The West Somerset Free Press Saturday 11 Nov 1905
Page 6 Column 6
SOMERSET ASSIZE.
The winter assize for the county of Somerset opened at Wells on Monday before Mr. Justice LAWRANCE. His lordship, who attended divine service at the Cathedral on Sunday, was received by the Major and Corporation attired in their civic robes. The commission was read and the court opened in the Crown Court at 11.30. The high sheriff (Sir W. H. WILLS) attended his lordship, and the duties of under sheriff were carried out pro tem. by Mr. S. F. GOODALL.
THE CHARGE.
His Lordship, in charging the grand jury, said although he could not congratulate them altogether upon the calendar, he was happy to say that most of the cases, with two or three exceptions, were not of a very grave character.
CHARGE AGAINST A BATH TRAMCAR CONDUCTOR.
Frederick Vagges HAWKINS (26), coach painter, surrendered to his bail to answer an indictment for stealing a purse containing a £5 note and £5 in money, the moneys of Mabel LAMBERT, at Bath, in October last. Mr. SIMONS defended. Mr. VACHELL, who prosecuted, said prisoner, at the time Miss LAMBERT lost her money, was a conductor on one of the electric trams at Bath, and on the 13th of last month prosecutrix was a traveller in the prisoner's car, and Miss LAMBERT left her purse on the seat. Mrs. PIKE, travelling by the same tram, saw the purse and gave it to her husband who handed it to the prisoner, and he (HAWKINS) later said he had handed it to the owner, who had gone inside the tram, as it was too cold on the top. This statement, said the prosecution, was a fabrication. An advertisement was later put in one of the Bath papers, and Mr. PIKE, seeing it, communicated with the Tram Company, stating that he had given a purse to the prisoner. Prisoner was then called upon for his statement and confronted with Miss LAMBERT, and asked if that was the lady to whom he gave the purse, as she was the owner of it. He replied, “No.” The purse and its contents had not been recovered. After evidence in support of counsel's statement had been given, Mr. SIMONS, on prisoner's behalf, said it was a case of suspicion only. Prisoner was then sworn, and denied that he stole the purse. He admitted that Mr. PIKE gave him a purse, which he (prisoner) gave to a tall stout lady. - By Mr. VACHELL: The purse he found was not similar to the one described by Miss LAMBERT. - Mr. VACHELL: Find any more that day? Prisoner: We are finding them every day. - Thomas Henry HANNAM, motor man in the employ of the Tramway Company, Bath, related a conversation prisoner had with him about the missing purse. - Counsel then addressed the jury, and his Lordship, having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of guilty. Prisoner was sentence to 15 month's hard labour.
<section not transcribed>The West Somerset Free Press Saturday 11 Nov 1905
Page 6 Column 6
SOMERSET ASSIZE.
The winter assize for the county of Somerset opened at Wells on Monday before Mr. Justice LAWRANCE. His lordship, who attended divine service at the Cathedral on Sunday, was received by the Major and Corporation attired in their civic robes. The commission was read and the court opened in the Crown Court at 11.30. The high sheriff (Sir W. H. WILLS) attended his lordship, and the duties of under sheriff were carried out pro tem. by Mr. S. F. GOODALL.
THE CHARGE.
His Lordship, in charging the grand jury, said although he could not congratulate them altogether upon the calendar, he was happy to say that most of the cases, with two or three exceptions, were not of a very grave character.
CHARGE AGAINST A BATH TRAMCAR CONDUCTOR.
Frederick Vagges HAWKINS (26), coach painter, surrendered to his bail to answer an indictment for stealing a purse containing a £5 note and £5 in money, the moneys of Mabel LAMBERT, at Bath, in October last. Mr. SIMONS defended. Mr. VACHELL, who prosecuted, said prisoner, at the time Miss LAMBERT lost her money, was a conductor on one of the electric trams at Bath, and on the 13th of last month prosecutrix was a traveller in the prisoner's car, and Miss LAMBERT left her purse on the seat. Mrs. PIKE, travelling by the same tram, saw the purse and gave it to her husband who handed it to the prisoner, and he (HAWKINS) later said he had handed it to the owner, who had gone inside the tram, as it was too cold on the top. This statement, said the prosecution, was a fabrication. An advertisement was later put in one of the Bath papers, and Mr. PIKE, seeing it, communicated with the Tram Company, stating that he had given a purse to the prisoner. Prisoner was then called upon for his statement and confronted with Miss LAMBERT, and asked if that was the lady to whom he gave the purse, as she was the owner of it. He replied, “No.” The purse and its contents had not been recovered. After evidence in support of counsel's statement had been given, Mr. SIMONS, on prisoner's behalf, said it was a case of suspicion only. Prisoner was then sworn, and denied that he stole the purse. He admitted that Mr. PIKE gave him a purse, which he (prisoner) gave to a tall stout lady. - By Mr. VACHELL: The purse he found was not similar to the one described by Miss LAMBERT. - Mr. VACHELL: Find any more that day? Prisoner: We are finding them every day. - Thomas Henry HANNAM, motor man in the employ of the Tramway Company, Bath, related a conversation prisoner had with him about the missing purse. - Counsel then addressed the jury, and his Lordship, having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of guilty. Prisoner was sentence to 15 month's hard labour.
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