The Western Gazette 08 Feb 1884 Yeovil County Petty Sessions includes Stanford MALE of Barrington stealing rose trees

The Western Gazette Friday 08 Feb 1884

Page 5 Column 7 & 8


YEOVIL

COUNTY PETTY SESSIONS.

WEDNESDAY.- Before Messrs. Herbert B. BATTEN, G. TROYTE-BULLOCK, W. R. PHELIPS, C. A. MESSITER, H. HELYAR, W. NEAL, Capt. BENNETT, and Major ALDWORTH.

CHARGE OF STEALING TWO ROSE TREES. - Stanford MALE, grocer, of Barrington, was charged with stealing two rose trees, the property of Edwin HEAD, mason, of Ash. - Mr. Trevor DAVIES, of Sherborne, appeared for defendant. - P.C. MARSHALL stated that on Saturday night, Jan. 12th, he was on duty at Ash, when he saw a horse and cart coming up the street, defendant being a few yards behind. The defendant, who ran towards the trap, had two rose trees (produced) in his left hand. Witness asked the defendant where he obtained the trees, and, after some slight hesitation, he said he picked them up on the road some way back. As the witness did not consider this a satisfactory explanation, he made enquiries, and on the following morning went to the prosecutor, who, after inspecting his garden, found that two trees had been pulled from the ground. The prosecutor and witness traced foot-prints from the road into the garden and back “over the garden wall.” - In cross-examination by Mr. DAVIES, witness said the head of the horse was towards Barrington, and the defendant was on the Yeovil side of HEAD's house. Defendant told witness that he picked up the trees about 200 yards from prosecutor's premises. - The prosecutor proved missing two rose trees from his garden on Sunday, January 13. He identified the rose trees (produced), which he last saw in his garden on the previous Saturday evening, about five o'clock. The trees were worth 1s 6d. - Mr. DAVIES, for the defence, said that defendant was a highly-respectable man, having resided at Barrington with an unblemished character for many years. He had been in the habit of taking unsewn gloves from glove manufacturers at Yeovil to women living in the neighbourhood of Barrington, and was entrusted with a large amount of property. Mr. DAVIES admitted that the rose trees were in his client's possession, but contended that not a particle of evidence had been submitted to connect him with the robbery. The defendant's statement that he picked up the trees was, Mr. DAVIES contended, quite compatible with his innocence. - Mr. George ATHERTON, glove manufacturer, said that he had known defendant for the past 10 years, and had always found him a most honest, upright man. - Fined £1, including costs; defendant to pay the value of the rose trees; total, £1 1s 6d.

TRESPASSING IN PURSUIT OF GAME. - Wm. HILL, glover, Thos. TOMPKINS, glover, and Wm. STONE, all of Yeovil, were summoned for trespassing on land in the occupation of Mr. Daniel WOOLMINGTON, in the parish of East Coke. - William THORNE, gamekeeper to Mr. G. TROYTE-BULLOCK, said that on Monday, Jan. 14, he saw the defendants on land in the occupation of Mr. Daniel WOOLMINGTON, with ferrets, nets, and a dog, rabbiting. Mr. TROYTE-BULLOCK had the right of shooting over the land. The defendants caught one rabbit in witness's presence, and tried the hedge with a dog. Witness asked the defendants their names. TOMPKINS and STONE refused to give theirs, while HILL gave the name of “John VINCENT.” - The defendant STONE said that William HILL told them that he had obtained permission from Mr. WOOLMINGTON to take rabbits. - The gamekeeper said that Mr. WOOLMINGTON denied giving the defendants permission. - STONE and TOMPKINS were fined 10s each and costs; and HILL, who did not appear, was fined £1 and costs, or 21 days' imprisonment. - TOMPKINS paid the fine, but STONE, who asked to be allowed time to pay, was sent to gaol for 14 days. - (Mr. TROYTE-BULLOCK retired from the Bench during the hearing of this case.)

