The Western Times 21 Apr 1876 Cullompton Petty Sessions

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The Western Times; Exeter Friday 21 Apr 1876
Page 7


CULLOMPTON.

PETTY SESSIONS – Monday. - Before J. C. NEW, G. M. MARKER, and T. TURNER, Esqs. - John GREENSLADE, carpenter, Shilgate, Wiveliscombe, was summoned for breach of contract by Mr. Charles HELLINGS, farmer, of Holcombe Rogus. Prosecutor advertised for a carpenter early in January, and received an application from defendant, whom he met at Tiverton on the 22nd Feb., where an agreement was drawn up between them and signed by defendant, prosecutor to give him 14s per week with a house to live in, and consideration of defendant working from 8 a.m. to 5 30 p.m. for him, the contract to take effect last Lady-day and hold good to Lady-day 1877. Defendant admitted signing the contract, but thought he could be free of the engagement, as on the 23rd of February he wrote complainant a letter informing him he could not enter on the work. - The Bench considered it a clear breach of contract, and ordered defendant to pay £1 10s and costs, total £2. - Mr. Charles HELLINGS, complainant in the last case, was charged with obstructing the public pathway at Holcombe Rogus on the 27th March. Defendant it appeared put about three cartloads of stone and dirt from a house undergoing repairs on to the pathway, where it remained to the following morning, and a portion of it some days later. Defendant attempted to establish a right to the land on which the rubbish was placed, but it could not be entertained as the public have had the right of way there for many years. - Fined 1s and 9s costs. - James ROOKLEY, labourer, for befng <sic> drunk at Kentisbeare on the 27th March was fined 10s 6d including costs. - Willtam <sic> MILTON, labourer, was summoned for a like offence at Culmstock on the 28th ultimo. - Fined 11s 6d including costs. - John CORK, labourer, Uffculme, was summoned for being drunk at Culmstock on the 28th ult. - Defendant did not appear case proved by P.C. DAMERELL. - Fined 15s to include costs. - John ARTHURS, smith, for drunkenness at Sampford Peverell on the 28th ult., was fined 11s 6d including costs. - Robert PARR, farmer, was summoned for leaving a horse and cart in the highway at Sampford Peverell on the night of the 2nd with no one in charge. Defendant was taking a little beer with a few others inside the public-house. Fined with costs ?s. - Stephen OLIVER, l bourer <sic>, was charged with being drunk at Silverton on the 2nd. P.C. DODD proved the case. Fined 11s 6d including costs. - Charles DART, labourer for drunkenness at Silverton on the 2nd, was fined 11s 6d including costs. - Rob rt <sic> WYATT, jun, mason, for being drunk at Cullompton on the 10th, was fined 10s 6d including costs. - Wm. HARRIS, farmer – late of Culmstock, now residing in Middlesex – was summoned by the overseers of Culmstock for the non-payment of £5 9s 1d poor-rate. Defend nt <sic> did not appear. Supt. COLLINS proved the service of summons on defendant at his re idence <sic> in Middlesex. Mr. Robert CHANNING, assistant overseer, produced the rate book, and deposed to sending three demand notes for the amount to defendant and writing him three private letters on the subject, to none of which had he received any answer. A warrant of distre s <sic> was issued for the amount due and all costs. - Thomas WILLIAMS, farmer, Silverton, was summoned by William CAPEL, labourer, for 6s 6d due for wages. Complainant said he agreed to make up a qu ntity <sic> of faggot wood for 2s 6d per hundred and some hedging for 8d per yard. He made 141 faggots of wood and did twenty-four yards of hedging which together came to 11s 6d, out of which he had received 5s, and claimed the remaining 6s 6d. Defendant endeavoured to justify the non-payment by saying that other work besides the hedging was to be done, and that 6s 6d was paid complainant instead of 5s as stated by him, and when the other work was done the money should be paid. There was no written agreement to substantiate the statement, and defendant was ordered to pay the 6s 6d claimed and costs, total £1 1s. - Harriet SALTER was charged with assaulting Thomas COLES, a little boy, at Willand on the 15th. Defendant said she did it because he threw stones and dirt in the garden. The Bench considered it a paltry case, and ordered defendant and complainant to make the affair up and pay costs between them (9s), which was done. - John TWOSE, labourer, was charged with stealing a quantity of coal, value 1s 3d, the property of Frederick WOODBURY, of Nicholsbayne, Culmstock, smith, on Saturday. It appeared that complainant had ordered a ton of coals from Mr. PETHERELL, Wellington, and defendant, who worked for Mr. PETHEREIL, was sent with the load. A little distance from the house of complainant is a public-house called the Cross Keys, where defendant sold, for 1s 3d, 1 cwt. and 2lbs. Of coal. On coming to complainant's he (prosecutor) weighed the coal and found the l ad <sic> 1 cwt. 2lbs. short. He went to Wellington and inquired if any coal had been sent to the landlady of the Cross Keys. Being answered in the negative he gave information to the police. The landlady of the Cross Keys gave evidence as to the purchase of the coal from defendant, and stated she had received at different times cwts of coal in that way from Mr. PETHEREIL's yard. - Defendant's statement was that he found the coal he sold on the turnpike-road near Rockwell Green, and would not admit the offence for some time. - A brother of accused, Thos. TWOSE, aged 19, deposed to seeing defendant pick the coal up on the road that was sold by him and put it in a basket. - Accused ultimately admitted his guilt and elected to be tried by the Bench, the Chairman telling him that as he had to join the 1st Somerset Militia soon he should receive a merciful sentence. The Chairman administered a severe censure on his conduct in stoutly denying the offence and bringing his brother forward to give the evidence he had. Sent three weeks to gaol with hard labour. - The brother was then called forward and received from the Chairman a scathing rebuke for the evidence he had given.


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