Sarah
Hawkins Genealogy Site
Newspaper
Articles
The Chard and Ilminster News and Somerset, Dorset, and Devon Advertiser. Saturday 08 Sep 1894
Page 3 Column 1
ILMINSTER PETTY SESSIONS.
FRIDAY. - Before Colonel LANGWORTHY (chairman), Mr. J. W. SHEPHERD, and Major BLAKE.
A BRUTE. - George WATTS, labourer, Allowenshay, was charged with cruelty to a heifer. - Defendant pleaded guilty. - Inspector WATKINS, R.S.P.C.A., prosecuted, and said that on the 11th July, defendant, a farm labourer in the employ of Mr RUTTER, Allowenshay, was engaged to drive a heifer at the Ilminster market to his employer's house. He had some difficulty on the road, and on returning to the farm he beat the heifer; in a violent manner. After he had tied up the animal he repeated the beating until he broke a stout ash stick. He obtained another stick, and again belaboured the poor beast to such an extent that the next day it was found to be blind in both eyes, and had to be treated by a veterinary surgeon. Defendant had no practical defence to offer, and was fined 10s.
THROWING STONES. - Robert MALE, Albert MALE, John BEST, and Henry GRINTER, lads of Kingsbury, did not appear to answer a charge of throwing stones. - P.C. BALE said that on the 12th August he saw the defendants throwing stones at a plum tree. He watched them some time. On appearing they ran away. He caught them, and found a quantity of plums and apples in each of their pockets. - Fined 5s. each.
ASSAULT. - John TILLEY, labourer, Kingsbury Episcopi, was summoned for an assault. - Defendant did not appear. - Thomas ENGLAND, the complainant, said that on the 23rd August he was walking through the village. Without speaking defendant came up and knocked him down. Three weeks previous TILLEY knocked him down. The Chairman: Is there any provocation? - Witness: He is jealous of his wife. He has been on me for six years. He has threatened to chop my “jimmey” off and all this here. He keeps knocking me down. - TILLEY, who is an old offender, was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment. - Charges of being drunk on licensed premises and for being drunk and disorderly against the defendant were withdrawn. - Mr. BRISTER, landlord of the Wyndham Arms, Kingsbury, complained that TILLEY had threatened to shoot him because he would not serve him with a pint of cider. He had also brought in an open knife and threatened to cut his (BRISTER's) head off. - The Chairman said TILLEY could not carry out his threat for six weeks.
A POUND BREACH. - Gilbert PALMER, farmer, Bower Hinton, and Robert RAISON, of the same place, were summoned for pound breach. - Defendants did not appear. - James GENTLE, labourer, South Petherton, said he took seven heifers from Mr. HEBDITCH's field at Stearts, South Petherton, and put them in the pound. He attended to them during the day, and on Sunday went to find the owner. He went to Mr. Walter PALMER's and asked him if he had lost any beasts. He described them and PALMER owned them. Witness claimed seven shillings, and he said he should not pay, but said he would see Mr. William HEBDITCH. He returned to witness and asked if he would have the beasts, but he would not let them go. Mr. PALMER returned about mid-day and offered 4s. 6d. Witness would not take it, and Mr. PALMER went and took the beasts out of the pound, and drove them away. - Mr. PALMER was fined 10s, and the case against RAISON, who is a labourer in his employ was dismissed.
OBSTRUCTION. - Henry BOWERS, travelling hawker, was summoned for leaving a waggon an unreasonable time on the highway. - Defendant pleaded guilty. - Sergeant DAW said the waggon remained 20 minutes at an awkward part of the road in Ditton-street. - Defendant said he had someone with his horse. He paid toll for the privilege of hawking in the town, and he could not go from one place to another all at once. He was in the Market-place, and he contended he had a right there. - The Chairman said the defendant must not obstruct the road. - Defendant was fined 2s. 6d.
SWINE FEVER CASES. - James DOWNTON, butcher, Ilton, was summoned for not killing two fat pigs within four days of being removed from other premises, as required by the swine fever regulations. Sergt. COMER stated the case. Defendant did not appear. - Fined 10s. - Joseph ROWSELL, butcher, Shepton Beauchamp, was summoned for removing a pig without the animal being marked. - P.C. CLIST stated the case. - Fined 5s. - Robert PARKER, butcher, Barrington, for a similar offence in respect of four fat pigs, pleaded guilty. - Fined 10s. - Defendant: You must let me off a little easier than that, please. - Mr. SHEPHERD: No. - Defendant: It is time swine fever was done with. It is only keeping a lot of people about in laziness. - Thomas ROGERS, butcher, Donyatt, was fined 10s. for removing a fat pig without a licence.
NEIGHBOURS' QUARREL. - Henry WHEADON, of Kingsbury, was summoned for an assault. - Anna JEANES said that on the 14th August, on her returned from work, she saw defendant threatening to beat her child. An argument arose, and he turned his attention to her, beating her with a halter and knocking her down. - Defendant pleaded provocation, and said the disturbance arose about a path across the garden. - Fined 5s.
FORGIVEN. - Joseph MEAD, of Barrington, was summoned for assaulting his wife. - Neither party appeared, and Sergt. COMER said he believed they had become friends again. - The case was withdrawn.
DRUNK. - Charles TUCKER, labourer, Fivehead, on bail, was charged with being drunk and disorderly at Fivehead. - P.C. WESTCOTT said that on the 31st July he went to the defendant's house. TUCKER was in the road, and was drunk and behaving in a disorderly manner. It being club day there was a lot of people about. His friends asked him to go indoors, but he became very outrageous. Witness was eventually obliged to take him to the Ilminster Police station. - The Chairman gave the defendant good advice as to the future, and dismissed the case.
CHARGE OF STEALING STRAW. - Ann HARWOOD, of Curry Rivel, on bail, was charged with stealing a quantity of straw, value 3d. - John RICHARDS, labourer, in the employ of the complainant, Mr. COATE, a farmer, of Curry Rivel, said that on the 25th August he was standing at the door of his house, when he saw someone coming from his master's barton with some straw. P.C. HIGGINS deposed that on the day in question he went to defendant's house, and found some straw in a pig sty. He questioned her, and took her to the complainant. She admitted the offence. - Henry COATE corroborated, and said defendant's husband worked for him. He supposed she picked up the straw from about the ricks. - The Chairman: We consider this a trumpery case, and we dismiss it.
LICENSING. - The Licence of the George Inn, Donyat, was transferred from the late James ROGERS, to his daughter, Elizabeth Annie ROGERS.