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Bideford Gazette, and Devon and Cornwall Advertiser. Tuesday 23 Jun 1908
Page 2 Column 5 and 6
HARD SWEARING FROM PARKHAM.
WITNESS WHO MADE NOTES.
“BOUGHT A SCORE OF BROOCHES.”
Bideford County Magistrates held a special sitting in the Town Hall on Tuesday last, the Justices present being Mr. J. C. T. HERIZ-SMITH (in the Chair), and the Mayor (Mr. J. M. METHERELL, c.c.), to hear an application by Ada BRAUND, a domestic, single, against Reuben BAGLOW, a farm labourer of High View, Hoops, in respect of her male child, born on May 16th last.
Mr. A. F. SELDON (Barnstaple) appeared for applicant, Mr. R. E. C. BALSDON (Messrs. Toller, Oerton and Balsdon, Barnstaple), representing defendant. At Mr. BALDON's request the witnesses were ordered out of Court, until they were called to give evidence.
Mr. SELDON said the girl was twenty years of age, and for six or seven years was a domestic servant in the employ of the GRIGGs, Parkham. Defendant, who lived out, was 36 years of age, single, and also worked for the GRIGGs, whose household comprised old Mr. Seth GRIGG, Mr. and Mrs. Harry GRIGG and the applicant. Old Mr. GRIGG was in the habit of going to Hoops several times during the week, and Reuben usually brought him home, and sometimes when Mr. and Mrs. Harry GRIGG were away, put him to bed. It was on one of these occasions, about May, 1906, that familiarity began, and continued with regularity for eighteen months, the parties meeting in the house and Sunday evenings after chapel.
Applicant also specifically mentioned Halwell Harvest Festival. In October, she told the Bench, she saw the doctor, and on informing defendant what the doctor said, he remarked “All right.” After that defendant gave her a brooch (produced) and told her if anyone asked her where she got it, she was to say she bought it. He also told her if anyone asked her who the father of the child was, to say she did not know, and he (defendant) would marry her at Lady-Day. On January 21st this year applicant and Mrs. BREND, a neighbour, went to defendant and asked him what he intended to do. Defendant replied: “Do as you will, you have carried it on so far.” Her father asked him about the brooch, and BAGLOW said he had “bought scores of brooches.” However, he denied giving applicant one. Upon that Mrs. BREND said: “I've caught you in a lie, because you told me you have never bought a brooch in your life.”
By Mr. BALSDON: When misconduct commenced Samuel HAMLYN was also living at the farm. He used to help her in the milking and she did up his collar and tie. He gave her a brooch which he bought at the door from a pedlar. She received a letter and picture post-card from a young man named THORNE with two crosses at the bottom of the letter. - Q: What did the crosses mean? A: Kisses, I suppose. - Q: Were you friendly with him? A: No. - Q: Why should he put the kisses on the letter? A: I don't know.
Mr. SELDON: Ask him!
By Mr. BALSON: The letter asked her to meet the writer at Parkham Church at 6.30, but she did not go. On one occasion when she was seen with defendant, Reubin ran away.
By Mr. SELDON: HAMLYN was a man of about 40 and had never denied giving her a brooch. He left Lady-Day last year and she had never seen him since. She had been familiar with no one but defendant.
Mr. E. NORTHWOOD, jeweller, of Bideford, siad <sic> in September or October last year he sold a brooch something after the style of the one produced to the defendant.
John WESTAWAY, of Winslade, Parkham, said on 10th March, 1907, he was with Alfred Wm. COLWILL and saw defendant and the applicant in Fowlfield Gateway.
Mr. BALSDON: How do you fix the date? - Witness: I entered it on a piece of paper. - What caused you to enter it? I thought I would bear it in mind. - Are you in the habit of entering things like that when you see them? Yes. Alfred COLWILL said to me “There'll be a summonsing job over this game” and thats what made me enter it. - Did you put the time down? Yes, between 9 and 10. I did not get the exact minute. The piece of paper was at home.
