Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1878-03-29 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

THE RED-HOT POKER ASSAULT.  Richard Barter, an Inoffensive looking man, was brought up in custody, on remand. charged with a murderous assault upon Will iaru J iho Stayner. —Ube previous hearing of the case will be found reported iu another column.' The evidence taken at the previous examination Was read over. Time prisoner, in his statement, said on Friday night last, about quarter to ten be was in bed at his house in Fordington, acid he heard cries of fire and murder. He got up and looked out of his window, and asked some women who were present what was the matter, and in consequence of what they said be got up and came down, when he got down he found Barter coming out of his house, which was situate a couple of doors off. Prisoner then went up and deliberately struck a Mrs. Garrett with his fist. He went to protect her and pushed him into Ms lodgings. Whilst doing so the prisoner kicked him severely, causing a great loss of blood. After he had got him in the house he remained with him about twenty minutes, and then as he got up and was going home the prisoner took the poker out of the fire and struck him a blow across the upper part of his head. P.C. Gould then came and sent him to the hospital, where his head was dressed, and he afterwards returned home. The poker was red-hot and the blood after he was struck ran down his head aud clothes. After prisoner hit him he knocked him down. In the previous row he did not strike him at all, hut he struggled with him to get him in-doors. Prisoner had been drinking. The prisoner had no questions to ask the prosecutor. Mrs. Elizabeth Derrick said she lived at Fordington, and Barter lodged in her house. Last Friday she saw him take a poker and strike the prisoner over the head. He caused a wound which bled very much. The poker was red-hot. When she came home that evening she found Barter by the fire, and she complaned to him that he had too much fire, as she was afraid he would set the place on fire. Someone outside called out fire. She did not know who. Mrs. Garrett came down, and in consequence of what she said, told Barrett he had too much fire, and he then went out and struck her. Stayner took her part and struck Barrett. They returned to her house and remained talking some little time, and Stayner tried to persuade him to go to bed. After about twenty minutes, when Stayner was leaving, and had his hand on the t,lndle of the door, Barter took the poker and struck him. There had been no quarreling between them previously. Called upon fir ina,defence, the prisoner Darter said he had nothing to say. The Mayor told him it Was a most violent assault, and might have cost the prosecutor his life The blow itself was quite sufficient to have caused serious injury, without the fact of the poker being red-hot, and consequently there had been a remand to see if erysipelas set in. He could not be let off without a heavy punishment; drunkenness was no excuse for such a murderous assault The punishment the Bench were about to inflict would be severe, but not more severe than he deserved, and they trusted it would b.s a warning to him. He would be imprisoned in the County Gaol for two months' with hard labour.  appropriately named quarter, Mill-street, Fordington—for there are more llstv-cuff quarrels there than in any other part of Dorchester, of course, had a case. Miss Amelia Bu'l—it ought to be Bulley—was summoned by Mary L •igg and Caroline Mitchell for using obscene language. The case had been settled out of court. [lt is a pity magistrates allow this sort of procedure. We believe we are not overstating it when we say the language heard in our streets would disgrace the Seven  _ . John Lamb, of Sherborne, was charged before Mr. M. Devenish and Mr. Gregory, with being a deserter from the Dorset Militia since the Bch of June, 1874. Ile gave himself up. The it,tnch discharged him.