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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal, and Western Advertiser. Wednesday 19 Nov 1902
Page 6 Column 4 and 5
TAUNTON.
[section not transcribed]
COUNTY PETTY SESSIONS.
SATURDAY. - Before Dr. E. LIDDON and Mr. C. J. GOODLAND.
DARING THEFT AT NORTH CURRY. - Adolphus SLOCOMBE, a lad, aged 16, described as a farm labourer, and living with his parents at Thornfalcon, was charged with stealing the sums[?] of half-a-crown, 1s[?], and 1d from a bureau at the house of Joseph Ernest PREW, farmer, of North Curry. - Mr. C. P. CLARKE appeared for the defendant, who had been on bail since the previous Thursday. - Mary Ann Chard PREW, wife of the prosecutor, stated that she and her husband lived at Hammond's Farm, North Curry, and the defendant was a labourer on her husband's farm. On the previous Thursday there was half-a-crown, one shilling, and 1d in the bureau in the breakfast-room, besides some other money. About 3.30 in the afternoon she saw the defendant come towards the farmhouse. The back door was locked. Shortly afterwards she heard some one walk through the house into the kitchen and then into the breakfast-room. Witness was upstairs at the time. She subsequently heard the sound of the bureau being forced open and then the clink of money, the bureau being afterwards fastened again. The person then tried the door leading to the entrance hall, and also the door at the top of the back stairs, but it was locked. The intruder then went down stairs and again tried the door leading to the entrance hall. Witness did not go downstairs to see who it was as she was rather afraid. Later in the afternoon the defendant was on the farm doing his work. Witness next sent for P.S. PRIDHAM, who came shortly after five o'clock. She found that half-a-crown, 1s, and 1d had gone from the bureau. The police sergeant called in the defendant and made him turn out his pockets, when there was found the coins mentioned. She identified them, as they had been previously marked and put in the bureau, in consequence of her husband having previously missed money from there. - In answer to Mr. CLARKE witness said that the defendant had been employed by her husband for some months. There was 1s 6d[?] left in the bureau besides the money taken. It was kept lock, [sic] and on that particular day she had the key in her pocket. - P.S. PRIDHAM, stationed at North Curry, gave evidence to visiting the farm of Mr. PREW on the afternoon mentioned. In consequence of Mrs. PREW having made a communication to him he saw the defendant, who came into the kitchen. Witness told him he wanted to see what was in his pockets, and on searching him found the coins described, to the value of 2s 7½d. Witness had already marked them a month previous, and they were placed in the bureau. After cautioning defendant witness charged him with stealing the money, and also another 1s which he admitted. He said “I hope you won't be hard on me, I took the money.” He added that he had given the 1s[?] to a man named Eli DARE for three-pennyworth of sweets. On Friday witness saw Mr. DARE, and witness picked the 1s out from some 15 or 16 others. - By Mr. CLARKE: Witness knew nothing about the lad. - Defendant now pleaded guilty. - Mr. CLARKE asked the Bench to deal with the defendant under the First Offenders' Act, and, this being his first offence, the Bench adopted this course, and bound him over in his father's recognisances to come up for judgement if called upon during the next 12 months.
REMARKABLE CASE FROM KNAPP.
FAMILY LIVING UNDER A TENT IN A SWAMP.
