The Telegram. — 1900-07-10 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

BANKRUPTCY AUT.—Walla/A MICCP (36), cattle dealer, Wanstrow, was charged with havine,been adjudged a bankrupt and within four months next betcre the presentation of the bankruptcy petition against him, with unlawfuliy, by the presentation of a worthless cheque, obtaining, 35 calves, on credit, at Dorchester, on February Ttli.—Prisoner pleaded guilty to a breach' of the Baiikruptcy Debtors' Act. Mr. C. Salter, Q. 0.. for the prosecution, outlined the circumstances of the transaction in respect of which prisoner was on trial. He said 'hat Clacee, who kept an ion at Wanstrow, near Shepton Mallet, came to Dorchester market on Fohroary 7th and bought from Messrs. Ensor auctioneers, 35 calves, tor which he gave cheque for £l4l 18,, coupled with repr.-sentations that it was allright. But it was alleged that defendant knew at the time that the cheque would he di'honoured.—Mr. H. F. Lock,Q.C., who appeared for the prisoner, pleaded that Clacee hoped by energetic business to recoup himself and to right hi, business, end gave the the cheque, believing lie would be able to have sufficient money at the bank to meet It when it became due.—Prisoner was sentenced to six months with hard labour.  SRMOUS CHARON AGAINST AN IVGINIt DRlWirn Percy Frank Nuluion (29), engine driver, was indicted with unlawfully and wilfully leaving an engine belonging to the Great Wr.stern Railway Company, at Weymouth, on December 18th, whereby the lives of persons passing along the Great Western and South Western Portland Joint Railway might have been endangered—Prisoner pleaded not guilty.—Mr. C. Salter appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. B. F. Lock defended.— Mr. Salter said the prosecution was brought by the Great Western authuritien. It was a serious offence, although, happily, in tins case, the result, were not fatal. On December 18th prisoner was in charge of the 6.50 train from Weymouth to Portland as engine driver. His fireman was a young man 18 years of age, and of very slender experience. Tiie train duly started.' It was of some importance to point out that pritoner was in the habit of smartening himself up for the last train of the day, 8.50, but on this day, contrary to his usual practice, be had einartened himself up earlier, when he started with the 6.50 train. A. the train was passing the Backwater Bridge Willis was occupied with the fire, but on reaching the Littlefield crossing he turned round and was horrified to find that he was alone upon the engine. Prisoner had entirely disappeared. Tne train was proceeding at a considerable speed. Willis was almost mad with terrer. In the train there were about 50 or 60 passengers. Willis pulled himself together and fortunately succeeded in bringing the train to a standstill at Rodwell Station, where it was delayed for tonic time while search was made for the naming driver. It was thought Nuttnan had either been drowned or committed suicide. On April 9th prisoner was traced to a small virtue in Surrey, where he was living with his wife's sister tinder the assumed name of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor. He then made a statement that when lie jumped into the water he fully realised the danger to the passengers, and then went on to state "I was falling from the engine and jumped to save myself." The question was whether prisoner wilfelly left the train. If the prisoner's story were true he thought the prisoner's first act would have been to repel t himself. What he (counsel) asked them to believe was that to cover up the unfortunate scandal betweeu himself and his wife's sister, he took the steps related, and he and she went away and lived under an assumed nanae.—Evidence similar to that taken at the examination at Weymouth was then given.—Mr. Lock, in his speech for the defence, said the accused was in such a state of mental disturbance as a result of the condition of his household affairs that he tried to commit suicide. He submitted that by throwing himself from the engine he did not endanger the lives of the passengers, as ho had taught the stoker hew to stop the engine. The train would only be going at the rate of about 15 cedes an hour. The cold water brought hint to his senses, and knowing he had forfeited his situation he disappeared. He asked the jury to believe that prisoner did nob know what he was doing.— Prisoner gave evicleuce, and said .that in consequence of the stave of things at his home he had tried to commit suicide, He bad often let Willis stop the train. The guard could have stopped the train dead at Rod well station. He was afraid to go home, but went to London. He had only Sc 9d in his pocket. If he had contemplated running away he would have had more money. Two weeks later he wrote to his sister-in-law, who sent him some money, and afterwards joined him. The determination to commit suicide canes all at once. He did not know What the fireman Was doing when he jumped from the engine. He did not intend any injury to the passengers. His statement to the detective that he slipped and jumped to save himself was not true. He did not write to his wife, whom he left with threechildren. —lu reviewing the evidence, the Chairman directed the attention of the jury simply to the feet whether the prisoner by his act endangered the safety of the passengers who were in the train. Prisoner had admitted that he left the engine, and that he did it with the intention of counnittiug suicide, but that to him (Mr. Middleton) did not appear to affect the act, tmicn would still be unlawful, whatever the purpose of leaving it might be.—The jury, after a few minutes consultation, declared prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced to six months with hard labour, the C hair uian obeerving that prisoner's conduct placed the lives of 50 to 60 people in most imminent peril, and time result might have been a most disastrous catastrophe.