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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal and Western Advertiser Wednesday 22 Jul 1925
Page 3 Column 4
TAUNTON BOROUGH POLICE-COURT.
WEDNESDAY. - Before the Mayor (Councillor J. C. LANE), Mrs. MINNETT, Mr. J. WHITE, and Mr. W. J. VILLAR.
YOUNG DOMESTIC'S SERIOUS OFFENCE.
Bessie ATYEO, of Middlezoy, a smartly dressed girl of good appearance, who has been employed as a domestic servant at Hillfarrance, pleaded guilty, to charges of obtaining a silver watch and money to the value of £7 6s, by means of a worth-less cheque, on the 8th inst. at Taunton, and of stealing two cheques belonging to her late employer, Mr. John TRICKEY, of Knapp Farm, Hillfarrance.
Superintendent CHAPMAN said accused had been in the employ of Mr. TRICKEY, but did not keep the situation. Upon leaving Hillfarrance she came into Taunton and called at the shop of Mr. COZENS, jeweller, where she had had a watch under repair. She asked Mr. COZENS to cash a cheque for her father, and after putting some questions to her Mr. COZENS did so. The girl, who also purchased a watch at the shop, stated that her father was a farmer at Hatch Beauchamp. Knowing people of that name in the Hatch district, Mr. COZENS cashed the cheque, but after it had been paid into the bank it was returned to him marked “No account.” Enquiries were made, and the two cheques defendant was charged with stealing were traced back to her recent employer, Mr. TRICKEY. There was nothing known against the girl, and in the situation she had before going to Hillfarrance she gave satisfaction. The present case, added Mr. CHAPMAN, was a very serious matter, as the girl might have been charged with forgery. He asked the Bench to make an order for the return of the watch obtained from Mr. COZENS, and of the money he had been defrauded of. Defendant's father was in Court with her.
Addressing the girl, who stood quietly sobbing, the Mayor said, “We hope you realise the seriousness of the charge against you. The Bench hesitate – and rightly so I think – to send you to prison, but we want you to realise that you could be punished in that way for these offences. You will be bound over for twelve months to come up for judgement if called upon. If, in the meantime, you commit any other offence, this charge will be brought up against you. We hope you will take warning, and advantage of being allowed to go free in this way. There will be an order for the money and watch to be returned, and for payment of costs.”
The amount to be refunded was £4 -8s? 6d, and the costs of the case, £1 10s.
A WIFE'S MAINTENANCE.
Maintenance arrears totalling £52 were claimed from Albert Henry SEARLE, 'bus conductor, of 10, Warwick Crescent, Paddington, by his wife, Edith Jane SEARLE, who resides at Taunton.
Mrs. SEARLE stated that she had only received £3 from her husband during the last 12 months.
Defendant said that since the committal order was made against him last year his parents had seen his wife, and they came to an arrangement that if he left her alone she would never interfere with him. His wife came to Wembley last year, and he “ran into her.” She then said that if he did not interfere with her she would not press for this money. She came up again at Christmas and nothing was said about it. What hope had he of paying all that money now? He firmly believed it was done out of spite.
Mr. J. WHITE (a magistrate): What do you expect your wife and child to live on?
Defendant: She left me of her own accord.
Complainant: It was through another woman, wasn't it?
Defendant: I didn't want her to go with the baby. She locked the door against me.
Complainant: All I want you to do is to keep your baby.
Answering Mr. WHITE, defendant said he earned £4 a week when in full work.
Replying to Mrs. MINETT, the wife said it was impossible to live with her husband.
The Mayor: Leaving out the arrears, will you promise to pay £1 a week regularly in future?
Defendant said he would try, and the case was adjourned for a month to see whether he paid, the Bench deciding, if he did not, to send him to prison.
LIFE IN A COURT.
EXHIBITS OF TORN BLOUSE AND WOMAN'S HAIR.
QUARRELLING PARTIES BOUND OVER.
Unpleasant relations between neighbours in No. 5 Court, East-street, were detained during the hearing of three summonses and cross-summonses for assault, or the use of threats on July 11th. - The parties were Frederick J. CRIDLAND, a labourer, who summoned Albert WEAVER, a corporal in the S.L.I., Taunton Depot, for threats; his wife, Elsie May CRIDLAND, who summoned Hilda WEAVER, wife of the above defendant, for assault, which offence, in a cross-summons, was also alleged against Mrs. CRIDLAND by Mrs. WEAVER. - A plea of not guilty was entered in each case.
