The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-10-13 00:00:00

THE GAY WIDOW OF CFLIDEOCR IND
HER VISITORS.

On Saturday leset„Mr. W. Payne.buteher, of Chideock,
who has attended Bridport market for several years,
was charged before J. Oundvls Ifs P. Gundry, end .1.
K. P. Montague &qrs., with an indecent assault on
Mrs. Denning, • young widow, living on Chideock-hill.
—Mr. Day for the prosecution, and Mr. Weston, of
Iderebester for Horde/epee. The case was heard in the
Town-ball, Bridport, end • large number of persons
were present to hear it. All the witnesses at the request
of defendant's solicitor were ordered out of court.
The proses:earl' said the was • widow with four
children- On the evening of the day in question she
was in her own house in her parlour. She heard a
knock at the gate of her
_garden, and shortly after she
opened the door and saw Mr. Payne at the gate- She
asked him to some round to another door and she would
let him in, which she did, as she thought he was come
to ask for his bilL She had had meat from him. When
be came in he did not asth to be paid. She offered him
some spirita end water which he had. Her servant (a
little girl) had just gone on an errand, and did not
return until nine. Her three little children, the eldest
, 12 years old, were in the house, and went to boil ehortly
after nine. About ten she bad another visitor, and
left prisoner in the room, and did not return for half-an-
hour, when she found him still there. When she
returned she hail a handkerchief in her hand which
prisoner snatched away, and said it smelt very beautifuL
lie then caught hold of ha and began kissing her. She
resisted as much as she could. He pressed his beard
against her face and ee it bleed. She tried to call
out but could not use his face or his hand was
against her month. He had his arm round her and
tried to drag her towards the couch. He pulled up her
petticoats, fie., fr.c. She told him she wondered at his
impudence. He afterwards tried to arrange bet dress,
J and asked her not to let het servant know IL Ile told
j bar be had loved her ever eines he had seen Mr. Stone
' kiss her in the room opposite the tower, where she lived
with her first husband at that time. She desired
! prisoner who was keeping her back with his ar.ns to let
her go. He did so, and she ran upstairs, she met her
' servant on the stair. She made a complaint to
her then about the prisoner's conduct. The
, next day --she believed it was—she told Elisabeth
• Udall. She also told other people of it. She
I had been ill for some week's sines the assault.
IShe wrota a letter to Mr. Day about the sseault.—Crosa-
j examined : She bad been married twice. She had known
I Mr. Payne for years, and she asked him to take some
spirits in • friendly way. She only left the room aloe.
The visitor who called at ten was a woman, Mrs. Udall,
who came for the money for her washing. No gentleman
came on horseback to her hens. that evening. She slid
not desire her servant girl to go up to her room, and
watch to see if any one came. No gentleman but Mr.
Payne cause that evening. She heard against her chimney
a knocking whilst prisoner was there. When she came
j back into the room the prisoner did not make any
, remark about her dress' losing rumpled. The spirits
were not brought into the room until the servant came
' back. She called" Mary" and said "don't" as loud as
she could at the time of **assault. It was ten minntes
after twelve when the prisoner left her house. She was
confined to the house after the assault, being very ill,
until Friday, the 2nd not., and did not leave the hones
during that time. If any one said she was out on the
night of 22.1 d September they would say what was
incorrect. On the night of sth September about 12, she
was not out of the house, and if any one said they saw
her out with Elizabeth Udall that night they would say
what was incorrect. On the night of 22n1 September
she was obliged to run oat to drive people away who
were making work at her gate; she hada poker with
her. She did net have cosy conversation with young
Mr. Payne on 6th September, she had not seen him since
the assault and .ukeil how his father and mother were,
and on hearing he was unwell say she was sorry for it.
She had n gun, which had belonged to her husband ; it
did not belong to • gentleman living near her. Phe
lent the gun to young Mr. Payne. She did not say to
hiss that she was sorry be had said anything to Mr.
Brown of Woriestall about the gun. Mr. Brown was
her trustee. She owed Mr. Payne about CI& Mrs.
Payee (KIM to her and demanded the bill, DM threatened
to smash the windows. She sent a message to Mrs.
Payne that she had better go to Mr. Day as Mr. Payne
owed her • longer bill than she owed him. She meant
by that she had put this cease into Mr. Day's hands. She
did not bring this case to extort money from
Mr. Payne. She never compromised • little affair
by receiving any money as hush money. On
the evening of Beeminster races a gentleman paid
