The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1873-04-15 00:00:00

ROBBUIT AT ivnesor.

_
CAszles Spowg lawilnrd of the down lon, Everebot.
and Robert &range a man In hit omploy. .bo bad
Iltt`ll 0.4 bail, ware tatliated ata•itog • TiantLtv of
dog's on Ming, oat., aai dog bisaulta, th* r pt•rty of
Mr. John Oadring•on, =Later of th• Ostilatoak Heel.
at Brerohnt. Thor. wore pi: lediatmobtf against
both of them. They plowiel not guilty to all, Mr.
Spoon very tosohatioelly.
Kr. Pttoks-Woodforde prosecuted, and Mr. Cattle
defended.

Oa behalf of the Cove, Mr. Flookt•Woodforile
anted tl At there should be a fresh jary. He wet anxlone
that there should bn to persons of the neighbourhood,
or la any way interettei. For the prisoners Weymosth
Jaren Isere "abAllenged." Mr. Howard was the
Attorney for the prosersatim ; and Mr. Giles Simonds,
Toy Clerk, instroyed o,nosel far the defence. It
took some Um* to get • jury. several of the new jury
being obj•cted VI by the proseeutioa. There um •
Mime number of persons la men to boar the
. . . . _

Mr. Ffooka-Woodforde a-Zd be thought be should
peeve to them that the prisoner+ on meowed ocieasions
had felealona'y takon property from the prosecutor,
who rueseeded Lett Pohlman as mister of the Cattle
-
took Huh and bad kennels on part of the premises of
the primmer Elpong. Having the boallniarter. of Itto
hunt at Ensenhot was of great value to th• town, and
he thought. there ems nothing ,o important to the
boaliby social existeries of • county as • good pack of
hounds if Oodriegtos was • kind may, and • good
neighbour, and 111/ WY on such fair intimacy with
Spong as their relative positions would warrant. Bo
things went on for a time, but then such matters oaine
to the knowledge of Mr. Oodrlngton as changed the
stole of things mUtely. From information received,
the etapi.groom watched tits kennels O'er th. y were
closed for the night, and fated both prisoners comhag
therefrom, Strange carrying a beast of oatmeal pud-
ding. The groom took it to Mr. Codrington, sod It
wee (mind to weigh 33b.. Spout followed, and said
he only took • bit for the dog; but If It were so the dog
meet haw* an unoommonly good appetite. The hurt
we. prisoner kopt salves, and It was clear that quautity
of meal wen not for the dog. When in estotody pri•
boner wrote a letter to Mr. Codrington, asking Mot to
forgiv• the offence, but the law bad bees pat In
motion, and It was not in the priveentor's power to
grant lb* appeal. By that loiter Soong random) un-
qualified admission of the that. But be had three
*barges against the prlsonsr. 13p-ing's exalt.. oboe
caught woe it was for the doe; he thought no harm in
I; but if b. showed prisoner took meal on several days
be oould not Pifer snob an answer.

Joho Daw, Gt stod-groorn proved that about 6.30
pm. on March 19. be was watobing near the kennel..
sad heard the gate allot. Going tut o the road he saw
Strange sod Spoon, the former carrying a bucket of
oatmeal padding. Strange turned iuto the Aoorn yard,
and witne s followed end tcrik it from him. S'ons
said "It'. ode • bit of oatme.l : I =noose yOu'll tell
your master." Ha said "I should think so." The
beast with the oatmeal in it wel bed 33Ibs

-William Barrett, the feeder, -said the key of the
kennels was put up over, in the usual place.
P.C. Worsdril appreheaded Strange next day, when
he cold Spool' gave him tile oatmeal and he took it
away: his got me into a pretty me. Subsequently
Bpoog was taken, and mid to hie wile "It's about that
bit of pudding I took for the dug: do go sad speak to
Mr. Godriagton._ . .

