The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-02-11 00:00:00

TLIZ OLD CORN EICHAPIO/L

The following report of the General Purposes Coin.
n:ittee was td In reference to this matter :—The de-
sirability of proviling a room lot the transaetion of the
rusgirterial basins,* of the borough, without interfering
with the Council Chamber, has long bun felt, whilst
the nuessity of an extra room for gent'. men to retiro
into in the event of the new Corn Enthuses being en-
gag. d br a ball, have proceed therms:len on the attention
of the committee. They have caused a plan and estimate
b• Wert ;whjch &company the report, whereby part
of the o d rn Exchange mby be mail- available for
such purpose.. whilst the remainder may be need in
connection with the new Corn Exchange, which already
shows signs of eventually becoming too small for lite
requirements of the borough. It will also be obeseeted
in minima, to the plan cod specifications that a cegtral
entrance is contemplated in front of the building, and
the sluing of the other &mem, which it is conceived
will render that put of the old Corn Exchange available
for all ordinary mansions, whilst at the acme time it will
;rove a sort of extension tithe present Corn Exchange.
The urgency if these alterations has prewed upon the
'melamine*, who have accordingly instructed Mr.
Wellepring to prepare for carrying one the same without
delay, at • cost of ,C4O, the amount of big tender for the
work. The committee earnestly hope that the Conseil
will adopt and *online that which they bare dons.
Mr. Vernon moved, and Mr. Blade seconded that the
report be edopted.
Alderman Galpin Moved an amendment that the
antral entrance miaowed be not at present provided,
but that the entrance should be at the eolith-west angle
of the building.
Alderman Coombe seconded the motion, with the
understanding that the entire plan should be considered
after the scheme of the amendment had been experienoed
foir time.
The amendment WM carried,
?RR WALIUS.
Mr. Vernon again called the attention of the Council
to the position of the bar in the chestnut walk, at the
end of Mr. 111'11801d', property, whereby thereto access
to a tallett, which he maintained was permitting an
encroachment, as the bar ought to be lower down.
Alderman Galpin said he uudentood that for the oon.
cession Mr. Manfield made to the Council be win to
hareiteaela to those premise..
Alderman Coombs thought every facility should be
given to those in the borough who made improvements.
Mr. Vernon said he did not object to suer being
allowed, but only to its being done without tits payment
cis fine such as other people had to pay.
The question then dropped.
LOCAL BOARD OF MuLrg.

The marmor reported that sundry repairs were re-
quired in the pumping apparatus at the waterworks,
and to the old seniors. These were ordered to be done.
It was also directed that the paving on the wed side of
the Corn Exchange should be laid at once.

.01000 M SATZ&

An estimate for a general distriot rate of ls. 68. in
tbe pound, and a water rate of 6d in the pound was
approved.
Alderman Chlpin desired to cell attention to the rates
of the borough. Mont of them were aware that a great
deal was said as to the extravagant* of the Council. and
the heavy burden of rates in this borough. He was
glad to And that there was now some diminution of the
rates. He had taken the trouble to go through the
amounts of the lad Ave years, and he found the
regular permanent rates had been lessened sub
year. In 1864 he found that No. 1 rate for lighting the
streets was 6d„ in 1865 6d., in 1866 60., in 1867 6d.,
and in 1868 sd. In 1864 No. 2 rate for the repayment
of loans was Is. 5d., in 1865 ls. ad.., in 1866
Is. 2d., in 1867 la 1d„ and in 1868 la. No. 3 rate,
lee ieterest es .10 paring bonds. WU lid, each year.
(The Mayor: That is a legacy from the paving commis-
sioners). The MOOT rate was 6d. annually. Then they
came to the general district rate. In 1864 it was 2s. 44,,
in 1866 in. 98., 1866 Is. 9d., 1867 Is. 9d., and 1868
Is. 6d. He let, bed to call particular attention to one
important point. In the year 1867.8 a considerable
addition had been made to the permanent loan fund, by
the sum borrowed for the waterworks (19,200). and in
the rate which was now only la 6d. they had provided
forth. interest on that amount and the repayment of
instalment of onetbirtieth part of the loan. Whilst in
the year 1864, the total amount of permanent rate,
was 4s. 104., in 1865 it was 4.. Id., in 1866, 44. 11
in 1867 3s. 114 d.. and iii the mtnent year 3s. 60.—
(applause). He thought, therefore, they had reason to
congratulate themselves upon the diminution of the
rates. He only hoped that the Council would continue
to exercise strict economy, and then he had no doubt but
that after two or three years there would be observed
a diminution similar to that which had occurred daring
the past Ave ye.ra (applaum).
Tkis ended the business.