4s. 6.1. for damage to sonic bars. There were not four
gentlemen with her at one time. She had not been at
the George Inn, Bridpert, since she took her rent there.
She slid cot know Mrs. Suntrap, formerly landlady of
the George. She ha I not known her for several years,
and had not been in the habit of going frequently to
the George Inn, and alter Mrs. thinwaye left the ino
she did not visit her at her house in West-street. She
never etgaged • private room at the George, and was
never then, with anugentleman. Shin was there
-eritts 111 r. Brawn, wyomstal. Mr. of Yeovil,
or the itev. Mr. Whittle. She never went into a bed-
room at Mrs. Samways's with a gentleman. She was
ordered out of the Star Inn, Bruiport, front a miss
understanding. She wee not locked into • room at tl.o
Star Inn with a gentleman. She was never there in a
nom with the doer locked, and was never there in a
bedroom with • gentleman. A servant came into a
room there where she was with Mr. Legg to whom she
worn engaged. Afterwards Mrs. Haines' requested her
not to go the Inn again. She went to the Hope and
Anchor Inn on the occasion of • concert at the Drill
Hall, that inn being close to it. Mr. Whittle was with
her. They did 110 t have • private room, and did net
remain there an hour.andosdialf. She took no interest
in the Bee. Mr. Whittle's .heoree case. Sb. was
requested by the landlord of host inn not income there
any more. On 11th of Octobsr, 11167, she did not meet
a gentleman of Charmontli on a grey horse. She was
not intimate with any gentleinan that right, and no one
attempted to pull up her clothes. She never had gen-
tlemen on horseback at her lessee as late as two o'clock
in the morning, and had not had gentlemen since she
bad been • widow sleep in her house. She had only
presents of jewellery from her sweethearts. She nevi r
stated that she had received trinkets from • professional
gentleman who lad recently e one from London. She
had never appeared in male attire.—lte-examined : She
never received • present from any professional man, the
bad not from himself (Mr. Day).
Mosey Gale, aged 16, said on 31st August she was the
servant of preeecutrix and was now. She WAS in her
service about four days previous to that time. On that
day she went onion an erran.l and met the prisoner near
• I riekkilii, about 100 yards from he mistress' house.
eke, returue 1 about 9 p.m. She put the children to
bed about twenty minute, NIA nine, and afterwards
carried into the parlour some brandy and water and saw
Mr. Payne there. Between eleven and twelve she beard
it great "rumpus" like some time fighting. She wee
upstairs at the time, and came down on the stairs, and
saw Mr. Payne trying to drag " milieus" to the coueb ;
she was trying to get away from him. She heard Mr.
Payne say "ha would and he should slo it." Her mis-
tress said "You shall not, and you shall be sure to hear
of it." His clothes were disarranged, and he threw her
mistress on the couch. When her mistress tried to
enema' he pot his hand before her face to prevent her,
Ifer mistress called him a " nasty stinking infernal little
devil." her usietrese atruggled very much and then
said she felt faint, and got away and ran up stairs and
met witness on the stairs, her face and teeth were
bleeding. Her mistress had been unwell since that
night, and bad not been out for walks. She heard her
mistress scream out once and then she went down on
the stairs. Her mistreats told her after the aseriult to go
down and enter Mr. Payne out of doors. ethe did so
, and he left the house.—Crosseexamined No man or
I child came to the house that night while Mr. Payne
waa there ; a woman came. She heard no knocking at
' the gate or by the side of the bouse. She had on'y talked
the matter over with her mistress once after that night.
Her mistress did not go out of the house beyond the
garden for a week or ten days after the assault. Sbe
was "proper" ill. She had been no long walk since.
Mr.. Payne came to her mistress's house about • fort-
night ago, to see her mistress but she did not door. She
went to the door arid told Mu: Payne her rnistresa could
not see her, the was ill. Mrs. l'ayne said she Genie to
aek for her bill. Her mistreat told her to ask Mr.. Payne
if she knew shore was &cage between Mn. Day and Mr.
Payne. Mrs. Pepse said if her mistress did not pay the
money she would make ben do so, and it was after she
said that her twat:cad gave her the meilliffe about Mr.
Day and Mr. Payne. It was two or three days after
this her mistress went to Mr. Weld's, • magistrate living
at Chideoek.—By the Bench : The staircase is on the
left hand aide of the passage opposite the front door,
azd the parlour dour is on the other side oleos by the
front door. The parlour door is about two feet from
the bottom stair. Withers was about four stairs from
the bottom when she saw what took place between Mr.
Payne and her mistress. The sofa was in front of the
parlour door. She saw her mistress write • letter to Mr.
Day before elle went to Mr. Weld.

