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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal and Western Advertiser Wednesday 17 Feb 1909
Page 4 Column 6 and 7
<This article is very faint in places. To make it easier to read, I've only added questions marks to words that are unclear if they would make a difference to the narrative>
TAUNTON.
<section not transcribed>
BOROUGH POLICE-COURT.
WEDNESDAY. - Before the Mayor (Alderman J. G. PRICE), the ex-Mayor (Alderman A. J. SPILLER), Mr. T. S. PENNY, and Mr. W. H. WESTLAKE.
A TROUBLESOME FELLOW.
Frederick CRIDLAND, a young fellow of 23, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly on the 2nd inst. - P.C. GAPPER gave evidence that on the evening of the date mentioned he saw the defendant in Station-road drunk, and behaving in a disorderly manner. Witness persuaded him to go away, and ultimately he went to his home in Black Horse-lane. - Previous convictions were proved against the defendant, and the Bench now put him on probation for six months. - Mr. COLLIS, probation officer, asked that the conditions might be that the defendant should abstain from intoxicating drinks, and the magistrates ordered this. - Mr. COLLIS stated that he had previously got the defendant into the Church Army Labour Home, near Bristol, where he only stayed a week, and earned 8d the whole time although he might have earned 1s a day. While he was there he upset the whole of the workshop, and caused so much trouble that the Labour Master had to send him back. The defendant had since had every opportunity of doing better if he would only be willing.
CYCLIST AND CONSTABLE.
CONFLICTING EVIDENCE.
A case of conflicting evidence was that in which James HOOSEN, an assistant-master at Taunton School, was summoned for riding a bicycle on the evening of the 5th inst. without a light. - Mr. C. P. CLARKE appeared for the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. - P.C. HARDWIDGE stated that at 6.50 on the evening in question, he saw the defendant riding, in Staplegrove-road, a bicycle, the lamp of which had gone out. He called defendant's attention to it, who stopped, and witness then felt the lamp, which he said was quite cold. - Mr. CLARKE said that the defendant and another assistant-master had been cycling that evening to Milverton, and on the way home the lamps of both riders were both alight until they got near to Staplegrove Inn, and when the constable stopped the defendant shortly afterwards in Staplegrove-road his lamp was quite warm, and there was a glow burning. As the lamp had not completely gone out he submitted it was not a case in which the magistrates should inflict a fine. - James HOOSEN, the defendant, then gave evidence, and said that his lamp was alight just before he reached the Staplegrove Inn. They were making for the Taunton School when the constable stopped them, and defendant bore out that his lamp then was quite aglow and warm, and he opened the glass and pointed it out to the constable. The latter, however, still adhered to his former statement that there was no light whatever in the lamp and it was quite cold. - Charles GIBBONS, a colleague of the defendant at the Taunton School, who was his companion on the evening in question, was called to give corroborative evidence. - The Mayor said the Bench were of opinion that the constable may have been mistaken, and with the evidence before them they had decided to dismiss the case. - On the application of Mr. CLARKE the costs were remitted.
A LIGHTLESS DRIVER FINED.
William SHOPLAND, a carter, of Cheddon-road, pleaded guilty on the information of P.C. GREGORY, to driving a laden timber waggon in Staplegrove-road on the night on the 3rd inst. without a light, and was fined 1s and 5s as costs.
DISORDERLY IN EAST REACH.
James DODDEN, a man of the labouring class, residing at East Reach, was summoned for being drunk and disorderly on the night of the 6th inst. - Defendant said he would plead guilty to give the constable the benefit of the doubt. - P.C. SMITH stated that at 11 o'clock at night, he found the defendant in East Reach in a drunken condition and attempting to assault a woman named PLOWMAN, who wanted to get a key from him. - Fined 5s and 5s as costs, or 14 days in default.
NON-VACCINATION.
John BOYD, chemist, of Fore-street, was summoned for the non-vaccination of his child. - Mr. R. S. CHAPMAN, vaccination-officer, prosecuted, and at the outset defendant complained that he was not informed till three months afterwards that it was too late to send in a declaration of exemption. - Mr. CHAPMAN said defendant's memory must be defective on the point, as on the 20th July last, which was eight days before the child was four months old, he gave the defendant notice that he must send him a certificate. On the 3rd August he sent one, but the declaration was then out of date. - The Bench imposed a fine of £1 and costs.
A PUBLIC NUISANCE.
Henry SHORT, of Paul-street, who did not appear, was summoned for being drunk and disorderly at Paul-street on the 30th ult. - P.C. HART gave evidence to seeing the defendant in Paul-street on the evening in question in a drunken condition and behaving in a beastly manner. - There was a long list of previous convictions against the defendant, who was now fined £1 and costs, or one month in default.
ASSAULTING A YOUTH.