P.C. glford said Speen was In Ws charge at Dorches-
ter, an 4 wrote the following hotter
Dear lr,—Do prsy forgive • poor penitent being. If any
one In this world was sorry for any act committed, I ant that
not I own taking the oatmeal ; beyond that, so help me
God, I know nothing. If you send ms to prison you will kill
me find ruin my wife and family. I a..k you with • broken
heart to let me return house to-morrow, and be the means of
making a naleembis home happy once more. All toy hope I.
to you. Trusting to your kindness, I remUn, you, Wilful
*errant,. C. Aro...

J. Codrington, Ero.
Mr. Codrington Identified the meal in ocertion ; sod
said there was so much In the boiler that it ermld be
dielault to tall from its appeerstme at any Mute whether
any bad been taken.
Cromexamlood : Was on terms of intietasy with
Bpong. Borrowed things from ; and had • deed
horse from him without payment, which would be
worth 51. The mead in the basket would be worth
from la. 641. to 2s. That city they were tensing hay,
and he bad something to drisk several times— lid not
pay for it, but had It front Mr. Spout. If Spong had
asked for it, would have given hi.n a bit of marl for
the dog, bat not so much. that.
Re-szatniaed : Saw Sposg a good deal that day—ke
never asked me for anything for the deg.
Matthew Grover, labourer in the service of the Bari
of Ilehaeter, said he lived opposito tke reed leading to
the kennels. On 27th February betweas five and six
In the evening, he was In hi house and saw prisoners
some out of the /diem yard, Strange striping a boast
and Soosg a sp‘de, and go into the kennel yard. Thee
Strange came out and looked about for several minutes,
and went back man. Afterwards they came out to-
gether, Strange carrying the bucket faU of meal, and
turned Into the Agora yard. When they went into the
yard they were 300? 30 yard from him. On S inday,
2n4 March, he saw them go in the sante way se Worm
and return with • Musket of meal. He sent for a
woman—Fanny Groves—to go ep-ealre eitn him thst
they might look down into the bucket and see It wan

_
Cross-.xi/ad: Could see ther3 wee meal lo the
bucket oa the 27tb Febrntry between five and six
o'clock, when be was between 90 to 30 yards at
(Prisoner Interfered Wit....: What's the as. of YOU
tryinj to make a fool of es, you keow it's true.] They
went that way to feed the plea, but did not smelly
bring book meal from • pia-stye.
-summed: Could by the way Strange carried
the bucket that It was fell.

Fenny Groves, aister-InJaw of the laet witness,
oorroborated ; and aided that on the 19th March, after
all Mid gone from the kawnels, she saw Strange Dome
sad look about, and after saw Bpeng go In with a spade
and Strange with a bucket. Sew Daw afterwards.
Cos-examined: Had not bad any different* with
the Sponge. Was insulted by theca at t boom when
she wait for a pint of beer. Was not turned out for
being intozioated. Had seen meal taken in that way
fon, or fire times.
_

William Treocihsrd, bu.oher. said be lived just below
lir. Spouse., sod 000ld see the rod to the kennels.
1)... came to his house on the 19. h blank, and between
end G.:11) p.m. be vew Spoog looking about be
bad s bug. Spong went down to the pig% and then to
tie own yard. Mostly after he saw both come oat,
Spong with • spade, sod Strange with it. ctoPtY
buukot. Saw them go into the kennel yard. Had
beard somothiog before this, and he watched.
Croae-ezamin.d : Wee ordered out of Boong's house,
Did'ot kno• it was for taking liberties' with the serrante.
lied not beton there Moon
This was the miss.
_ _

