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The Chard and Ilminster News and Somerset, Dorset and Devon Advertiser Saturday 01 Aug 1903
Page 5 Column 3
ILMINSTER PETTY SESSIONS
WEDNESDAY. - Before Colonel LANGWORTHY, Captain SPEKE, Mr. J. TAYLOR, and Colonel M. L. BLAKE.
LICENSE TRANSFER. - The license of the Royal Oak, Barrington, was, on the application of Mr. C. F. SAUNDERS, transferred from the executors of the late Mr. F. ROWSWELL to the widow.
A DISORDERLY CUSTOMER.
George MALE, of Barrington, was summoned for being disorderly on the premises of the Royal Oak Inn, Barrington, on June 20th, and with refusing to quit such premises. - Mr. C. F. SAUNDERS prosecuted, and Mr. GOODE, of Langport, defended.
Emily ROWSWELL, of the Royal Oak, stated that on June 20th her late husband held the license of the inn. About 6.30 p.m. defendant came into the house and asked for a pint of “half-and-half,” with which he was supplied. He was then alright. After he had been in the place a short time he commenced to drink from the cups of other customers. This was resented, and then defendant tried to upset the table, and began to shout and swear. Witness's late husband ordered him to leave, but he refused to go until he had some more drink. This witness's husband would not let him have, and defendant then banged the table with a stick, and continued to shout. Witness ordered him oft the premises, but he would not go, and threatened to upset the table, on which were several glasses. He also struck with the stick at witness's late husband, who was standing in the doorway. The blow just missed witness's husband's face, and hit the doorpost. Witness's husband went out, as he was frightened.
Mr. SAUNDERS was proceeding to examine the witness as to witness's husband's death which followed this, but Mr. GOODE objected. - The Bench, however, disallowed the objection.
Continuing, the witness stated that just after this disturbance her husband said that he had been frightened by MALE, and he was then taken in a fit, from which he never recovered. Defendant dashed some cups on to the floor and smashed them, and he broke a chair. Defendant remained in the house for quite an hour after he was requested to quit. The constable at Puckington was sent for, but he was away from home. - Cross-examined: Witness could not account for defendant's extraordinary conduct. Witness's husband had been in delicate health for some time, and the doctor had said that any excitement might cause his death. Prior to defendant coming into the house there was no noise.
Henry BOND, who was in the inn at the time, said that after defendant had drunk his beer he became noisy and was “swearing loudish a bit.” He hit the table with a stick, and also struck at the late Mr. ROWSWELL. The latter asked witness to take defendant out, and witness took the stick away from defendant and put it across his knees to break it, but ROWSWELL took it out of the room. Witness heard defendant refuse to leave the house when asked.
James MORRIS, who was also in the inn on the night in question, said that when he entered the house defendant was swearing. ROWSWELL had then left the room, and Mrs. ROWSELL came to witness and said “Oh Jim! Fred is dying.” Witness asked MALE to be quiet, adding that ROWSWELL was dying.” MALE's reply, with an oath, was “Let him die.” Subsequently witness and two other men put defendant out. - Cross-examined: Defendant was working for witness, and “when he was minded” he was a quiet enough man. When in drink he became noisy.
Samuel BRISTER, farmer, brother-in-law to the late Mr. ROWSWELL, said that when he went into the inn defendant was shouting and swearing. Witness heard him refuse to leave the house when requested. MALE struck at witness twice with the stick, and threatened to kill witness. Defendant was very disorderly. He was more like a madman than anything else, and was shouting out that he would kill every farmer in Barrington. - Cross-examined: When defendant struck at witness there was a table between them, or else defendant would not be standing in the dock that day.