A LUDICROUS SWINDLE: A CAUTION
BEFORE THE FAIR.
•

---
Ma aPyruch of the Candlemas fair has attracted'
:s
"'aro of b and vagrants of every sort into this
neighbourb and the use we are about to record will
suMaiently indicate the character of not a few of the
dealers, who will be exerting their blandishments
•rneoltillt the "Tong men from the oountry" next
Friday; and to that .is it ought to prove • caution.
Two men were broeght up before the Mayor, J. F.
ii.*•• and R. Devi., &qrs., on Monday, oharpd with
obing ba from Joeeph Seel, • thepherd, of Fording-
ton, by • false pretence. One of the prisioners ls already
well unwanted with the discipline of the county
gaol. Wu name ia George King, and he represents
himself as • shoemaker and birdatuffer of Jeisey,
who had fallen upon evil times, and been obi4eg
to out about for a living as beat he may. What
we know of his actions in this regard is not cal-
culated to inspire an with much conlid.noe in
him chanieteg. At Weymouth Isom he dietingnished
himself by "card shaming," one victim (es will
sometimes happen, though peoel• so robbed an
generally soluunred of their folly and say nothing),
didn't like it, and got him taken into mato ty,
whereupon he was sent to Dorchester gaol for
• mouth. Haying outlived that sentence (for we
lately bawd of • num named John Coombe being killed
by a mouth there), be made his way to Bridport, but
there be get into trouble, though according 10 his own
&assent most ondeeervedly. He went into a public-
holes, be Ws, where ha found a lot of paktum
talking about "rite-u-al-lsm." and saying the &shop of
Balliebury was like tb• Pope, and ought to go to
, Borne, when he took the Nahop's part, and they
' " &naked" him out I Then. pollomma laid hQ

