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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal, and Western Advertiser Wednesday 24 May 1905
Page 3 Column 5 and 6
TAUNTON BOROUGH POLICE.
WEDNESDAY. - Before the Major (Councillor Josiah LEWIS), Mr. G. SAUNDERS, Alderman W. GOODLAND, Alderman W. POTTER, and Mr. T. PENNY.
SHE WANTED TO GO TO THE WORKHOUSE.
Harriett Hancock, a women with two children, residing at a lodging-house in East Reach, and who said that her husband was serving as a soldier in South Africa, pleaded guilty to using obscene language in Paul-street on the 18th March last. It appeared that the woman had been to Mr. CHAPMAN to get an order to be admitted to the Workhouse, and was informed that she could only be admitted with her two children, and she only wanted to take in one. - She was discharged, and the magistrates advised her to go and see one of the Guardians of St. Mary's, the parish in which she lived.
THE TROUBLES OF KING-STREET.
Emily HARDING, a married woman, of King-street, was bound over in February last in her own recognisances of £5 to keep the peace. - Supt. DURHAM said that the woman had since misconducted herself and had been to prison. He had since had complaints repeatedly from the neighbourhood of King-street saying that people would have to leave there if she did not go away. - The Bench made an order to distrain for the amount of the recognisances, £5, in default six weeks' imprisonment.
LENIENTLY DEALT WITH.
Frederick FROST, of High-street, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly on the 13th inst. in North-street, and expressed his regret that he should have behaved in such a manner. - P.C. HORNER stated the case, and mentioned that in company with P.S. WEST he saw the defendant on the night in question drunk and very disorderly, with a large crowd round him. The police-sergeant advised him to go away, but he would not do so until he had given considerable trouble. - As this was defendant's first appearance he was let off on payment of 5s costs.
THE LIGHTS WENT OUT.
Archie BRICE, a youth, of Victoria Gate, pleaded not guilty to riding a bicycle without a light in Kingston-road on the night of the 10th inst. - P.C. DENING gave evidence that he saw the defendant riding towards the town with no light to his bicycle, and when he saw witness he immediately jumped off and began to light his lamp, which the constable said was quite cold. Defendant emphatically denied this, and said that his lamp had suddenly gone out as he was riding down Kingston Hill. - The summons was dismissed. - Wm. Henry LOCK, of Bridge-street, did not appear to a similar summons on the same night at 9.30, but wrote that he did not wish to break the law, but he did not know his bicycle lamp was out when the constable stopped him, as it was alight just before. - Defendant was fined 2s 6d and 7s as costs.
WIFE GETS A SEPARATION.
George THOMAS, a labourer, of Paradise-square, according to the story told by his wife, Hannah THOMAS, by his cruel conduct caused her to live at home under conditions far removed from a domestic Paradise. As is often the case it appeared that drink was the cause of the trouble, and hence the husband was charged with persistent cruelty to his wife, whereby she had been obliged to leave him. She was his second wife, and they had been married about nine years, there being one child living. He had frequently assaulted her. Seven months ago he came home drunk and commenced using filthy language towards her, knocked her down, and finished up by jumping on her, breaking her collar-bone, in consequence of which she was in the Hospital for a fortnight. Five or six weeks ago he was again in drink, knocked her down, and tried to choke her. The previous Saturday he came home at night again in drink and began his usual practice on such occasions of using bad language, and when she asked where he had been he knocked her down and struck her twice in the face. She screamed and assistance came. At his request she had overlooked the previous assaults, but he was just as bad two or three days afterwards. - The magistrates granted a separation, and ordered the defendant to contribute 7s 6d a week towards the maintenance of his wife and child, the wife to have the custody of the latter.
THEFT OF A PAIR OF BOOTS.
