The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1886-04-06 00:00:00

A %Dr.:V_LAR C%Mt.

JPllle* Williams, of st. hdraiind.streett WAe charged
with that he, being the bailee f a certain great coat,
the property .1 Orlando Whenttnift, did unlawfully
convert the mine to his own use or the use
William John Coleman, and did thereby feloniously
Meal the same. -Mr. Symee appeared on behalf of the
plaintiff, and Mr. Bowen ilefended.-I'n eyelike, a
waiter at the Royal Rotel, stid he calm. to Wry.
month in June loot. He were the coat in question
during the autumn, but lost it in the inonth of
October. He could net say where. Information wee
given to the poker, but the coat could not be traced.
On March 18th he saw a cabman named Coleman
wearing the cost. Tbe latter rejected witness's claim
to the coat.' They west is front of the Royal Hotel,
where they met defendant. Coleman said to him
"Do you know this coat r He replied "Yes ; I
gave it your mother Wet Saturday." Witness again
claimed the taut, adding that it we. lined with thin
brown cloth. It wee subsequently found to be so
used. Defendant said " It is not your coat. It has
been in my posseweion 12 months. It was left
In my sb.p. He ale. told Coleman mit
ID give up the mat, and addict " If any.
body wanti it refer the party to me."
Masa weal to the policipatailms. DeleDdasit

followed, and main stated the cost had been in his
possession for 12 or 15 months past. Wits.* swore
the coat produced was the one he lost. He had *
cape to match it. Was tueseured for the coat at pietsi.
mouth three years ago.--Cross-examined : Caleb Hall
had gone to him as • friend. and asked bins to coin•
promise the awe by the defendant paying the cost
of the summons and the sum of 13e. 64. 4.1 r Hall
stated he asked him to do this bee& WI be (Hall) and
the defendant were both members of the Working
Men's Conservative Association. Witnewe referred
Hall to him —George Guy, waiter at the
Royal, identified the coat as one he hal seen prose.
cutor wearing last year.—Maria Colenuin, of Wesley.
street, mother of the cabman, said the defendant
gase her the coat about a fortnight ago. She had
w..rked lir the defen hint for some time. The coat
had hung in his shop for 12 months past, both in his
present preilll4l44 and thee which he formerly occupied
in queen-street. She had previously said to the
defendant, "You might as well give tnn this coat '
It is quite a nuisance hanging up here."—Sergeant '
Delemont deposed that when at the police-station
• Williams said he had never seen the prveecutor in his
I'bop in his life. 'l's this prawecutur replied, " I have
been these twice."—Mr. Bowen, in defence, contend.'
I it could not be proved the coat was the **toe, as
many similar ism were worn. He piinted out that
I the defendant did not pawn nor sell the coat, nor do
anything which indicated an intention to steal. It
I was true did not give information to the puce as
ti its having been left in his pmeession but did
every respectable man inform the police when an over-
coat Isappmed to be left on his premiees? tOefendantdid
that which he thought besttowardsfinding the owner,
viz., made inquiries amongst his cmitomer.. No jury
would convict in such a case, and he felt sure the
magistrates would never send the defendant for trial,
as that would virtually be ruining him for giving •
coat which hail been banging in his shop a consider.
able time to a isms. old woman.—Mr. Sytme said the
case was not brought forward for the purpose of
coining • conviction for larceny, but as the cheapest
way for the pro...motor to regain his coat.—The
I magistrates dismissed elm case, and ordered the coat
to be handed over to the prosecutor, a. they believed
it to be his property, the defendant to limy the coots.
--Mr. Bowen stated his client was quite willing to
give up the coat, which he admitted was not his own
property.

_AN_AMIOCRNI.De.I.IL

Frederick Gillingham was charged with obstructing
Highatreet on Saturday night, liy standing on the
footpath and refusing to ))))) when requested by thc
police.—Defeielant accused the police of assaulting
him on the way to the Policeatation, and the case
was adjourned until Friday, in order that evidence
might lie obtained respecting the allegation.

s innuisioto (-Ass.
William James Martin, plumber, Nlitchellstreet,
was summoned by Grace Butt to show Cause, &C.
The plaintiff alleged the defendant seduced her whilst
in his empl 1, as a servant.—A, she could not call any
witnesses the case was disinissed.—Nfr. Symes, for
the defence, asked that his client might swear the
charge was untrue, but the Bench did not consider it
n irn
that such a course should be adopted.--Mr.
lseas.u:it is not improbable criminal proceedings
may be taken against Butt, either for perjury or
libel.