Samuel WARRY and Mary WARRY, husband and wife, of Knapp, people of middle-age and of the labouring class, were charged with unlawfully and wilfully neglecting and exposing their six children in such a manner likely to cause injury to their health. - The defendants pleaded not guilty. - Mr. E. H. WATSON appeared to prosecute on behalf of the S.P.C.C., and in his opening statement gave the names of the children – three girls, two boys, and a baby, whose ages ranged from 14 years to the baby, one year old. He explained that the charge was taken out under the first section of the Act, as defendants were not there for ill-treating but simply for neglecting their children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering. On the 4th of this month the defendants and their six children remained out of doors, and one night they slept out of doors without any covering whatever. From the 5th until the 10th inst., they lived in a rude sort of tent, ready made, about six feet wide and four feet high – so low that a grown up person could not stand up in it. They pitched the tent close to the river Tone, at Knapp Bridge, near North Curry, where they lived during the recent heavy rains of late. There was one mattress, on which the children slept, and a few chairs. Their condition was discovered by P.S. PRIDHAM, who gave information to the officer of the Society, who visited the place, and would give the result. He (Mr. WATSON), as soon as it came to his notice, took upon himself the responsibility of obtaining a warrant for the removal of the children to a place of safety until such time as the charge could be heard. It appeared that the man was a labourer, who had been doing job and other work, and earning rather higher wages than the ordinary labour. But Mr. MITCHEM, for whom he had worked, could never get him to work regularly. He was ejected from the house he occupied at Knapp because he would not pay the rent, although he had money, as would be shown. The youngest child was suffering from bronchitis, and if the man had no means it was his duty to have taken the children to the Workhouse. - Inspector SAMPSON, the Taunton and district officer of the S.P.C.C., gave evidence that the previous Monday morning, the 10th inst., about eleven o'clock, he visited Knapp Bridge, accompanied by P.S. PRIDHAM. He went to a piece of waste land near the bridge and there saw a sheet erected on some poles. He saw the mother and the children outside, and lying on a mattress inside the tent was the baby and a cat. The mattress was placed on two or three planks. There were two chairs, a form, and some bread to be seen, also a bottle of milk and some clothing wrapped up in a bundle. The mattress was very wet, and there was about 2½ inches of mud outside the tent, the river being only 15 yards away. Witness went to Dr. POWMAN at North Curry; he returned, and after examination, said the youngest child was suffering from bronchitis. The woman said the child had been delicate from its birth, and had been ill for a week. The other children were verminous on their heads and bodies, but were well nourished. On witness asking the mother why she had not gone into the Workhouse, she wanted to know who was going to look after her furniture. She also said that Mr. MITCHEM had come down and told them they could go into their shed on the top of the hill, but the mother said it was too much trouble to take their things up there. Witness afterwards saw the father, and, asked why he remained there, he said he had been turned out of the house by young Mr. MITCHEM. Asked why he did not take the children to the Workhouse, the male defendant replied that he knew the law as well as anybody, but was not going to be forced to take them there. Witness subsequently obtained a warrant, whereby the children were removed to the Taunton Workhouse. The next day witness again visited the place, and found the family living under the same conditions. He told them that a Mr. LANGLEY[?] had offered to take the children into his barn, but they declined to go, because it was too much trouble. The baby had been insured at 2d[?] a week three days previous. The 5th, 6th, and 9th were very rainy days, and the place where the tent was pitched, being in a hollow, was consequently a perfect swamp. An enlarged photograph of the tent, which was taken by witness on the spot, was handed up to the magistrates for inspection. - P.S. PRIDHAM stated that on the 4th inst. he ejected the defendants from the house they occupied at Knapp Bridge, and at 12 o'clock the same night the whole of the children, the father and mother, and another man were under a withy tree. They had a jar of beer there, and were enjoying themselves in their way. On the first night two of the youngest children were put into Mr. TUCKER's crib, but afterwards they all slept in the tent. On Sunday at mid-day, the 9th inst., witness visited the spot, and found the family under the tent with the exception of the father, who was found by witness sitting by the fire at the Rising Sun public-house. It was then pouring with rain. On the day that the defendant and his family were ejected, the husband went into one of the inner rooms of the cottage, and took from a rafter under the thatch a bag. He said that that was what he wanted, and, using an oath, said it contained ten sovereigns. He put the bag, after juggling the coins, into his pocket. The witz[?] said “I've got mine,” but witness did not see what that was. - Dr. PLOWMAN, of North Curry, gave evidence to examining the children. - The youngest had bronchitis, and they were all in a filthy condition and verminous. He gave a certificate that the surroundings were likely to cause unnecessary suffering. - William LANGABEER[?], farmer, of Knapp, stated on Wednesday, one of the wet days, he offered the use of his barton to the male defendant for his children, but he declined the offer, saying that it would not do. - The father went into the box and gave evidence to the effect that he had done the best he could for his wife and children. In answer to Mr. WATSON he admitted that it was after Dr. PLOWMAN had examined the child, and said that it was not likely to live, that he insured it at 2d[?] a week payment. - The Bench found the husband guilty of gross negligence and sentenced him to six weeks' imprisonment with hard labour. With regard to the wife, the redeeming feature was that the children were well nourished, at the same time she ought to have kept them clean. Believing that she had acted under the coercion of her husband, the charge against her was dismissed. - The Bench ordered that the children for the present should remain in the Workhouse.