Elizabeth Udall, a you_ng woman, said sho lived in the
house adjoining prosecutriz, and occasionally assisted
her in washing. She saw prisoner go into Mrs. Dunning's
house shortly after ei,ht on 31a1 Angled, and saw Itim
leave about twelve at night. He jumped over the
girders wall. Presecotris undo a complaint to her
about prisoner on the Wednesday following. Prosecutriz
had been very ill since, and had been oonfined to her
house. - Cruse-examined : She weld sea who went into
erusecutriz's hour. 'rho only man sin had seen go
into the house was Mr. Gifford, of Channouth, who is a
miller and keeps a grey bone. Witness had only lived
nest door to prosecutriz about a fortnight before 31st
August. She hail not been in trouble. q. Was there
any talk about any money missing in a place where you
were once? To this the witness made no reely, and it
woo ltwt enunisL —lira-examined : Mr. Gifford is a young
.44 11 oeurting Mrs. Dunning.
7 Gale, recalled, said prisoner *idled at her mis-
t:loWe I.Alare a day or two after the umalt, and asked
to see her mistreat, but die •u told by her mistress he
could not see her aa alis was dressing, He said be
would all agnip. and
her mistress said abs wee going
ut if well enoonb and would not be at home. She did
not, however, go cut.
This wa, the cams for the prowernation. Tbe prisoner
pleaded not gaily.
Sir. Weston addressed the Hurl for the defence, and
celled
P.C. Wiles, who said he wee stationed at Chldsock,
and had been there five or slz year.. Hs had known
Sire. Dunning two or three ye• 111, an had frequently
seen her. He net her on Saturday, gth ries..it twelve
&cloak at *he, going down Chideoek Hill with Elizabeth
Udall.—Crus-azazalned : He remembered this was the
night as he had some conversation with two pomps
about the promweatrix and Let oonipanlon, a few minutes
atterwards. •

Omega Payne, son of the prisoner living at Clarion*.
meld he maw Mrs. Denning on Seeder, the 6th September
In the road OW het boon. Elbe asked him how his
father and mother wen, and be said his father was very
aaaell. She said she wan sorry as he was often unwell.
—Cron-examined This conversation did not take place
on the Sunday before: It wes about from half-past
seven to eight o'clock. lie went for • walk to Moroombe
that evening and overtook Thomas England and had
sone converntion with him. He left witness in the
, road shoot 100 yards from Mrs. Dunning's house.
Job. Woodlanil, living at Chideock, a dairyman, said
on fled September he was at • sale at Menorah. Lake.
Mr. Payne was there, end left the sale before him. In
coming from the sale witness had to pass Mrs. Dunning's
house. He saw her on the evening of that day. When
he paned her house she ran after him. A friend was
with him. She overtook them and asked him if he had
been rattling her gate. He said he hail not. She said
if it was not him It must be that Bill Payne. She did
not appear unwell. He never saw • woman run faster
than she did.

