Sarah
Hawkins Genealogy Site
Newspaper
Articles
Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal, and Western Advertiser. Wednesday 30 May 1900
Page 5 Column 3
POLICE BUSINESS IN TAUNTON.
BOROUGH POLICE-COURT.
WEDNESDAY. - Before the Mayor (Councillor W. A. WRENN), Mr. W. POOLE, Alderman H. J. SPILLER, and Mr. G. SAUNDERS.
TRAVELLING ON THE RAILWAY WITHOUT TICKETS.
THREE BRISTOL MEN HEAVILY FINED.
George Henry HASKINS, of Staple Hill, Bristol, was charged with travelling on the Great Western Railway between Taunton and Highbridge on the 19th ult. without having previously paid his fare. Also with giving a false name and address. - Mr. GERRISH, of Bristol, prosecuted on behalf of the Railway Company, and Mr. J. GLEDSTONE, of Bristol, who defended, pleaded guilty on HASKINS' behalf. - Mr. GERRISH stated that on the 19th April, the day of the Blackbrook races, the defendant with several others was seen to get into the 6.33 p.m. train just before it started without taking a ticket. When the train arrived at Highbridge someone alighted from the train and took three single tickets to Bristol. On arrival at Weston the guard gave information to the officials there. HASKING <sic> and the others left the train and went into the refreshment-room. When they returned to the compartment the ticket-collector asked to see their tickets, and HASKINS handed him a third-class ticket from Highbridge to Bristol. The collector said “You have come from Taunton,” but defendant denied having come any farther than Highbridge. He was asked his name and address, and gave it as George HELMORE, 122, Coronation-road, Bristol. At Bedminster, where tickets were collected, defendant offered to pay the balance of the fare from Taunton to Highbridge, but it was refused. - Mr. GLEDSTONE, on behalf of the defendant, produced testimonials from Superintendent MATTHEWS, of the Gloucestershire Police, and a Councillor and Guardian of the Poor for Stapleton Ward, Bristol. - The Bench decided to hear the cases against the two other defendants before giving their decision. - The first of these was Charles PAULL, of Broadweir, Bristol, who was charged with travelling on the G.W.R. from Taunton to Weston without previously paying his fare, and also with giving a false name and address on the 19th ult. - Defendant did not appear. - Mr. GERRISH said the facts were practically the same as in the previous case, with the exception that PAULL was at the station 20 minutes before the train started. He got out at Weston with two others, and when asked for his ticket he said he had not travelled by that train. He subsequently took a third class ticket to Bristol. He gave his address as 9, Tower-lane, Bristol. - Charles William MORTIMER, guard on the G.W.R., proved that defendant did travel by the train in question from Taunton to Weston, and Frank WARD, ticket-collector, and William Thomas FORESTER, chief inspector, also gave evidence. - George HODGSON, also of Bristol, was charged with travelling to Highbridge without a ticket, and Mr. GLEDSTONE pleaded guilty on his behalf. - Mr. GERRISH said defendant was one of three who alighted from the train and took tickets to Bristol. He did not give a false name and address, because he was so well-known in Bristol. He had been previously convicted of a similar offence. They had not been able to find the other man. - The magistrates, after a brief retirement, decided to fine HASKINS and PAULL 20s and costs in each case, or a total in HASKINS' case of £2 19s 6d, and in PAULL's case of £3 2s 4d, in default 14 days for each offence, and HODGSON was fined £5 and 9s 8d costs, or a month's imprisonment.
LICENSING PROSECUTION.
REFUSING TO QUIT.
James PRING, and Edward PYNE, labourers, and Ellen HURLEY, married woman, of Taunton, were charged with refusing to quit the Wheatsheaf Inn, North Town, on the 12th inst. - Defendants, who were represented by Mr. C. P. CLARKE, pleaded not guilty. - David HARTNELL, the landlord of the Inn, said he had occasion to order PRING to leave his house, and he was doing so very quietly when PYNE interfered and knocked witness down. While he was on the ground HURLEY assisted in holding him down. He subsequently ordered all the defendants out, but they would not go, and he sent for the police. HURLEY came back again a little later, and he had to send for the police a second time before she would go. - William CANNAFORD, of Staplegrove, said if PYNE had not interfered no bother would have occurred. He did not see HURLEY do anything at all. - John WEST, of Bridge-street, gave evidence to the same effect. - This was the case for the prosecution. - The Bench dismissed the case against HURLEY. She is the wife of a Reservist at the front, in receipt of help from the borough fund, and the Major expressed surprise that she should conduct herself in this way. - PRING and PYNE both gave evidence on oath, the latter stating that HARTNELL was throwing PRING out so roughly that he remonstrated with him and HARTNELL immediately turned upon him. - William MORRIS said when PYNE spoke to HARTNELL about the way he was treating PRING, HARTNELL at once went for him. - The Bench dismissed the case against PRING, and fined PYNE 5s and costs.
Thomas VIRGIN, labourer, of Rowbarton, was summoned for refusing to quit the Royal Mail Hotel on the 12th inst. - Defendant pleaded not guilty. - Mr. BERE, instructed by Mr. E. E. ORAM, secretary to the Taunton and West Somerset Licensed Victuallers' Association, prosecuted. - It appeared from the evidence that on the night of the 12th instant, at about eight o'clock, defendant went into the Royal Mail to his wife and several others, and called for some drink. Mr. WEBB, the landlord, however, refused to supply him as he was the worse for liquor, and requested him to leave. He did so, but about three-quarters of an hour later his wife came into the house again, and defendant followed shortly afterwards. Mr. WEBB saw him going through the passage towards the kitchen, and again ordered him out. He then became very abusive, and absolutely refused to leave. He challenged Mr. WEBB to fight, and as he was going out caught hold of his coat. When he reached the street he created a disturbance, but before the police arrived he discreetly moved away. - Evidence was given by Mr. W. T. WEBB, the landlord, and Miss DEE, barmaid of the hotel. - Defendant said he did not remember going to the house a second time. - Fined 5s and 7s costs.