Sarah
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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal and Western Advertiser Wednesday 06 Nov 1895
Page 6 Column 3
ILMINSTER.
PARISH COUNCIL, Wednesday. - Present: Messrs. John TAYLOR (chairman), CALLANDER, DAVISON, HANSFORD, HELLIAR, PAULL, RADFORD, ROWE, SYMES, TAYLOR, B. J. SHIER (surveyor), W. FENNER (sanitary officer), and H. BATTEN (clerk). - The report of the Fire Engine Committee showed that the following subscriptions had been promised: - Mr. VAUGHAN-LEE, £15; Mr. SPEKE, £5; and Mr. H. H. SHEPHERD, £5. - A letter was read from the Postmaster-General, stating that there was not sufficient correspondence to permit of a nine o'clock mail. - It was decided to renew the application. - On the suggestion of Mr. CALLANDER it was decided to get iron number pegs for the allotments. - In reply to Mr. ROWE, the Chairman stated that if the Lighting Inspectors asked the Council to take over the lighting they must do it. He spoke of the necessity of the lighting area being extended, and thought the Lighting Inspectors would be glad to hand over their duties if asked to do so. - Mr. FENNER presented his report on the health of the parish, and asked for the matter of the water supply at Broadway Hill to stand over. - He was instructed to intimate to the owners of Stibbear Dairy that they must supply water to the dairy fit for drinking purposes at once. - Mr. SHIER was instructed to take levels and find the probable cost of a water supply for Bedlam-street. - The Clerk was directed to ask Mr. H. PAULL for the leases between the Sanitary Authority and Messrs. LEE and J. PAULL.
PETTY SESSIONS.
WEDNESDAY. - Before Mr. W. SPEKE (in the chair), Colonel LANGWORTHY, Mr. J. LEAN, and Lieutenant-Colonel BLAKE.
LICENSING. - The license of the Rising Sun Inn, Ilminster, was temporarily transferred from Emmanuel HAYBALL to James WELCH; that of the Rock House Inn, Curry Mallet, from John PAUL to James PRIDDLE; that of the White Horse, Chard, from John SIMS to Edmund George RUSSELL; that of the Phoenix, Chard, from Robert ANDREWS to Charles GRIMSTER, the White Hart, Chard, from Edmund George RUSSELL to Walter William GOLDSWORTHY.
BAKER AND RAT CATCHER FIGHT. - Albert BRYANT, baker, of Donyatt, and Percy HENDERSON, rat catcher, staying at the Swan Hotel, Ilminster, were summoned for causing a breach of the peace at Ilminster. - P.C. UPHAM said on the evening of the 20th October he saw a crowd outside the Swan Hotel in Ditton-street. He heard someone say “Let's have it fair up and down like Englishmen.” The two defendants were on the ground, and someone said “Quick, constable, of he'll be choked.” Both men were on the ground. Witness told them to get up, and HENDERSON said “That's just what I want to do.” (Laughter.) BRYANT refused to get up, and witness pulled him off. - HENDERSON said the row was BRYANT's fault, as the latter abused him. - BRYANT said the row was caused through HENDERSON undertaking to kill his rats and never doing so. - Defendants were fined 10s each.
ALLEGED GAME TRESPASS. - George BEALEY, labourer, of Shepton Beauchamp, was summoned for game trespass at Barrington. - Richard MALE, labourer, said he was at work at Mr. LEE's quarry on the 23rd September, and saw the defendant in Mr. LEE's swede field. Defendant, who had a double-barrelled gun and a pointer, was “trying” the swedes. - Charles WINTER, labourer, corroborated. - Defendant pleaded that he had Mr. LEAN's (his master's) dog with him, and that the dog ran away from him. He went after it, and when he came up with it some pheasants rose, and the dog went after them. He called it in, but it would not come. - William BOND, shepherd to Mr. LEAN, said on the occasion in question he was with the defendant. The dog ran away, and although he called it in, it would not come back. Defendant was not two minutes in the field. - MALE said defendant was quite five minutes in the field after he saw him there. - The Bench said they believed BOND, and were satisfied that defendant was not in pursuit of game, though he should not have carried a gun. The case would be dismissed.
ALLEGED GAME OFFENCE. - Percy EDMUNDS, a young fellow, of Lopen, was summoned for shooting game without a license on the 17th of August. - Mr. HALLAGHAN, supervisor, of Yeovil, prosecuted on behalf of the Inland Revenue authorities, and Mr. J. C. PAULL, solicitor, of Ilminster, defended. - Alfred CHISLETT, labourer, of Lodge Farm, Hinton St. George, said on the 17th August he saw a young man shoot two pheasants in a field near Landbridge Water, Seavington St. Mary. He could not swear the person who shot the pheasants was Percy EDMUNDS. He did not tell a policeman it was Percy EDMUNDS. - Similar evidence was given by Archelaws GENTLE, of Shepton Beauchamp. - Mr. HALLAGHAN said both the witnesses had stated to the police that Percy EDMUNDS shot at the birds; now they declined to swear to what they had stated. He asked to be allowed to treat the witnesses as hostile. - The Bench consented. - GENTLE then said he told the Police-sergeant he saw a young man shoot a pheasant, but that he had only heard he was Percy EDMUNDS. - Mr. HALLAGHAN was proceeding to call P.S. FRANCIS, when Mr. PAULL said it was quite illegal to call a witness to disprove one's other witnesses' evidence. - The Bench decided to allow the Sergeant to be called. - Mr. PAULL (to the Bench): I will take it to the Court above at my own expense if you convict. Of course you will state me a case. - The Bench said they would consider that question. - P.S. FRANCIS was then called, and swore that GENTLE told him it was Percy EDMUNDS who shot the pheasants, and that CHISLETT had admitted to him that he knew EDMUNDS. - The Bench said they would not like to convict on the evidence before them, but they thought the Inland Revenue authorities should prosecute the two witnesses called in support of the case, CHISLETT and GENTLE, for perjury.
