The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-03-12 00:00:00

IDorsttsbire.

DORSET LENT ASSIZES.

The Commission for holding the Spring Anises
in this county was opened on Wednesday last
before Mr. Justice Wales in the
.usual form.

ii;;; judges, "Justice Willes and Mr. Baron
Martin, were rout at the South Western Railway
Station at half-past one o'clock by R. H. 0. Swat.
field, Esq., of Vied-down Lodge, Wyke Regis, the
High Sheriff, accompanied by Thomas Cooinha, Req.,
the Under Sheriff, G. J. Andrews, Esq., the County
Clerk, the Rev. H. J. Neat, the Sheriff's chaplain,
and a splendid retinue of javelin men. Our towns-
man, Mr. Lower, of South street, as usual provided
the elegant equipage for the occasion, and which was
greatly admired. At 3 o'clock the cor
ge,joined by
the Corporation of the borough, proceeded to St.
Peter's church. The sermon was preached by the
Sheriff's chaplain, who selected for his text Micah
vi.. 6-8.
Tbo businese at the Assize* commenced on Thum
day, Mr. Justice Willis presiding in the Crown
Court, and Mr. Baron Martin presiding in the
Nisi-prius. The Canso List contained but three
cases, one of which was for a breach of promise of
marriage. The calendar was more than usually
heavy, there being 37 prisoners for trial, only two
of whom were represented as being able to read
and write well, and neither in a superior degree.
One-fifth of the number could wither read nor
write, and the rest very imperfectly.

CROWN COURT.—THURSDAY.
(Before Mr Justice Wittig.)
His Lordship took his seat at 11 o'clock, when
the following gentlemen were sworn as grand jury-
man:—

Jusu FLoYnt, Esq., Chairman. I
William Bragg, Esq. Edward L. Eindershq,
Richan:l H. Bingham, Esq. Req.
Henry Richard Cambridge, Charles Augustus Manning.
Req. Esq.
George Cartwright, Esq. Charles Edward Michel,
Charles Digby, Esq. Esq.
Richard F. Eliot, Req. William Parry Okodon,
James Henry Farquharson, Esq.
Req. Charles Joseph Parke, Esq.
Augustus Foster, Fag: William H. Sony, Req.
John F. Falwasser, &ft. Richard 0. T. Stewart,
Henry Charles Goo Wen, Esq.
Esq. Robert Williams, Req.
John Gundry, EN. Herbert Williams, Esq.
Benjamin Gundry, Req. Montague Williams, frt.
Charles W. Gordon, Esq.

