The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-08-13 00:00:00

WEYMOUTH.
COUNTY PETTY SESSIONS.

TOWNHALI, WIITMOUTH, Friday, August O.—Before
Captain Manning, H. C. Goodden, and it. F. Eliot,

George Ilounsell, a returned convict, was charged
with breakins into the dwelling-house of Mr. Jonathan
Comben Lano, residing at Fortune's Well, Portland,
and stealing therefrom some coins, artitles of plate,
kc.— Mr. hill attended to conduct the prosecution.
The prosecutor said that he was • atone agent. On
the previous Monday night he went to bed about ten
o'clock, having first satisfied himself that the house was
properly fastened. He awoke at a little after twelve
o'clock, and fancied he heard • noise, as if one of the
windows had been put down, but went to sleep again.
Ile was, however, called up early on Tuesday morning
by his servant. On going down stairs lie found the
cupboard doors open, and the door in the backyard
leading into the house unlocked. He picked up a four.
penny piece and a liaiunier near that door. His wife
came down shortly afterwards, and he then missed
several articles, including a pocket comb and two penny
pieces from a -waistcoat hanging behind the door. lie
then went and gave information to the police, and on
his return he missed two pistols from the mantel-piece
in the kitchen.—P.C. Fripp produced a pocket comb,
which prosecutor iiieutilled as the one Wit had been

stolen.—Susannah Bennett Lano, wife of prosecutor,
siiid that she went down stairs in consequence of what
the servant had stated. Upon searching she found that
four silo-cc tea.spoons, iiiei ked with the initials J. S. L.,
had beLn stolen the kitchen cupboard ; also, •
pair of silver sugar tongs, and • silver dessert spoon,
marked, she believed, S. M. L. From the parlour cup-
board she missed two electroplated salt-spoons, and
from the workbox on the parlour table a gold aeven•
chilling piece, three gold rings, four eardrops, and a
shilling, which had lwen in her possession since 1848,
and bore the date 1812. The shilling produced was
similar to the one alie lost, and she believed the seven-
shilling piece to be the one that had been stolen, end
which had been in her possession 119 years.—Eliza
Saunders, servant to the prosecutor, said that on
coining down stairs on Tuesday morning she found the
doors open. She observed several lucifer matches
strewn inside and outaidg, the d3or at the back of the
house, several of which had been ignited. George
Lane, landlord of the 'Victoria Lodge Inn, said that on
Tuesday morning, between 8 and 9 o'clock, the pri-
soner WWI in bill tap-room, and produced • seven'
shilling piece, asking what piece of money it was, and
whether it would pass. It was similar to the seven-
shilling piece produced. On bearing of the robbery he
informed the police what bad occurred.—P.C. Fripp
stated that on Tuesday morning he went to the Albert
Inn and apprehended the prisoner. As he was taking
him to the Victoria Lodge Inn, to be indeutified, he
asked permission to go into the stable of kir. t4ausom,
hish lie obt linat at the Vicl,,m ma loofgelftn,
pris.,ner flung the comb I,oshice.l Mit 1 the v. holow.—
Richard Andrew., ostler to Mr. Sanaom, stated that in
consequence of what he had heard lie searched in the
'second stall of lois employer's atable, where prisoner
had been allowed to go, while be found the seven-
shilling piece produced by the police.—The prisoner
made no reply in answer to the charge, and he was
! committed for trial at the ensuing Quarter Sessions.