KILLING GAME OUT OF SEASON – Harry GALE, farmer, of Martock, was summoned for killing a pheasant out of season. - Robert HILL, gamekeeper, living at Rockstone, said on the 20th September, when near Upton Farm, Seavington St. Mary, he saw defendant, who had a gun and two dogs, in a field of turnips. A pheasant rose, and defendant shot at it. When it dropped he ran after it and caught it. Witness spoke to defendant, who admitted he was in the wrong, and asked witness not to say anything about it, offering him money not to mention it. Defendant shot at a bird before he shot the one he killed. - Defendant said he was shooting partridges on his brother's farm at Upton, and shot the pheasant in mistake. - Fined 10s.
AN UNLICENSED GUN. - Samuel BOARD, of the Crown Inn, Lopen, was summoned for using a gun without a license. - P.S. FRANCIS spoke to seeing defendant carrying a gun on August 21st. He saw no shots fired, although he saw defendant point the gun at a pheasant. The offence occurred at Easterdown Hill, Seavington St. Mary. - Defendant said he had since taken out a license. It was through an oversight he had not taken out the license before. He had held the license for years. - Fined 5s, inclusive.
PROHIBITED HOURS AT A PUBLIC-HOUSE. - Annetta DINHAM, landlady at the Butchers' Arms, Ilminster, was summoned for selling beer during prohibited hours. - P.C. POLLARD said that on Sunday, the 29th September, at about 10 a.m., on visiting defendant's premises, he saw Thomas BECK, of Broadway Hill, standing in the back-house. When he saw witness he acted as if he wanted to conceal something in the furnace. In the furnace witness saw a pint cup nearly full of malt liquor. BECK admitted it was beer. Defendant's daughter came on the scene then, and had some coppers in her hand, change which she was going to give BECK. Witness charged her with selling to BECK, and she replied “Yes, it is my fault.” He saw defendant later, and she said she “did not know anything about it; she was upstairs at the time.” BECK took the cup and drank up the liquor. - Defendant said she had been in the house for 40 years, and had never been in trouble before. Her daughter told her she served BECK quite innocently. She did not know BECK was being served. The man had been working for her. - Thomas BECK was next charged with being found on the premises during prohibited hours. - BECK pleaded that he was on the premises because he worked for Mrs. DINHAM. He admitted asking the daughter to serve him with a pint of something. - The Bench fined Mrs. DINHAM 15s, and BECK 5s.
THE CATAPULT NUSANCE. - Charles ENGLAND, a boy, was summoned for discharging stones from a catapult at Seavington St. Mary. - P.C. UPHAM stated the facts, and defendant, who said that he never “knewed there was a law about catapults,” was fined 2s.
A SOLDIER'S “JOKE.” - Eli LEE, a private in the Royal Artillery, was summoned for assaulting Ellen COLLINS, a young woman, on the 23rd inst. -Complainant said she was a servant at Mrs. TUCKER's, Strawberry Bank, Ilminster, and on the evening of October 23rd she was returning from a concert when she saw defendant in Church-lane. He caught hold of her round the waist, and dragged her round behind the shrubs in Court Barton. On Mr. TUCKER, jun., appearing and telling defendant to let her go defendant did so. - Defendant said he only committed the assault as a joke. - Supt. RAWLINGS said defendant was an Ilminster lad, home on furlong before going to India. - A fine of 5s was inflicted.
THEFT BY A BOY. - Simeon WILMINGTON, a boy, 14 years of age, living at Isle Abbots, was summoned for stealing a whip, value 6d, the property of Wm. Parker GENGE. - Prosecutor, a farmer, living at Fivehead, said he left the whip (produced) in his cart in the road whilst he went into a field to help a man move some hurdles. When he returned to the cart the whip was gone. - P.C. WESTCOTT spoke to asking defendant for the whip he had taken from Mr. GENGE's cart, when he replied “What whip: I know nothing about a whip. I haven't seen one.” Afterwards defendant said “I picked up a whip near the stile leading to Isle Abbots.” Defendant's mother handed him the whip in question, stating it was one the boy brought home. - Defendant now repeated that he picked up the whip. - Fined 5s.
STEALING A BASKET. - George ROBERTS, labourer, of Ilminster, on bail, was charged with stealing a wicker basket, value 9d, the property of James WELCH. - Mrs. WELCH, wife of the prosecutor, who keeps the Rising Sun, Ilminster, said the defendant visited her house, and after having a drink she saw him carrying away the basket, which had been placed in an outhouse, - Fined 5s, inclusive.
<NOTE: License transfer - James PAUL son of Elizabeth PAUL, married Emma DOLLEN>