Wm. BARTLETT, of East Reach, was summoned for assaulting and beating Charles FOURACRE, on the 6th inst., and pleaded guilty under great provocation. - The prosecutor, a lad of 16, residing at Duke-street, stated that he had recently been working for the defendant, who was a wood dealer, and had been helping him to saw brands of wood, and the previous week he had only given him 1s 8d for the week's work. Consequently on Monday, the 7th inst., prosecutor went to Mr. COLTHURST's yard to get some brands of wood, with a view of stating on his own account, as his mother said the money he had been receiving was not enough for his labour. While he was working up a round defendant stopped him and accused him of going to his customers, which he denied. Defendant then struck him in the face with his hand, and threatened to follow him about and interfere with him in what he was doing. Prosecutor emphatically denied that he had been to any of his customers. - Defendant's contention was that prosecutor had been going to some of his customers. - He was bound over to keep the peace for three months, and pay the costs.
DARING THEFTS BY YOUTHS.
THREE YEARS TO A REFORMATORY.
Thomas PERCY, age 16, and William HURLEY, age 15, both residing at Rowbarton, were brought up on remand on two charges. The first was for having, on the 3rd inst., entered a lock-up draper's shop of Eleanor Rose NAPPER, at Kingston-road, and stolen two pairs of gloves, valued 1s 1d.
Miss NAPPER stated that she resided at Holway and carried on a draper's shop at Kingston-road, Rowbarton, to which no house was attached. On the night of the 3rd inst, at eight o'clock, she left the shop safely locked up, and on going there at nine? o'clock the following morning, in consequence of something she had heard with reference to the adjoining shop, she examined her premises, her apprentice having previously opened the shop before she got there. There were gloves hanging on the inside of the door, and she had reason to believe that two pairs were missing. There was a slit in the door? for letters, and anyone who put their hands through, it was quite possible for them to remove the gloves from the door.
William ADAMS, a boy of 13, residing at Florence-row, Kingston-road, gave evidence to seeing both the defendants outside Miss NAPPER's shop and to seeing? PERCY put his hand through the letter slit and pull?? out two pairs of gloves, one pair of which he gave to HURLEY. PERCY asked witness if he would have a pair? but he declined and went off home.
P.S. WOOLLEY, acting on information, went to see PERCY on the 5th inst. at his house and charge him? when he said he could prove himself not guilty. The same day witness arrested HURLEY, who denied knowing anything about it. Witness took them into? custody, where they had remained ever since. On?? the following day he charged them at the station? ? PERCY said they did not break in but he put his hand?? through the letter aperture and took the gloves, the? pair he gave to Wm. HURLEY and the other to Henry? HURLEY.
Defendants were further charged with having on the 3rd inst. broken and entered the shop of Charles? BURGE, greengrocer and fruiterer, of Kingston road, and stolen four threepenny-pieces, a 6d, 2s in copper coins, and a quantity of fruit and nuts, together to the total value of 12s.
Miss BURGE, daughter of the prosecutor, stated that her father was a nurseryman at Rowbarton, and he kept this shop in the Kingston-road, which adjoined that of Miss NAPPER. The place was securely fastened on the night of the 3rd inst., and the following morning when she opened the premises, she found that a window at the back had been broken open, the bolt having been forced of. She found various things missing and informed her father who came and examined the shop. They subsequently missed from the till the coins mentioned, and about ? oranges had gone besides other things. The police were then informed, and the lads were arrested on the previous charges.
P.C. PARSONS spoke to being on duty at Taunton Police-station on the morning of the 6th, and hearing a noise in one of the cells, he found PERCY lying on the ground complaining that he was very bad, and that he would like witness to go to his uncle and ask him to forgive him and HURLEY for breaking into his? shop.
P.S. WOOLLEY spoke to examining Mr. BURGE's shop and to charging both defendants with this offence. In the cell a the station Percy said HURLEY? broke the window of the shop, and he (PERCY) got in, HURLEY lifting him up. PERCY gave some of the things stolen to HURLEY and his brother Henry, and witness afterwards found a stick in a field at Greenway-road, which HURLEY had told him of, with which the window was forced, the marks corresponding.
Both defendants now pleaded guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily.
Dr. WHITTAKER, head-master of the Taunton School, stated that PERCY's mother had been in the employ of the school for some time as cook, and bore a high character. On various occasions the mother had spoken to him about her boy, and he had given her the best advice he could. Witness believed he had got into bad company.
The Bench said it would be better for the future of the lads if they went away, and they would both be sent to a reformatory for three years.
SATURDAY. - Before the Major (Alderman J. G. PRICE) and the ex-Mayor (Alderman A. J. SPILLER.)
CALLED AT THE WRONG HOUSE.
Robert ELLISON, of no fixed abode, was summoned for having acted as a pedlar on the previous day, without a hawker's license. - From the evidence P.C. GAPPER it appeared that defendant called at his? house and offered some bootlaces for sale. The constable asked him to produce a hawker's license, and as the man could not do so took him into custody. - Defendant was allowed to go on promising to leave the town.
<NOTES: Frederick CRIDLAND son of William SUMMERHAYES and Jane DYER>