Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1879-07-04 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

DRIKINO PARAFFIN.  ..... Elizabeth Winder Gilbert, 21, (Imp.), for taking a quantity of a destructive liquid called paraffin, with intent to kill and murder herself, at Dorchester, on the 28th of April, 1879.  She came up looking very scared, and not quite compob mends, and pleaded guilty, saying she took it ; but did not mean to kill herself ; she did not know what she was about. Tins was explained by the Governor, who doubted whether in pleading guilty, she understood what she was saying. She is a stoutly built young woman, but her face had rather fallen in, since we saw her in the magistrates' Court. . .  -17;as decided to take the plea ap not guilty, and to try the cape.  Mr. lidal prosecuted, and said the case was very painful, as the woman scarcely knew what she was here for now.  —• Prieoner indeed looked almost idiotic. . _  Elizabeth Strong, of Durngateztreet, lodged in the same house with prisoner on the evening of April With. She said she wanted to see Wheatley, and went out and called him, when he wished her good night. She offered to bet her Is. she would be dead by to-morrow morning, witness refused, and prisoner bet with her sister. She took a cup upetairs with some liquid in it Witness asked what was there, and the prisoner said "Water." She also had sugar in the cup, and when witness was going, prisoner drank up the liquid, and said. Ah ! Ah ! now I've done it. She said she meant to do it before, and it was William's fault. Mrs. Page came in, and prisoner caught her by the throat Prisoner said: I did't catch her hold by the throat." By this time her idiotic stare had much relaxed. Mrs. Page corroborated, and said prisoner appeared to be out of her mind. She was always complaining of her head, and that before Wheatley lodged there. She said she had pains in her heed, and a weight on her mad. Mr. A. Day spoke to finding prisoner in almost a comatose state, having taken some narcotic poison. There RIO & IMOLI cif paraffin, and witness administered an  emetic. and brought her round. Saw her before the magistrate?, and considered her mind feeble. Could not say if the state was the natural result of Paraffin' this was almost an uuique case; he knew of no Mel of drinkin4 Paraffin. A.ll prisoner had to say was that she "didn't know nothing about it." The prisoner's father wanted to say stew words, but the hon. Chairman declined the offer. The Chairman said the prisoner might form the intent, although he was of feeble mind. The Foreman considered the prisoner took the paraffin, but that she was not axountable for her actions. The matter leing explained to them by the Chaitman, the Jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty. The Chairman advised her not to give way to strong impulses, but to discipline her mind.  ASSAULT AT DORCHESTIfft. Georie Edward Hartley, a young artilleryman, was brought up for an indecent assault on Sarah Ann Bownng at Charminster. Mr. Udal prosecuted. The proeecutrix was, on the 29th. going to Charminster, and saw prisoner come out of the Sun Inn. Be wished her good night, and followed her up Burton Hill, put his hand on her shoulder, and asked her to go for a walk, when she replied—" I have been for that, and am going home." He said "You shall go," took her by the arm, and dragged her to Froome-lane, where he threw her down, using s coarse expression, but she got away, and ran: but he struck her with his whip, and also with his flat, and she fell down. After an indecent act, he struck her again on the mouth, and finally he went away, saying he would have his revenge on her. She went to the barracks, and picked out the prisoner from some soldiers. Her mouth and nose bled, and stained her handkerchief and tie. P.C. Adams, on the 29th, saw &wring run to him :creaming, and her mouth sad nose bleeding. Next morning he saw evidences of a struggle in the road. P.C. Felix Sealing apprehended the prisoner, who said he went to the Sun Inn, but he knew nothing of this affair. In defence, prisoner charged immorality against the girl, and denied assaulting her on this occasion. The Chairman said there was no reason but prisoner's unsupported statement, for supposing the young woman to be other than thoroughly respectable, and they believed she had been cruelly used. Six months' hard.labour.  Thu con eluded the Seeetonis.