The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-07-21 00:00:00

DORSET SUMMER ASSIZES.

The judges on the wissivrit circuit arrived at Dor.
chester on Saturdsy &Berson. Both of them entered
racorte4 from the
Sheriff and the r.lll/ ofac"l.,
the town privately. At Mr o'clock Mr. Justice Hellen
jelges lolginp, by the High
attended by •
body of police to the crown Court, and the eomimis-
shin wu opened. Os Sunday morning Mr. Justiee
Mellor attended St. cetera Church, when the Wile
sermon was preached by the Rey. C.IIE. Paull (sheriff's
chaplain), of starinbatar

CROWN C°URT, MONDAV.
Th. ba.inietf..ese Mr.
njUir boCtlh at ten o'clock.
ted.__this grand jury :
The
itfoollho:itognvoirelaimni.t.hieer::;f:e...."SZ
Joseph amsdsl. Esq.,
filiHioersisinjtnoinahrvme.N.a.;7ll:lits:ql.4,cue.. con, cu.,
Oliver William Farmer, Fen.,
Jaffee John Ferquhanion, jun., Esq.,
Beery Charles Gaodden, Esk
Henry P gickard Cambridge, ~
John &dear' 3ridge, Req.,
Edward Arthur Castleman, Esq.,
hmryi Jeeeph Weld, Fem.,
John Digby, Eaq.,
John Townsend Fylor, Esq.
Richard ffolliot Eliot, Hap,
Benjamin ?mates Oundry, Esq.,
Richard G. F. Steward, Esq.,
Edward W. Williams, Hal,
Erasmus Saunders, Esq.,
Edward Atkins Wood, Esq.,
Bendsll Littlehales, Req., and
Jobs M. P. Montagu, Esq.
His lordship, in charging the grand jury, congratu-
lated them upon their full attendianoe, and then referred
to the calendar, and said there were some came that
would require their most earefel consideration, one of
which, from its enormity, it woeld be as well be should
addms them upon first. It ins a charge of murder
against • man named loamy. Now, he need scarcely
tail them that • 061111/ of murder, above all other", was
one that mast be proved upon evidence which must be
perfectly satisfsetorY. and that Monti bring home to
the mind of every person a complete belief In the guilt
of the per-son . We such sot to be the ease
then it wouticbine re
rdmore cleanable that the bill should
be ignored rather than found, and for this yeas,,,-- if
the prisoner were put upon his trial and acquitted, he
would be acquitted absolutely, entirely, and for ever,
and no further proceedings could be taken against him,
whereas, if the bill be thrown out, and the prisoner be
remanded upon the coroner's inquisition, it is just
possible that farther evidence might be obtained,
and the prisoner might be brought up again, not
having been before put upon his triaL Thus he
would not be in safety, but liable at any moment to
answer the charge. That was • course that must not be
adopted without extreme motion which they,baving the
witnesses before thens„would be better able to judge of, but
certainly it did seem to him that the evidence was not..
eonclusive u was deeirable. Still it might turn out when
they examined the witnesses that points at present iss
obscurity would be cleared up. The case was one in
which • woman was found drowsed, and there was no
doubt that about the time she was drowned screams
were heard. Tbe last person seen in her company was
the prisoner, who was at the same house with her. A
man and woman, the man bein; the prisoner, were
afterwards seen near the spot by another man, but that
time as stated was somewhat conflicting with the
evidence of other witnesses—at the same time It is •
constant experience in court, of justice that persons who
speak to time very rarely agree. This man and woman,
(the later waa not identified me the deceased, but it proba-
bly was her) were heard quarrelling, the man lionising
her of going with other persona, and 'location to her in
terms of harshness. The direct evidence seemed to be coo•
tensed in those feats, though it might be strengthened
by circumstances detailed by other witnesses His
lordship then referred to the evidence of Mark
Maidment, who atated that he found the bat end the
shavel of the deceased with the brooch fattened in it,
upon the piles. Now it was clear that these articles
were taken from her before she was drowned, and it
would be for them to judge how the man in pushing
her into the water could have done it. It was
Perfectly consistent with the possibility that she might
have drowned herself. It was • most remarkable
Mreamstance that her clothes were found taken from
her. It was one of the difficulties of the case with
wtieh they would have to deal. His lordehip then
proceeded to speak upon what he designated as
another renurkalsle circumstance in the cue —so
remarkable indeed that be did not think he had ever
in the whole course of his experience as • judge or •
counsel met with its like. In this country they prided
themselves upon their system of administering Julies
as being with the utmost desire to deal fairly
with the accrued, whilst in France and many
other continental countries the prisoner was
quectioned and ernssquestioned In every possible
sort of manner, with a view to entrap him into
making statements in opposition to former oses.
He regretted to my that in this case an act of the
grossest presumption had been isommitted by the
superintendent of polies for the borough of Poole. Iffie
bad done what neither he (the lesroed judge) nor they
as • grand jury hat the power to do and it bad been
done in • grand atyle that might have liomm expected
from a lord chief justice or some one even greater.
His lordship proseeded to go through the deposition of
the superintendent At the part where Mr. Gifford
stated that he asked the prianner if he was in the
company of the decreased on the night in question, he
demanded what right had that man to do that—a thing
never heard of in English juricprudenee, and which he
trusted, after his oborvationo, would never be heard
of again. " What a searching question" he designated
the superintendent's repeated query to the prisoner
no to the time when beleft her; and his affirmation to
him that there were witnesees, who stated that they
had seen them together after the time he alined, he said ,
was moet unfair, for no witnesses had identified
the woman with whom he was walking. If that man !
he sent did not understand hie duty he must be taught
it. Hi hoped it was only an exams of seal, which, he I
treated his observations would ever prevent happening
again. Finally, he said he and his brother Cuannel !
doubted much whether the statement was admissible tea t '
he trusted that, marching and unfair as it was, it would
not have the leant influence upon the mind of any
juryman who heard it. Having referred to one other !
ease his lordship dismissed the grand jury.