His Lordship then delivered the following
CHARGE. _

Gentlemen of the Grand Jury,—The calendar to
which your attention is to be directed is, I am sorry
to say, • heavy one for this county. I hope, bow-
ever, it will tarn out that it is in oonsequence of those
turns and falls in things which sometimes make it '
appear as if the county was more criminal than it
really is. Although there are • huge number of
prisoner' for trial, I am happy to say that, with the
exception of 10 cases, you will not find any which
might not have been disposed of at the Quarter Ses-
sions. With respect to those 10 cases it will not be
necessary that I should direct your attention to more
than three. I
__particularly call your attention
to the cases No. 6 and 7 on the calen-
dar, in which John Williams and Robert
Clifford are charged with highway robbery
of • most serious description, in which a
person named Mary Ann Williams, is charged with
having harboured the prisoners, well knowing them
to have committed • felony,—in fact, acting as an
accessory. I must toll you that a wife can be
indicted as an accessory after the fact. If it should
turn out that she is the wife of John Williams, she
cannot give evidsoce against her husband. No
person can be convicted as an accessory after the
fact, unifies he or she knows that the felony has been
committed, and takes an active part in the harbour-
ing or favouring the escape of the prisoners. You
will have to consider these matters, and see whether
you ought to return a true bill against her or not.
It may happen that the evidence of • witness
who could speak either for the Crown or the
prisoner, may be excluded by a too strict application
of the law. With respect to accessories after the
Lint, I must trust to your good sense and judgment,
and see how far this is applicable to the woman
w:iose evidence may either assist the Crown or the
prisoner. A far different case is that of the prisoners
who are said to have been accessory to the robbery
upon Louisa Haynes, as she was going along the
road, in which the man Gale, and the woman
Elizabeth Davis, are said to have committed an
-atiempt at robbery, whilst the other prisoners were
standing by. If in your judgment they were there
for tlin purpose of aiding the robbery, you ought to
bring • lull against them as well as against the
persons who actually committed the serious violence
with which they are now charged. There is one
other case which I shall describe as No. 2
in the Wender, to which 1 must draw your
attention, for it is one of those came which you are
roll aware creates mischief in attempting to convict.
1 shall say no more upon that case, but you will
have to consider how far the evidence of one witness
is corroborated by the evidenee of the other. It
always gives we the greatest satisfaction to NO so
large a number of grand jurymen as are now
present. I attach the highest value to the institu-
tion of the Grand Jury, quite apart from its more
immediate usefulness, upon which I need not
descant. I think an institution could not be more
wisely framed for the purpose of protecting the
larsons who may come up to be tried. The pretence
of such a body of men, than whom a more valuable
audience could not be selected, is a great support to
tliii judge in the administration of the law. It
strengthens his hands and protects those who may
be brought before him. I am glad that you have
attended in full numbers, and I cannot but con-
gratulate the county upon the fact that its gentle-
men take such interest in its affairs, I will now
dismiss you to your duties.
TRIAL OF PRISONERS.
MEAUX° BRKAD AT BLAMDFORD.

Ann Rtkims (37), was charged with stealing a loaf of
bread of the value of 4d., the property of James Bar-
rett, at Illandford. Prisoner pleaded not guilty.--Mr.
Portman prosecuted.—From the evidence of plaintiff's
it appeared that he was in the shop on the 24th
of January last, and saw the prisoner take the loaf
from the counter and put it under her shawl. She
then left the shop. He then went after her and
charged her with stealing the bread. She denied the
charge, but on coining back to the shop the loaf yea
rental under her shawl. She then said she was tom
for what she had done, and offered to pay for the loaf,
Suit the prosecutor said he could not do so as it was not
the first time she had taken articles from the rhop. The
learned Judge having summed up, the jury returned a
verdict of "Guilty," and his Lordship, taking into eon-
ridemtani the time she haul already been in gaol, sin-
teuccul her to one week's hard labour.

STEALING FOWLS AT LANGTON MATZAVERS.
Roberi Raitria (M), and James BeOdid (36),
were plated in the dock charged with stealing two
lock, the property of William Edmunds, of Langton
klaltravers.—Mr. Stock was counsel for the prosecution,
and Mr. Rooks for the defence—P.C. Stickland said
he was on duty at Langton klaltraveni, on the night of
the 12th January, and when near the turnpike
road, which passes Mr. Edmnnd's house, he heard some
version cowing along. He secreted himself till they
were gone by. when he followed till he came up to
within :10 yards of them. lie then saw 'Lem go down
ho footintli leading to prosecutor's house. They then
writ into his yard, and after they had been in a short
time he licrird the noise of some fowls. The men then
cute out of the yard. He pursued them and asked
them for the fowls. They denied taking any, but on
gong back to the yard he found two fowls lying on the
ro el, .me dead and the other not quite dead. On the
following day the poliounan took them into custody.
'rile fowls were identified by prosecutor. although they
1..1 no particular mark upon them. The policeman
to the tuen as being the same as he saw coming
oot of the yard on the night in question.
The learned Judge haring summed up, the Jury re-
ternol a verdict of 'Guilty," and his Lordship men.
tented Robert liattrick to two months' hard labour,
and James Bonfield to one month's bard labour.