The Telegram. — 1899-06-06 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

DORSET ASSIZES.  The commission for these Assizes was opened on Saturday. The judge, Mr. Justice Phillimore, arrived by the nudalay train at Dorchester,land was root at the L.& S.W.R. Station by the usual retinue. His Lordahto took his seat in the carriage of the High Sheriff (Mr. Colfox), by whom he was accompanied, together with the latter's chaplain (Canon Gildea). In the processional escort which followed the trumpeters to the judge's lodgings in High West Street, were Mr. E. Arch,!all Ffooks (clerk of the peace), Mr. H. A. Huxttable. and Sergt.-Major Carruthers in command of the police. On Sunday morning at 11 o'clock the Judge attended Divine service at Holy Trinity Church, driving with the High Sheriff and his chaplain from his lodgings, and being met at the entrance to the church by the Mayor (Aid. G. Davis) and the Corporation of the boraugh in their robes of office. The members of the Town Council present at the service were, besides the Mayor (who is a Wesleyan), Aldermen A. Pope, It. A. Huxtable, and A. Lock (churchwarden), Councillors W. P. Genge, J. Paine, T. R. Higgins, S. D. Allen, J. Hazel, J. Feacer, H. Tilley, and J. Fudge (churchwarden). with the medical official (Dr. Day). The National Anthem was played by the organist (Mr. Itoyton-iimith) as the procession entered the church. The prayers were intoned by the Bev. Rowland Hill (rector), and the sermon was preached by the High Sheriff's chaplain from Ezekiel 11. There was a large congregation, anci a crowd of people waited in the street to see the Judge proceed, at the close of the service, to his lodgings. The Town Clerk (Mr. H. Symonds) was unable to attend the service owing to indisposition. Morava. The Judge took his seat at 11 o'clock. The following were empannelled on the grand jury : Col. J. R. P. Goodden (fireman), J. W. T. Fyler,Major Sykes, Capt. C. S. Glyn, C. J. Radcliffe, M. S. Williams. T. A. Collor, Major A. U. Dugdale, F. H. (lath, E. Barkworth, H. S. Williams, Lieut.-Col. J. D. Hansel. G. T. Noel, E. B. James, Capt. H. A. Cartwright, A. Delafontaine, G. F. Pinney, H. R. Dugmore, G. H. Digby, Cant. E. Hardy, Col. Hon. Rev. C. Dighy. A. E. Lee, R. Slater. His Lordship, in his charge, congratulated the Grand Jury and the county on the small number ef cases in the calendar—only ten, and though most of tne cases might have been tried at Quarter Sessions he It it was desirable that the gaols a, I be delivered at Assizes. He was also glad that bail was granted as much as poss. sible, or otherwise prisoners might he in 1:40i as long as their offence deserved, and it was certainly a great hardship upon such men if they were afterwards proved to be innocent. He expressed regret that there was no civil business. He knew there hail been one case cornpremised within a few days, but he thought that cases might lie well tried there instead of tieing sent to London. He trusted practitioners generally would take his words to heart. There was only one charge in the calendar that called for comment, that of Wm. Hou-e. charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Annie Williams, at Weymouth. It appeared that as long ago as Febriory 4th, the pris,ner, on the proinise of taking the woman to his sister's house, instead took her to a barge and pushed her down a hatchway, and covered her over with boarding, so that she could not get out, and she was not rescued till mite iiays aft, rwards, faint and almost exhausted from starvation. It was an extraordinary story (list the man should have done such a thina and that having done it the woman should have lmen unable to escape, as there appeared to have been persons on board even, and as tie understood it at one time some boys had been down the hatchway. It was one of the most remarkable and romantic stories that had ever come into a court of justice. One could see ori the one hand a great deal of improl.ahility in the woman's story. On the other hand, if true, the man was in all but fact guilty of murder, which he must have intended. His lordship remarked that he had added to the indictment another count of false imprisonment ; that of shutting the woman in a place irons which she could not e,capei. The case was a remarkable one, and would require a great deal of sifting,but he thought,as far as the Grand Jury was concerned, they would not think it a case to hinny up but send it before the Petty Jury for trial.