The Shropshire Examiner and all round the Wrekin advertiser. — 1876-10-27 (Wenlock, Shropshire, England)

DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT OF A NORTH RIDING FARMER.  At the North Riding Quarter Sessions, at North'len ton, last week, the trial of a Kirbymoorside farmer revealed a shocking disregard of the ordinary decencies of life. John Scarth, farmer, W 43 indicted for indecently assaulting Sarah Wardell, of Kirbymoorside, on the 2;th July last. Mr. Thompson sod Mr. Bickerteth were counsel for the prosecution; Mr. Maule, Q.C., sad Mr. Skidmore defended.— Mr. Th.mi.uron, in opening the case, stated that the prisoner was a person of position and propeay in the riding, and that the circumstances of the case were of a very aggravated nature: It appeared that the prisoner was in the habit of sleephug in the same bed room Ise his mother rend eeverel female servants. The prosecutrix entercd his service at the end of last year. She knew nothing of their domestic arrangements when she vas engaged, and after she entered her situation she was obliged to do the same as the others. In March last he In a cruel and heartless manner seduced her, after which he continued to treat her brutally, although he , had promised to marry her. On the evening of Thur.' day, tne 2;th July, he committed upon her ark assault ot a disgusting nature. While swatting his trial, ado; dant charged complainant with having stolen Its watch, and she was apprehended, but he did not appear aaiost I her, and she was discharged. The evi,lence of the cool! plainant was not fully sustained try inclei end. et teat!' nanny, which it was alleged it was difficult, under the circumttanoes, to obtain. The deteuce was a denial of the charge. One of the witnesses, a female servant in the employment of the defendant, in reply to the Chairman, said she did not cc nsidet it Improper for the bedroom door to be open, et for Teesdale, a male servant, to see them undressing, because he had several times slept in the sane room. When the defendant was away from home, Teesdale bad to sleep in the room, cud when he was away his father slept there. Mrs. Scarth, defendant's mother, would not sleep in the room witheut a man.—The jury feted the defendant guilty.—Mr. Thompson asked the Court, under powers conferred by the 24th arid 25th Victor* sec. 74, cap. 1.0, to make an order that the defendant should pay the costs incurred by the prosecutrin.—The Chairman sentenced the defendant to eighteen months' imprisonment with hard labour, and ordered hint to psl the costs of the prosecution, or in default to be irre prieoned for a further term of three months. - —.— ATTEMPTED DOUBLE AftliDEE.-A young man named Joseph Wilson, '21., years of age, coachman at Grantos IHouse, Moffat, has been lodged in Dumfries rd. , for attempting to murder two of his fellow eervante i by shooting them with a doubimbarrelled gun. Wilson ' had blamed a servant named Rogerson for interferint with his stable lamp, and assaulted him, threateniel to be the death of him. Wilson ran into ti3e roont where tho guns were kept, and two fellow servants stint the door after he had entered, lie then fired telt shots through the door, wounding Rogerson and rho housekeeper, who was passing at the time.