TRIALS OF PRISONER/I.
TB! NAIRLAUGHTLII AT WHITCIIOIICII

•
The grand jury ignored the bill *barging • lad named
John Hussey with the manslaughter of Ann Lowey at
Whitchorch Canooiooruni. Huasey kook up • gun in
his master's kitchen, and, pointing it at Lacey, the
servant girl, said he would shoot her. He was told it
was loaded, but said he knew it was not. He pulled the
trigger, • charge in the gun entered the poor girl's
shoulder, and in a short time she died.

The grand jory also ignored the bill *barging William
Willman, 14, labourer, wi•h an unnatural arena at

BUIGLARY AT BILTDPORT.

William Mr/Cullum, 31, seaman, pleaded guilty to
breaking into the dwelliniphowas of C'bristiana Howley,
at Bridport, and stealing therefrom • gold wateh and
other articles, on the 16th May. Ilse bill we. ignored
charged of him with bar,llarl at the house of George
Richards, at Bridport.—Sentenee deferred.

THS KUMON rormaT eking.

The ease of George Bridle remanded from the last
Midsummer Quarter Sessions, on throe bills of indict.
meat for felony in destroying machines was again sent
back by his lordshio to the nest Quarter Sessions, he
considering that there was no set to warrant its
transference.

A FATHII

lilt lON.

Albert Morris, 21, labourer, was eharged with break-
ing into the dwelling-house of Henry Morrie! at
Mapperton, and stealing two jackets and other erne's'.
—Mr. Ffooks prosecuted.—The complainant stated
that on the 31st May ho went to bed about 11,
leaving everything safe and secure. On corning down
next morning about quarter.past four, lie found one of
the window. forced open, and • pialueze with which it
was done lying by. On looking over his goods he missed
two jackets, • shirt, slop, and • cheese cloth. The
prisoner had been seen neer there on the previous day.
Sergeant Still Mall found th• prisoner near Maiden Newton
about half-pests,: on the following morning, who as soon
as be saw the constable get over a kedge and lay down.
He honorer went up to him end tole him be snepected
him of breaking into the prosecutor's house. He said
he had not done so, but he was wearing one of the
coats at the time, and in • bundle which he had were
the reel of the erticlee.—The prisoner's derfenes was
that his mother gave them to him.—He wee found
guilty. Thor. was a previous conviction against him
at the April quarter sessions. The jury recommended
him to mercy because the father prosecuted. —"lectern:red
to 9 calendar months' hard labour.

BIGAMY AT wTTKOCIII.,
William Keats, ou bail, pleaded guilty to bigamy
at Weymouth, April s.—Mr. Collins, on the part of
the prosecution, said that this WY • case in which the
prisoner would be recommended to mercy. His might
mention the second wife had 'seemed no injury u she
bad been living with the prisoner before she married
him.—Mr. St. Aobin who •ppeared for the prisoner,
said the prisoner had been married to hie fitst wife. about
30 ye.rs, bet during the last 10 had not lived with
her, which was • great deal the fault of the wife. The
prisoner had mut ied under the belief that having lived
apart lime her ler seven years he wee at liberty to do
so.—Mr. E. Bailey, who warn called, VIVO the prisoner
a stood character, and stated that he marrie.l hia seeond
site openly end was about to give an entertainment to
his friends when be told him of the mistake he bad
made.—Bia lordship untemeed him to six weeks' hard
labour.

STEALING • WATCH.

Jane Chappell, a little girl, and her mother were
ebarged, the former with stealing a watch and chain,
the property of Amelia tkuturew, of Wyk* Regis, and the
latter with reviving it.—Kr. Ffooka prueseuted.—The
partial are neighboursand a abort limo ago the younger
primmer took it out of the promoutria's house and gave
It to her mother who kept it until the owner amine to
claim it eight days' alter, when she gave it up to her.
The mother eras acquitted, but the child, whom head
scarcely reached above the dock, was found guilty, and
metaled to three months' hard labour.

UTTINO Ilia TO HEATH.

George Jacobs, 40. semnan, warn shamed— with setting ere
to two acres of booth gorse growing at Chalbury the
property of Sir Edwin Harris °teethed, H.C.8., on
the let May. Mr. Warry prosecuted, Mx. ooUins
defended.—Jantes Habgood, • labourer lath. emoo7 of
prosecutor, said oath. 21d of April, last hew.. going to
work between 10 and It n the morning, and
saw the prisoner ; he subsequently a.n him
about eight in the evening, .nd ass he
baked him whether he worked in the pingdwion and
whether he thought there was moth heath and furze
thince•SPl and ha told him he did aoI Mow.— haulm