James WINTER, of Barrington, near Ilminster, was charged with stealing a pair of boots, value 5s, belonging to John CHARD. Both the men were of the labouring class, and were lodging at the Bird-in-Hand Inn, Mary-street, Taunton, occupying beds in the same room. The previous Saturday night prosecutor put his boots alongside his bed, and next morning he missed them. Complaint was made to the police, defendant in the meantime having left the inn, and P.C. EMERY went in pursuit on his bicycle towards Blagdon. At Trull he made enquiries and went on to Blagdon, where he called on P.C. GUPPY. They subsequently both went to the White Lion Inn, where they saw the defendant. Questioned he said that he had bought the boots he had on from a man a mile out of Taunton going in the direction of Blagdon, and paid him 2s 6d and gave him his old boots in exchange. - P.C. GUPPY afterwards found an old pair of boots in a wheat-field on the high road to Blagdon. Defendant was then brought to Taunton, where prosecutor identified the boots he had on as belonging to him. Defendant was accordingly charged, and he now pleaded guilty. - Supt. DURHAM proved previous convictions against him, one being at Ilminster. He was now sentenced to two month's hard labour.
NOT APPRECIATIVE OF EDUCATION.
Orders were made against Alfred THATCHER, of St. James's-street, Wm. MATTHEWS, of 3 Court, East Reach, and John ADAMS, of George's-place, for their children to regularly attend school. For disobedience to an order previously made Walter GOODMAN, of 80, East Reach, was fined 2s 6d and costs.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. - Before the Major (Councillor Josiah LEWIS) and Alderman W. POTTER.
BRUTAL ASSAULT BY A CHAMPION BOXER.
KICKING A COALHEAVER.
Last February Tom SHARP, of Taunton, a powerfully built young man, late of the Royal Navy, where he is said to have been champion boxer of the Mediterranean Fleet, gave an exhibition of sparring at the Parade Assembly-rooms, he and his opponent being fairly evenly matched. On Tuesday evening the same man had a contest with a coalheaver, but, unfortunately for the pugilist, the encounter took place on licensed premises, instead of in the prize ring, and what was more he severely mauled his opponent, who had to be taken to the Hospital. As a sequel to this impromptu fight SHARP made his appearance at the Police-court, and was charged first of all with being drunk on licensed premised, to which he pleaded guilty, and also with refusing to quit, which he denied. The evidence in this case was given by Mary GILES, charwoman, of Black-horse-lane, and Mrs. NORTON, landlady of the Black-horse Hotel, Bridge-street (the premises upon which the fight took place), and the coalheaver himself, Francis VICKERY. They related the history of the occurrence thus. Mr. GILES was helping to serve the customers at the Blackhorse on Tuesday evening, devoting her attention chiefly to a room opposite the bar. The defendant was in there, and after a time she heard sounds of a discussion in the room about the South African and Crimean wars, and another man called the defendant a liar. When she went into the room again the men inside put SHARP into the passage and shut the door. Mrs. NORTON, hearing her husband called for, came along, and seeing SHARP in the passage very much excited she asked him to leave the house, but he refused and tried to get back into the room again. She then called to VICKERY, who happened to be on the premises, to hold the door. The defendant, enraged at this, forced VICKERY to one side, tripped him up, and kicked him while he was on the ground about the head and body. Eventually, VICKERY, whose head and face were in a terrible state, had to be sent to the Hospital in a tram.
By the Bench: She could not have failed to see if VICKERY had struck him first.
The coalheaver himself, who lives at North Town Crescent, corroborated the landlady's evidence, and, in answer to the defendant, denied ever raising his hand against him.
SHARP, in defence, gave evidence upon oath, and said that the discussion in the Blackhorse started between him and two girls, and one of them made a remark about his mother, to which he objected. Nevertheless when those present asked him to go outside because they were disturbed by the discussion he did so. When he got outside the remark was repeated, and he wanted to get back again to speak about it. VICKERY refused to let him pass, and struck him twice, and then they closed, and his opponent got the worst of it. He had been 13 years in the Royal Navy, and had left with a spotless character. He was trying to get back again. Whatever expenses VICKERY might incur he was willing to pay; he was very sorry at what had occurred, and gave the Bench his word never to touch drink again.
In answer to Mr. CLARKE (solicitor to the West Somerset Licensed Victuallers' Asociation <sic>), who appeared for Mr. J. NORTON, defendant said that he really did not know what he did to VICKERY, he was so wild at the remark made about his mother.