CRIDLAND alleged that WEAVER came to his house in a fighting attitude and used threats.
Mrs. CRIDLAND and her mother also gave evidence, the latter saying that WEAVER declared: “If the ----- was here now I would crush him.”
WEAVER said he had had to go tot he Superintendent of the Police for protection for his wife. He denied going to CRIDLAND's house and saying he ---- well wanted to see him.
Mother-in-law (to the Mayor): The language that came out of WEAVER's mouth was shameful, my lord. (Laughter.)
WIFE v. WIFE.
Mrs. CRIDLAND alleged that Mrs. WEAVER came to her house with her husband, caught her hold by the hair, and smacked her in the face and on the arm. Witness pushed her back and she fell down, but, getting up, she again hit her. Complainant alleged that defendant pulled her blouse off her back and pulled out some of her hair, both of which she produced in Court.
Mr. CRIDLAND said that Mrs. WEAVER called his wife “nothing but a low, common, rotten woman” he would not stand that from anyone.
Similar evidence was given by Mrs. CRIDLAND's mother.
THE CROSS-SUMMONS.
Mrs. WEAVER then went into the witness-box. She stated that on the Friday afternoon, on returning from her shopping, Mrs. CRIDLAND accused her husband of using a certain word against a neighbour. She advised them both to see her husband about it. The women came into the Court and bullied her. Later, when she went to the tap to draw a bucket of water for tea, Mrs. CRIDLAND said: “She has been to the solicitors. Here you are ma; here is the bucket of water.” “The old lady took the water and threw it over me. There was a lot of filth in the bucket, and seeing this, I lost my senses and threw the bucket back.” She denied pulling out some of Mrs. CRIDLAND's hair. On the Saturday, Mrs. WEAVER proceeded, she hit her unconscious. Her husband picked her up. Afterwards, she ran after her with a bucket of water, but slipped up and “had the whole issue herself.” (Laughter.)
Without calling further evidence, the Bench bound over all the parties in the sum of £5 for six months, and to pay their own costs.
OBSTRUCTION BY CAR.
Arthur TAYLOR, a naval officer, of Reading, was summoned for having obstructed the high-way in Wood-street by leaving a motor-car there on the 29th ult. - Defendant, who did not appear, was represented by Mr. E. T. ALMS. - P.C. LIPPITT stated that the car was left in Wood-street while defendant went to Dellers for tea. There was a notice in the street warning motorists not to park cars there. The car caused an obstruction to other traffic using the street.
Mr. ALMS said defendant wished to express his regret. He did not notice the warning board when he left his car in what he thought a convenient place where it would not cause obstruction. He was a stranger to Taunton. - A fine of £1 was imposed.
FRACAS AT FRENCH WEIR.
A game of cards on a seat at French Weir, played by four young men, had an unhappy sequel in the appearance before the Bench of one of the players, Joe STEVENS, of String Lane, who was charged with having assaulted and beaten Stanley EDWARDS, also of String Lane. - He pleaded not guilty. - Mr. G. P. CLARKE appeared for the prosecutor, and according to his statement EDWARDS came upon the four card players on the 8th inst. enjoying their game in French Weir. Something he said was objected to by STEVENS, who, it was alleged, attacked him and knocked him about rather badly, blacking his eyes and making his nose bleed. His appearance was so damaged that his mother called in a police constable to see him later in the day.
Evidence was given by prosecutor, Reginald RAWLINGS, Percy GUEST, William George GIBBS, and P.C. WHITTLE, the last-named stating that when he saw EDWARDS he seemed dazed, and had evidently received some heavy blows.
Defendant, on oath, stated that prosecutor had come along to where they were playing and had interfered with the game. He was twice asked to desist, and when ordered to go away assumed a fighting attitude. He (defendant) went to hit him with the palm of his hand, but missed him, and then received a blow himself. A fight ensued, and he admitted striking prosecutor again when he had covered his face with his hands after receiving a blow on the nose. He had been taught in the Navy to always follow up an advantage. It was entirely the fault of EDWARDS that the trouble occurred; he interfered with their game, refused to go away, and then seemed to want to fight. Therefore he deserved to get the worst of it.
A fine of 5s was imposed.
<NOTES: Elsie May CRIDLAND is Elsie May BURT daughter of Francis Eli BURT and Eliza WEBBER, married Frederick John CRIDLAND
Frederick John CRIDLAND son of Frederick CRIDLAND and Rosina RIDGWAY, married Elsie May or May BURT>