Reubin ARNOLD, motor engineer, who attended on subpoena from Exeter, said he was at Halwell Harvest Festival on 25th Sept. last year and saw defendant, whom he knew and had a conversation with, walk away arm-in-arm with the applicant.
Richard BRAUND, father of the applicant, stated when he spoke to defendant about the case he replied that he would “see him one day on the quiet and tell him the secret.”
Mrs. Lydia BREND stated that defendant told her he had never bought a brooch in his life, not even to give to one of his sisters.
Mr. BALSDON submitted that there was absolutely no corroboration of any material fact. WESTAWAY's evidence he discounted, and said if he was in the neighbourhood of Barnstaple, he would soon have his dairy full. There was nothing more wrong in defendant seeing the girl home from a harvest festival than in her doing up HAMLYN's tie. As to the brooch incident, the girl had admitted in cross-examination that the brooch was given to her before the doctor told her what her condition was.
Defendant was called and absolutely denied any familiarity with applicant at all, said he had never given her a brooch, and was not with her when WESTAWAY said they were seen together.
By Mr. SELDON: In front of himself, her father and mother, and one of the GRIGGs the girl admitted that he had never had anything to do with her. - Mr. SELDON: Did you tell Mr. BALSDON that? - Defendant: I think I did, I could not say. - Mr. SELDON: He has never suggested that, you know. - Defendant said he had never walked with the girl at all. He did not know why ARNOLD, brought from Exeter, should commit perjury. WESTAWAY was also a liar. Mr. NORTHWOOD was not a liar, but he was mistaken as to the brooch. He did buy a brooch, but not the one produced. The one he bought he gave to a sister for her birthday. He did not know when her birthday was. She had one. He did not tell Mrs. BREND he had never bough a brooch. - Mr. SELDON: Then she's a liar, too, and you have not left me a single truthful witness!
The Chairman (to defendant): You seem to answer the questions without thinking at all.
In answer to further questions defendant said when questioned before he did not say he had given the brooch he bought at NORTHWOOD's to his sister.
Alfred Wm. COLWELL stated that he was with WESTAWAY early in March when they saw Ada BRAUND at the gateway outside a farm with a young man. He could not swear who the man was and could not identify him as defendant. It was a pretty good light between eight and nine. They said “Good-night,” and the maid said “Good-night,” but the man didn't.
By Mr. SELDON: When they passed they thought it was BAGLOW, but could not swear it was.
Mr. SELDON: You thought right.
Witness: I don't know whether we thought right or not.
John HILL, also called for defendant, said he was with his wife on Anniversary Sunday last year and saw applicant in a field with someone with her. He did not know who it was, but did not think it was Reuben BAGLOW.
Mr. SELDON: What became of the man?
Witness: He ran away. (Laughter).
Mr. SELDON: That's what she told us.
Harry GRIGG recollected that on Anniversary Wednesday, the third week in July, he sat up for Ada BRAUND, who did not come in until 11 o'clock. HAMLYN, who left Lady-day twelve months, was back at the anniversary tea time and came to the house and had dinner. He could not say for certain whether Ada BRAUND saw him. When accused of it, BAGLOW denied the paternity.
By Mr. SELDON: He had never seen BAGLOW walking with her.
Have you ever seen anyone else with the girl? - No, sir.
Wm. CUDMORE, of Bucks, remembered the anniversary Sunday and tea the third week in July last year. He went to the Hoops Inn at 6 o'clock and came out at ten. Reuben was there from 9 to 9.30 – By Mr. SELDON: He didn't keep a diary, but he remembered it very well. He might say he went to the Hoops every night when he had threepence. Anniversaries dind't <sic> trouble him very much. He did not live at Hoops, but he lived there pretty nearly.
The Bench considered there was confirmatory testimony that defendant was the father of the child, and made an order on him to pay expenses and contribute 2/6 per week towards the child's maintenance for fourteen years from the date of birth.