of bins took him before the magieW•6•B ma 5.44
he WU drunk land a vagrant, and they " guv
him a month." This 111. fortune did not make
him tired of Dorset, but he 1111 a sines remaieed about
Dorchester, and only about a fortnight ago be wee fined
54. for drub/L*oocm. 'll,e ~they man is Charles Hsllier,
bunsed hawker, from Shaftesbury. The Peli•' records
are blank as respecte him, but he don't keep good
eemPettY, and is at any rote • "Ratt."." In the
preemie tranaution they seem to haul acted together,
and the intended swindle was brought to a socoseeful
issue by their united efforts.
Joseph Seal, who is on elderly man. said that on
Saturday efts moon,
between four said five o'clock, be
went to the Phomig public-house, and saw the prisonet.
there. Heftier offered some hosiery for sale, and he
bought of him tem pities ~,eking. for is. King
apnk• 1., him .t the doos, saving, ' I don't went male.
• bother *beet anything Vitt erring to us to you
bun. old Nat omplaineeo, &,,,,tee,r. and ha,' 1. r him
hsv• a thing or two. Do in want to buy •,.).
"bacs".-•I have id @boat elb. I boughs from
some mikes fresu Juicy or Guernsey. whits).
I gave Is. 91. a lb. for, and you shall have
It for Rs. • lb." He replied that it was no use to him,
for ha had never smoked a pipe in his life. He was
going hoe)e then to have • cup of tea and feed the
donkey, and should be at the Crown in an boor or two:
if Log bad it then, he would look et it. About pavan
o'clock, when he went to the Crown pabliehones, he
discovered King, who took him Into the tap-roont,
where Holler was. Bing showed him • parcel tied up
Intbrown paper, and said " Here it 1.," and got him to
go with him to the landlady to have it weighed. It
proved to be Ms 2oz. They returned to the tap-
room. Then Kirg untied one end of the parcel
and pulled out come tobaom, which he gees
1,, complainant to smell, saying it was very ito•-rd•
Seal said it wee no nee for him to triellef it for be c mid
not tellisced from bad. King then pee him the :oolse
tobacco, and he put it in his poeket, while King tieri up
the end of the parcel ogain. Heiner began urging them
to do their business quickly. He kept saying '' I,
look it make haste ; the police will be here
directly." Complement replied "Let them come; what
do I care about the police; what have they got to do
with 1r King said that as the toberooo weighed more
than he had said, he would let Seal have the lot for
half-a-sovereign. But the compleinant hesitated, and
was at last led into it by paternal affec-
tion, for he said " My boy, who hu been to
au, smokes a good deal, and I thought I'd
buy it for him." So he agreed to have it, and said
he bad only sa. to spare with him ; he would pay that
then, and King ciould have the rest by calling at his
house in an hour or two or on the following morning.
But this did not exactly gait them, and they both urged
him to pay fis. at once, Hellier saying King wafted to
:nuke up his accounts. But the old man eouel not,
and King agreed to take the ss. down, which he paid
h'm and received the peroel. After &II having some beer,
the two prisoners left. Seal then took his" tubules," into
the bar, where be bad some snore beer. While drinking
It., he kept the parcel on his knees. In handling his
purchase, Seal felt something hard, and thinking that
was rather curious for tobacco, he began to respect all
was not right. Still he dill not wish to be laughed at
by everybody, so he took the parcel into • hack kitchen,
and Sine, examincd it, when he found it was made up
of a bag of sawdust and • great flint in tbe ml :dle of it !
The old man said be could not help laughing at it, "hot
he was mad to think he had been doge." The recital
provoked a general laugh in court, in which Seal joined,
an I King seemed gratified by that recognition of his
'cuteness. Seal then called the landlord, and to
him whet had occurred, when they laughed together.
However, Seal's Si. was gone, and that was decided to
be • roguish trick, and the police was informed of it, and
the "tobacco" given up to P.S. Cousins. He said he
parted with his money on the represeutstion that the
whole portion wee tobacco.
King: If you had been an honest man you would
not have bought it.
The Town Clerk: Had you been honest, you would
not have sold it.
King ! I know that.
King (to prosecutor): Look here, Joe, a few weeks
ago, didn't you and I have • deal ?—Seal : I believe we
bad.
Q. Well, on Saturday, when we met, was not I
',raking to you about 11.—A. Yes: it mesa smell ham
I bought.
Q. Dida't you say you should like to have soother
such a deal, for I treated you with some brandy and
woter ?—A. I said it was not • bad deal altogether,
although the ham did not tarn out very well. I gave
sid. a lb. for it.
The Town Clerk: I should recommend you not to
buy such things of him; you may be buying stolen
lir oda.
King (greatly shocked): I don't do business like that.
Seal said he bought it before tee or six people.
King: Didn't I say you were not taken in ?--Seal :
Ye., and I said oh, no, nothing the wetter.
Q. Didn't you say you bought anything you could get
• shilling out of? A.—No.
Q. Did you say you wouli forgive anybody who could
take you in? A.—l don't remember any such words.
Q. If you had rot eilbs. of taboooo for lOs I suppose
you would not hove come here?
The Town Clerk said if that had been the case, he
would have hod no occasion to come there, fur there
wenlil have been no false pretence.
King Raid that befora he left the Crown, he said to •
man there "I'., been having a lark with old Joe Seal,
aid got Is. out of him, but bell find it out before
morning ' • here'. the Sm., give it to him." He rl,l that,
RO that he micht not spend the money. He did not,
however, tell who the men was to whim he gave tk•
money, and Seal said nobody bad been to him about It.
In reply to Hellier. Seal said he (Hellier) promoted
the dere as much as he could.
P.S. Cousins said that on Saturday night about nine
o'clock, from information received he went in search of
the prisoners. Be met them together near the Town'
ball about eleven o'clock. (Hillier : I wag going home,
this man (King) don't lodge near Inc. King: No, of
course I don't.) They were creasing together to the
North.square. He told them he had been looking for
them and took them into the police station, where he
charged them with obtaining ss. by false pretences front
Joseph Seal. King asked him if be bed a warrant to
apprehend him. He replied" No." King said he had
no right to apprehend him without • warrant. (K'ne
That's the truth. The Town Clerk: It's bid law, you
may depend upon it.) He told him be would run Ow.
risk of that. Then he told King be bed been selling
maw dust and a large atone to Seal for tobacco. King
asked if be was going to leek him up, and witness
laid "Tee." Then King used dreadful language towards
him, and said witness should not be alive three
days after. He esarebed prisoner. and found a peek
of cards, and the long piute of listing produced. (The
Town Clerk suggested it was used fcr the pme of
" priokingl the garter." King said it was not stiff
enough for that. It had bun round his leg fora
bandage the lint three weeks.) When witness was
varching Eiellier, King raid "that men had nothing to
do with it. He found fie. 3.1 on Hellier, e hawker's
Ii oness in his name, and surfs, stockings, and other
things. Beth the prisoners were drunk, Hellier the
wont.

King said be was no astrologer, he could not tell
whether the sergeant would live three days or three
yearn. He asked why the sergeant took the blankets
out of his cell and only left him a rug. :loosing replied
he did so because He!tier had the itch. Hine seemed
to think this reply satisfactory, and said he didn't want
to get that. lie said He'liar hsd nothing to do with
the affair, and asked the Bench to settle the case thee.
The Town Clerk said it could not be done, it mast
go for trial.
King: Stop • minute ; just look at the Act, and
ere it can I— (laughter).
The Town Clerk said be woes/raid sing bad had some
expeeonoe in police courts, and he explained to him
the difference between this came and a larceny; but
King didn't Wm at all satiafied with Mr. Symonda's
Isle. However, he settled down to the inevitable when
called on to plead, and said he did it in • balf.drunken
date, and did not intend to cheat, for be left the fle.
with a man to return to Seal.
The Tows Clerk said then you mean to say the men
you left the ss, with has stolen it?
King: No, I don't think that, for I've left money
with him before.
Helier said he knew nothing about the affair. He
had no conneetion with fling, but was • Boomed
hawker, and happened to meet him is publiaboases.
They were both committed for trial.