ASSAULT ON A WIFE. - Henry BROWN, a carter, of Nether Compton, was summoned for unlawfully assaulting Isabella, his wife. - Prosecutrix stated that on the 14th January, the defendant came to Closworth, where she was residing with her parents. Witness, who “felt in danger of her life,” when she saw the defendant, locked the door and refused to allow her husband to come into the house. The defendant then went away and shortly afterwards returned with P.C. WATTS, who asked witness's mother to allow her daughter to speak to her husband. Witness subsequently spoke to her husband, but refused to comply with his request to go to Compton, when he dragged her about the road and handled her in a very rough manner. - P.C. WATTS said that the defendant desired to take his wife to Compton, but she refused, and he attempted to take her by force. - Defendant said it was his wish to live peaceably with his wife, and on the day in question he went to Closworth for the purpose of asking his wife to return. She, however, refused to return with him. He did not strike her. - The magistrates dismissed the case.

ILLEGALLY RESCUING CATTLE FROM POUND. - Maria GRINTER, of Stoke-sub-Hamdon, was charged with illegally rescuing three cows from John England CABLE, who was driving them to the pound. - Mr. Sidney WATTS, who appeared to prosecute, said the defendant lived with her mother, and kept a few cows on a little plot of land at Stoke. At various times these cows had trespassed on land in the occupation of Captain Chaffey CHAFFEY, and he had given his men instructions to impound the cattle. On the 21st January the cows were on the prosecutor's land, and CABLE took them to the pound at Stoke. When he reached the pound he found it was locked, and went to get the key from the hayward, leaving the cows in charge of a man named TAVENDER. On CABLE's return he found that the defendant had rescued the cows, notwithstanding that TAVENDER had cautioned her that they were to be impounded. - Evidence bearing out the above facts was given by CABLE and TAVENDER. - Defendant, who said she was not aware that the cattle were about to be impounded, was fined 5s, including costs.

STEALING A CABBAGE. - John BIDDICOMBE, labourer, Marston, was charged with stealing a cabbage, value 2d, the property of Thomas Rowland THORNE, also of Marston. - Defendant pleaded guilty, and the facts having been stated by A.S. HUISH, he was fined 5s, including costs, and cautioned as to his future conduct.

UNTENANTABLE HOUSES. - Charles HARDING, plasterer, of Yeovil, was summoned by the Inspector to the Rural Sanitary Authority for having a house in his possession unfit for human habitation. - It appeared from the statement of Mr. LANGDON (Inspector) that the house, which was situated at Alvington, was in a filthy condition and unfit for human habitation. The house had, until recently, been inhabited. - Defendant said the house was locked up on the 29th January. He, however, was not in a position to repair it. - The Magistrates told defendant that he must either pull the house down or repair it. It must not remain in its present condition. He must abate the nuisance immediately. - Eliza LANGDON, of Preston Plunknett, was summoned for a similar offence in respect of a house at Chiselborough. - The Inspector said the house was in a deplorable state, and was at present inhabited. The foundation was unsafe, and the rain came through the roof into the bedroom on to the beds. - Defendant's son stated that his mother was unable to get the tenants out of the house. - Ordered to repair the house, or pull it down.

Mr. W. R. PHELIPS, who is Chairman of both the Rural Sanitary Authority and School Attendance Committee, did not adjudicate in the following cases:-

NUISANCE AT STOKE-SUB-HAMDON. - James GAYLARD, of Stoke-sub-Hamdon, was summoned for allowing a nuisance to exist on premises, of which he was the occupier, at Stoke. - Mr. Trevor DAVIES, of Sherborne, who appeared for the Rural Sanitary Authority, said that some time since the defendant erected five cottages, abutting on land of one CHANT, an in consequence of his not having put in sufficient drainage to carry away the sewage, it permeated through a wall near CHANT's premises. Therefore, the nuisance, which arose through defective drainage on defendant's premises, existed on Mr. CHANT's premises. - Inspector LANGDON proved serving the necessary notices. He had inspected the premises, and was of opinion that the drain on defendant's premises was improperly constructed. He described the bad state of the drainage, and said the nuisance still existed. - Ordered to abate the nuisance forthwith.

THE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ACT. - The Bench were occupied a considerable time in hearing School Board summonses, and in nearly all the cases fines were inflicted. - Mr. LANGDON, school attendance officer, prosecuted.

 

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