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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal, and Western Advertiser Wednesday 07 Jun 1905
Page 3 Column 3
TAUNTON BOROUGH POLICE-COURT.
WEDNESDAY. - Before the Mayor (Councillor J. LEWIS), Mr. J. E. W. WAKEFIELD, Councillor A. VILLAR, Mr. G. SAUNDERS, Mr. W. LOCK, and Alderman W. POTTER.
LICENSING BUSINESS.
On the application of Mr. W. T. BAKER, the license of the Beresford Arms was permanently transferred from Adam MARTIN to William Henry OATEN; and that of the Nag's Head Hotel from Robert MacAULAY to R. S. ROBINSON, who is at the present time landlord of the Dolphin Inn.
A DISORDERLY TRAMP.
“THE CIDER GOT THE BETTER OF HIM.”
Seeing a crowd in East Reach at about ten minutes to ten on Sunday night, P.C. BUSH naturally went to ascertain the cause. He found a tramp, named George DUDDERIDGE, in the centre of the crowd, drunk and behaving in a disorderly manner. When spoken to defendant said he had come from Bridgwater, and was going to a lodging-house. The constable told him to go there at once, and he moved off in that direction, but after going a little distance again became disorderly. - Defendant, in answer to a charge of being drunk and disorderly, said he had not had much to eat, and having two or three drops of cider on the road it got the better of him. He promised the magistrates he would leave the town if allowed to go, and he was discharged on that condition.
NEIGHBOURS AT LOGGERHEADS.
A neighbours' quarrel in 7 Court, High-street, during which the language used was not of the choicest description, resulted in both the parties concerned appearing before the Bench. - Alfred GRIGG, labourer, and Sarah PRING, married woman, were the persons in question, the former of whom pleaded guilty to using obscene language, but the latter, a very voluble woman, denied having said anything improper. - P.C. HOLLARD was in company with P.C. CLARKE in Mary-street, near the Bird-in-Hand, when he first heard the row, and, finding where it emanated from, listened for a while. He then advised the parties to go indoors, and told them he should have to summon them. GRIGG replied “If you do I can pay,” but when the magistrates fined him 2s 6d and 5s costs he was unable to do so, and was allowed till Saturday. - As the female defendant positively denied using the language alleged against her, both the constables gave evidence to prove that she did, HOLLARD adding that she had her fist in the man's face. - Asked it she had anything to say, she made the following statement:- Gentlemen, I beg everybody's pardon in this place. I was home, and my husband had done a hard day's work, when this man GRIGG came up. When he has a drop of drink he annoys anyone. I told him to go into his own ---- house. I don't deny that, and that's the only words I said. I don't deny what I didn't say. (Laughter.) - The Mayor: Half-a-crown and costs.
A TROUBLESOME WOMAN.
Another row in Whitehall, in which two women were the participants, lead to Matilda WOOD, whom Superintendent DURHAM described as a “trouble-some person,” having to answer a charge of using obscene language. - P.C. DENING visited the place in consequence of a complaint he had received, and heard WOOD threatening another woman. She shouted “I'll murder you, you old ----.” The constable told her to go indoors, and she did so, only, however, to come out again in a few minutes. - Defendant did not appear, but wrote a letter expressing sorrow for her behaviour, which she said occurred “under most provoking circumstances.” - A fine of 5s and 6s costs was imposed.
THEFT FROM A CART.
The fact that George PASCOE, a young man of the labouring class, living in Canon-street, bore a good character induced the magistrates to deal very leniently with him in respect of what was to all appearances a barefaced theft. The charge against him was that on the 26th of May he stole a roll of builder's plans and specifications, value £1, the property of Beadon Way. - Prosecutor, who is a builder, and resides at Creech St. Michael, drove into Taunton, with his partner, John WILLMENT, of Henlade, on the day in question, and fetched the plans from Mr. G. STRAWBRIDGE, architect, of Alma-street. He place them in the bottom of his cart, and as he proceeded along East Reach, on his way home, PASCOE caught hold of the tailboard of the cart, and mentioned something about prosecutor not having any cider. He also commentated on the fact that it was a nice roll of paper prosecutor had in the trap. Prosecutor drove on without taking any notice of defendant, but a minute or two afterwards missed the plans. He was then at the bottom of East Reach, and, looking back, saw defendant with the roll in his hand beside a scavenger's cart. Prosecutor went back and demanded his plans, but defendant refused to give them up, alleging that he had found them in the road. A struggle ensued for possession of the plans, and WILLMENT, coming on the scene, relieved defendant of them. Prosecutor told defendant if he had given up the plans when first asked he should have taken no further action in the matter, but he would now send for the police. WILLMENT went for a constable, and in struggling to detain him prosecutor fell to the ground with the defendant. - Evidence to this effect was given by prosecutor and John WILLMENT, but defendant persisted in asserting that he had picked the plans up in the road. - Prosecutor positively declared, however, that it would have been impossible for the plans to fall from the trap. - The magistrates told defendant that as there was nothing against him they had determined to deal leniently with him. They accordingly bound defendant under the First Offenders' Act to come up for judgement when called upon, and ordered him to pay 10s towards the costs.
NEGLECT OF EDUCATION.
Susan JENNINGS, 7, King-street; James HURLEY, 11, Church-street; John BICKHAM, Black Horse-lane; and Samuel COX, 13, Duke-street, were summoned for not sending their children regularly to school, and orders were made against them; while for disobeying an order William BICKNELL, 5, St. James's-street, was fined 2s 6d and costs.