The defendant was then further charged with maliciously and unlawfully causing bodily harm to VICKERY. - The latter, Mrs. GILES, and Mrs. NORTON repeated their evidence. - Dr. Wm. CULLEN, assistant house surgeon at the Taunton and Somerset Hospital, spoke to admitting defendant there, with the left side of his face and the eye extensively swollen as if he had been hit severely. He was still under treatment, and could not do his work.
P.C. HORNER deposed to taking defendant to the Police-station from the Blackhorse and charging him with assault. On the way defendant said “I know I kicked him twice in the 'guts' because he said something about my mother.” - The charge was subsequently reduced to one of common assault, and to this SHARP pleaded guilty.
After a short retirement the Major said that the Bench had decided to fine the defendant 10s and 3s 6d costs, or seven days, for being drunk, 20s and 6s 6d costs, or 14 days, for refusing to quit, and for the brutal assault he had committed upon VICKERY he would be sentenced to one month's hard labour, and would also have to pay the costs, £1 0s 6d, or an extra seven days, the sentences to run consecutively, not concurrently.
SUSPECTED BETTING AT TAUNTON.
RAID BY THE POLICE.
The Taunton police on Wednesday afternoon madt <sic> a raid upon an office in Magdalene-lane, in thae <sic> town, and arrested three men, named John FURBER, Alfred FURBER, and William TRURAN, and also seized a quantity of books, telegrams, &c. The warrant contained a “complaint that a certain room or office in Magdalene-lane, in occupation of J. Barclay & Co., was kept and used as a common gaming house, under the Gaming Act of 1845, and upon that complaint being made a search warrant was issued under the Act authorising the police to enter and arrest all persons found there and take charge of all papers.”
The three men mentioned, together with another, named William CHIVERS, all of whom presented a smart appearance, were later in the afternoon brought before the Mayor (Councillor Josiah LEWIS) and Alderman W. POTTER at the Municipal Hall. Mr. C. P. CLARKE appeared for the accused.
P.S. Albert PARSONS produced the warrant, and said he visited, at a quarter to three o'clock that afternoon, the premises in Magdalene-lane occupied by Barclay & Co. He was in company with P.S. WEST, P.C. EMERY, and P.C. SMITH, all being in plain clothes. On entering the premises they found John FURBER and Alfred FURBER, his son, and William TRURAN in the office. Witness told John FURBER what they had come for, and read the warrant. Alfred FURBER said: “We are commission agents; we have done nothing wrong; we have taken no money.” John FURBER said: “All the books and papers are here; you can see them for yourselves and take what you like.” The police found a number of books with clients' names in them, and telegrams relating to horse racing. They arrested the men and seized the books and telegrams and brought them away. CHIVERS came in while they were there, and witness asked who he was, John FURBER first replying that he was his clerk, and then stating, “We are all in the firm.” CHIVERS voluntarily came to the Court, and witness had ready the warrant to him.
Mr. CLARKE: No difficulties were put in the was of your effecting the warrant at all?
Witness: None whatever.
Mr. CLARKE applied that the proceedings might be taken by way of information and summons, and cited the case of BLAKE v. BEAUCHAMP. He also mentioned that he had only just been instructed.
Mr. DURHAM, on behalf of the police, asked that the men might be bailed.
One of the defendants remarked: We can give you fine references in Bristol.
Mr. CLARKE, while not withdrawing his contention that the matter should proceed by way of summons, consented t <sic> the men being bailed. He said TRURAN was not alleged to be a principal in the matter. He was a shopkeeper, and was only found on the premises.
Mr. DURHAM said the police did not allege that TRURAN was a principal.
The proceedings were adjourned to Wednesday next, the 24th inst.
TRURAN was released on his own recognisances, and the other men in their own recognisances of £50 each, with a surety of £25 for each. Mr. James CARPENTER, of Holway, was accepted as surety.
<NOTES: Francis VICKERY son of Joseph PARSONS and Mary VICKERY, married Julia ROGERS>