ic7ok-s-.VoTaforde summod up on behalf of the
lion. Has e urged that it w ,shown that the
rifilles:olf March 'vac no solitary caw, but that all
the while Mr. Oodingtos had thought Soong a straight,
forward use, he had been robbing him night after
night when the kennels had been shut up.
Mr. Castle said he felt Nair vase very pLinftil ease,
Spoor vu the Isorilord cf the Agora Inn and a man
of such reemelability that he wee an saisaiate of Mr.
Codriegton's, who drank with him, borrowed various
thing, and rewired • dead hone for hie dogs. Be very
much regretted that Spoor bad been stupid enough to
take this bit of oatmeal for his dog, but, seeing the
relatiou between them, he thought no harm of it. Ha
urged there was no criminal intention in the matter.
but that there bad been free-and-rmy relation between
the parties, and Spoor thought himself jaatified in
what he did. AA to the letter, written when he was in
emtody and in terror, it was oompstible with that
view of the case. He urged that the witnesses living
near, havieg had differences with Mr. Spans, hod
sought to !ajar* him, and so made thaw °bargee.
Then he pointed out that neither of those three
, witnesses were called before the magistrates, bat they
had been brought now to bolster op the Gael • and they
pot the whole sting into it, for they described lookines
about, previous raspicions, and other eels. Spong be
should skew had • very good that:, and be wile
now convicted, he would sever Do to hold a Sewn
again. He asked these to madder the otos very
seriously.
Mr. William Baring, steward to lord Ilobester, who
was owner 011ie Leon' said he had known epos( 7
years, and lived there about 18 months, but Dever know
anythirg againet him before, and his bottom had been
kept remarkably respectably.
Mr. Thomas Snook, wine merchant, of Weymouth,
mid he Led known Somas tea years, and always found
him moat honourable.

Kr. Thoa. Cbaday, farmer, Bald ha bai koown Spout
15 or 16 ytitte, and never lisszd anything against, biro.
Cross-ozsmined : Did not know whore he was before
he ooze to Itoershot.
Mr. John Olapoott, tarpon, bed known Lim 16 years,
god eater heard impala( won hi, eharaster Lay
way.

--Gosa-azastaad : Had head he was garayiously is Dia
Poat-olies. Did not know wby holeft
ILL Jassy Andra'', of Wraxall tarot. bad known
him WU ANS ha bad Nan at Ivutubot Lid
ssas
hosed anything hat tbat be yea s sot
ism

Mr. Andrew R. Carib. maildentled alert for Iloaffe.•
novooWl. of Wormostb, had foaled him perfectly
straightforward, honourable, and husinamdike for 16
yam.
Crosa-taamiced : Mid heard Soong was a cleric at
Portland prima, and chy he left bttt not from a reliable
worm : that it wee about something in the Poid-oilles.
In snancoleg op the ease, the Chairman said the
the theory put forward that b•caure Mr. Codricgtoe
had borrowed things from Spoor's premises, and had
reenly,d from him • dead hone for the dove, and thill
was but a tnakelfel of oatmeal, they should ray quite,
could not tea hal t in that court. He sinfully went
through the eridereo, puttleg it to the jury that if they
had any noronab!e doubt they should give the prisoners
the benefit of it.
The jury retired to entailer their verdict, and after
being ab•ent threeluertera of an hour came into °mut,
and the foreman statel they found (h. prieocere
I and Mronely recommended them to moray.
I No evideneJ warn offered ou the second and third
indictments.
The Chabotan said the prisoners had been found
guilty after • very full and patient bearing : they had
hod the advantago of being ably defended, end all the
Points urged in their favour that freely onuld be, and
the jury had given the greatest attention to the con-
sideration of the my. They IMMO to the conoltuioe,
In the wWoh the coon and he fat suradall who heard it
I mint eceour, that they were guilty : but the jury had
recommended them to the lenient consideration of the
court, and that they were always 1111:11101.01 to take
notice of, and givl weight to. lipesig had • very good
eliaractsr given thu. eepeclady for the way hi whiea
be had eon tinted his bowie at Everabot, to which Mr.
Baring Nook° atrongiy. and that the court thought
very much In his favour, and It led them to pass a
mach lighter sentanee than thty otberwlee would ham
dose, for they attached very coodderable fan
to the eonaideration that he bad married on his=
respectably and wall. They were atantenocd to two
months' hard labour each.
This concluded the monlons.