Defendant was called by Mr. GOODE. He stated that he was invited into the inn to drink. He went in and played a game of rings. When the landlord came in witness went up to him. He advised witness to go home. Witness held up the stick and said “If I were you I should say nothing,” witness not wishing him to excite himself, but he had no intention of striking him. There were others making a noise in the house at the same time. Others there were drunk and disorderly like himself. Witness was not ejected, but he was taken home by two friends. - Cross-examined: He did break one cup wilfully, and offered to pay for it. Witness was neither drunk nor sober when he went to the house. Witness tried to upset the table because he wanted his revenge, but he did not know what he wanted his revenge for.
William MALE, cousin of the defendant, denied that defendant tried to hit the landlord with the stick.
The Bench retired, and on their re-appearance the Chairman said that the magistrates considered the case a very bad one, and defendant would befined £3, with 9s. costs. - The money was paid. - Great interest was taken in the case, the Court being crowded.
THE OWNERSHIP OF A LOCKET.
Mary Ann WOODLAND, a married woman, of Stocklinch, was summoned for stealing a gold locket, the property of Minnie WOODLAND, of the same village. - Mr. SAUNDERS defended. - The parties are not related, and prosecutrix, who is aged 16 years, stated that whilst returning home from Shepton Beauchamp Church, defendant caught hold of her and snatched the locket from her neck, stating that the trinket belonged to her (defendant's) sister. As a matter of fact the last witness's father brought the locket home from China. - Cross-examined: Witness's brother did not pick the locket up in the street. Witness's father came home from China before witness was born. Witness's father had worn the locket. Witness did not tell the Superintendent of the police that she had had the trinket in her possession for two years. - Bessie FAULKNER said that she saw defendant snatch the locket away and heard prosecutrix say that her mother had given it to her. - Rose PRIDDLE corroborated. - James WOODLAND said that he brought a locket from China in 1874 similar to the one found. He gave it to his wife, who in turn gave it to witness's daughter. - Jane WOODLAND, mother of prosecutrix, said that her husband gave her the locket over 20 years ago. Mr. SAUNDERS was proceeding to address the Bench, when the Chairman intimated that the magistrates considered that there was no case to answer. - Mr. SAUNDERS said that the locked was given to defendant's sister by her sweetheart. It was lost last October near prosecutrix's residence, and he suggested that it was picked up by one of the family and kept. He could call plenty of evidence to identify the trinket. - With regard to the ownership of the locket, the Chairman said that it would be handed to the defendant. It prosecutrix wished to establish her claim to it she must proceed in the County Court.
AN UNLICENSED GUN. - James RUSS, of South Petherton, was summoned for carrying a gun without a license. - Mr. LOFTUS, Yeovil, prosecuted. - P.C. GREEN said that defendant was scaring rooks, but neither he nor his master had a license. - Fined £1, including the cost of a license.
HUSBAND AND WIFE. - Cornelius RENDALL, factory hand, South Petherton, was summoned by his wife for assault. He did not appear. - Jane RENDALL said that defendant struck her and swore at her all one day from 12 o'clock till two o'clock in the morning. He was drunk at the time, - P.S. FOOTE said that when he served the summons defendant replied “Thank you,” and threw the summons in the fire. - The wife said that defendant was a good enough husband except when in drink. - Fourteen days with hard labour.
IN A DRUNKEN SLEEP. - Frederick KNIGHT, of Chillington, pleaded guilty to being drunk at Dinnington. - P.C. SPICER said that the man was lying in a drunken sleep in the roadway near Dinnington Church. - Fined 5s.
A FALLACY DISPELLED. - George WATTS, of Rapps, Ilton, did not appear in answer to a summons charging him with driving without lights. - P.C. GASTON stated the case, and a fine of 2s. 6d. was imposed, which defendant's master, Mr. KEATS, paid for him, and informed the Bench that he thought he was allowed to use a hay-cart at night, without a light. - This the Chairman replied was a fallacy.
A CASE FROM SHEPTON. - George HARRIS, of Shepton Beauchamp, denied having made use of bad language in that village. - P.C. LITTLE said that defendant was quarrelling with a neighbour outside his house. He was swearing badly. - Fined 5/-.