The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-11-18 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

SELLING THE CHILDREN'S BREAD FOR DRINK.— Ellen Lowder, a married woman, with a baby in her arms, was charged with neglecting her children. Her husband said on Saturday night he went to Cherbourg in a steamer instead of a man who was ill. About three on Tuesday morning he returned home; but when about to go to bed, he found his wife had sold the pillows, bed clothes, some of his clothes, ani the children's food, besidts other things, and was not sober. When he asked what she had done with the things, she said she had sold them and would get rid of the rest. A woman was kind enough to give him two small loaves, after which he bought two more, but his wite sold two of the loaves to a woman in High-street for 4d. or 4id. Before she got into bad company his wife was industrious; but now she broke up the counterpane to sell it.—Sergoant Apsey on Thursday visited defendant's house, and found it in a most dirty and dreadful state. There were no bed clothes to cover the children and not even a bed, mattress, or bundle of straw to lie upon, and the house was most filthy. There were four children at home and two out. They did not appear to have been kept short of food, and one was tidily dressed; but one, between eight and nine, was in a dreadful state. Defendant had given way to drink, and was an habitual drunkard.—The wife said her husband left her on Saturday with 25., out of which she had to pay SAd. for what she owed. She sold the bread to buy some tea and sugar.—The Mayor asked what she proposed to do, as she appeared to have no control over herself. Would she go to the Union with her children ?—The woman replied she would be glad to do so, for she would never live with her husband again.—The Mayor: I should think yon would be ashamed to, and that is the only redeeming feature in your case—that shame.—Lowder asked if the Bench would let him have an order for them to go into the Union, and the Mayor replied the Bench would do all they could to assist him, as he had a great trouble, and it was very creditable to him to have kept up as well as he had; many a man would have gone to the bad.—Adjourned for a week, to enable the wife and children to be taken into the Union.  IN SEARCH OF A SITUATION —James Augustus Tonp, a respectably dressed man, was brought up for being drunk and riotous at the police station —Sergeant Delamont found prisoner drunk and excited outside the station at half-past midnight. He complained of P.C. Carter having pushed him about on the other side of the water; he was abusive and disturbed the neighbourhood, so he was put in the cell, where he cried "Murder," and drew a number ot people to the station. P.C. Carter found prisoner under a door in High-street, and was asked to find him lodgings, which he could not do at that hour, when prisoner called him a pig, threatened to report him, and poked his nose in the constable's face, whereon he pushed him away.—Prisoner said he had been engaged for some Turkish baths at Southamptcn, and had come from Scotland in search of a situation.—Adjourned, and if prisoner's statement was true he can get elf to Southampton.