearing
the statement of Richard Head, the megietrates fined
Bartlett 15e. including• costa Henry Havter 7.. gg,
including costa, and dismissed his brother with •
centime.
As OLD OrTINDSI.--Charlee ,Cutler, of Lytebett,
• notorious poacher, was summ coed for trespassing in
search of rune on the Lytebett Mat-raven Manor.—He
did not appear, and the seal WY proved by Jessie
Davie under-keeper on the estate, who, when watching
wires, saw Cutler take • rabbit in • wire and run off
with it, when be followed and took it from him. Three
previous convictions being recorded, as well as one for
night poaching, he was ordered to pity • fine of 40s. and
9s, costs, or in di fault imprisoned for two mouths.
SELL T. UING Bun •NLAWFUL HOUR& Charles
Rabbit., landlord of the Barley Mow, Broom Hill, was
charged by the polies with selling bear during the hours
of Divine Service, on the morning of Sunday last and
fined £3 10s. including costs, a distrem to be levied in
default. _ .

itgyosgso To QoTT—Williszn Smith, shoemaker, of
Sturminster Marshall, was summoned by Essiah Everitt
to show cense why he refuted to give up tenancy of a
house alter receiving notice to quit.—Defendant
in showing reasonable mute for refusal, and warn ordered
to quit the premises in 21 days.
A N 01.011003 CHAILACI72.—Chuiss Thomas Mill,
R.N., of Longhorn, woe summoned for being drunk and
riotoua —Hs did not appear.—P.C. Adams said thst on
Tuesday morning, April 21st, he was on duty in High-
street, Wiraborne, between 12 and 1 o'clock. He
heard a great noise of coning and swearing, and found
It was the defendant. He advised him to go home
quietly, but he he would not for some Um* and abused
him very much. At loot he took him by the arm and
led him on the road to Lye Common. Several times
before witness had had considerablo trouble with Mr.
MS.—Fined 40s. and Bs. coots, in default one month's
imprisoontiret—The magistrates expellee/4 their regret
that some of Mr. KlU's friends did not take fare of him
as be was evidantly unable to do so himself.