Miriam Samways, wife of Philip Samways, now living
at Marlborough, and who formerly kept the George
Inn, Bridport, said she had known Mrs. Dunning about
eight or ten years. They left the Gouge about 12
months ago, alter living there about a year. Mrs.
Dunning used to some there during that time, and have
• private sitting-room, and be in there with married
gentlemen. After they left the George they resided in
Wmt-street, and Mrs. Dunning CAMS there to consult •
doctor. She asked witness if she had • private reoin
and she said she had not, so Mrs. Dunning went into
witness's bedroom with Mr. Colour, and stayed there
about an hour. Mrs. Dunning had frequently been at
the George Inn with Mr. Colmer.—Crus-examined
She never saw any Improper liberties taken as she was
not present. Mr. Brown went with Mn. Dunning into
the George, Mr. Colmer was • medical menthe believed.
George Fussy, labourer, living at Chideock, said he
knew Mrs. Dunning by sight. He reoolleated the
night of Briaport fair, October 1867. Ile was standing
at his gate from ten to halfigut one, looking out for •
ioneyance to take his mother...n.6w to llooiton.
While staying there Mrs. Dunning passel the gate
twice, once up and down. When she went up she was
alone, and he saw • gentleman come up on • grey
horse, and overtake her, and stop with her • bit, and
then they both more back and stepped near some new
builiiings, close against them. Ile went towards them,
and when he got near he stepped on • stone and made
• noise. Before be mode the noise he saw Mrs.
Dunning's dress was not in proper order. He sru
about two yards Irma her. When he made the noise
the gentleman jumped up on his horse and rode towards
Menem* the prosecutrix went into a gate and he saw
DO more of ber.—Cress-sumined : Prisoner was his
brother.in•law. He told different people of this
' °eminence months MO. He told William Hussey so.
The night this took plus was • beautiful moonlight
night. He knew the name of the gentleman on the grey
ber,e, but there were two brothers and he did not know
which of them it was.

Edwin Gale, landlord of the Hope and Anchor lan,
Itridpwt, said on 27th February there was a concert at
the Drill-ball, elms to his house. On that evening •
gentleman dressed as • clergyman came to his house and
silted for • privets room for • lady, who witness then
thought was his wife. He went out and fetched In
Mrs Donning, and they went into a private room at
about querter•past eight. and stayed there till about
quarter to ten. The gentleman went away' about ten,
after Mrs. Dunning left. There was a newspaper on
the table containing the 1t.,. Mr. Whittle, divorce
awe, which Mn. Dunning took away with her. As
soon as she left he went upstairs and found the gentle-
man 'partly undressed. Cross-examined He had his
coat and waistcoat a. Ile could not my whether the
gentleman was drunk or not.
There were several other witnesses for the defence
whose evidence would have been of • similar character,
but Mr. Weston thought it would be unnecessary to sail
them, so he did not do so.
. . . .

Mary Gale again recalled, said she Irks upstairs sewing
when her mistress called out. She stood on the stair-
case and saw all that hsppened, but did not like to
interfere, because she did not know the rules of the
house. She should have interfered if Mr. Payne had not
let her mistress go when he did.
. . . . . . . .

Mr. Oundry said the Bench had given the case their
rn at careful consideration, and did not believe the
evitence sufficient for a conviction; the prisoner there-
fore was discharged from his recongnisances, and the
cue was dismi•sed.

On this announeement there waa loud applause.
The proseautris on leaving the Court was followed and
booted by a large crowd.