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The West Somerset Free Press, Williton, Minehead, and Watchet Journal Saturday 04 Feb 1893
Page 5 Column 6
WILLITON PETTY SESSIONS.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND.
Before D. BADCOCK, Esq. (in the chair), and the Hon. J. S. TREFUSIS.
EXTENSION OF TIME. - An extension of time, to 4 o'clock in the morning, was granted to Mr. J. O. WATTS, of the Railway Hotel, Williton, on the night of February 14th, on the occasion of an invitation ball.
NEGLECTING TO HAVE A CHILD VACCINATED. - Mr. William Richard AMOR, shopkeeper, of Dunster, was summoned for neglecting to comply with the provisions of the Vaccination Acts in not causing his child, Edgar Wm. AMOR, to be vaccinated within three months after birth, and having no reasonable cause for such neglect. - Defendant did not appear. - Mr. HUGGINS, vaccination officer of the Williton Union, appeared to prosecute on behalf of the Board of Guardians, and produced his authority to take proceedings and the certificate of birth of the child, on June 5th, 1892. He said that on the 10th December, 1892, he served the defendant with a notice requiring him to vaccinate the child within 14 days, failing which it would be his duty to prosecute. He tried to persuade Mr. AMOR to have the child vaccinated, but he refused, saying he would rather pay the penalty, and offering to pay it then, but witness said he could not take it as he must proceed before the magistrates. He had received no certificate of vaccination for the child since, and he therefore applied for the penalty. - Fined £1, including costs, which were 9s. 7d.
ILLEGAL RABBITING. - Walter LANGDON and Frederick YEANDLE, labourer, of Williton, were summoned for trespassing in the pursuit of conies, at three p.m. on January 23rd, on land known as Grove Copse, in the parish of St. Decuman's, and in the occupation of Mr. F. S. MERSON. - LANGDON did not appear, and YEANDLE pleaded guilty. - P.C. GILL, of Watchet, deposed that on the day in question, at three p.m., he saw a man's head above the underwood in Grove Copse, and on entering the copse he saw the defendants both kneeling down over some rabbit holes. LANGDON had a ferret in his hand, and YEANDLE took a net from off the ground and put it into his pocket. He searched YEANDLE and found six nets upon him, and LANGDON had in his pocket the ferret which he had before had in his hand. - YEANDLE had nothing to say in defence, but hoped that the magistrates would let him off lightly as it was his first offence. - Mr. MERSON said he did not wish to press the case against YEANDLE, but he thought that LANGDON ought to be made an example of. - YEANDLE was fined 7s. 6d. and LANGDON 10s., both fines including costs.
ANOTHER CASE OF RABBITING. - William STEVENS, the younger, and John JONES, labourers, of Nettlecombe, were charged with a similar offence on January 22nd, at Bye Elms, Old Cleeve, on land in the occupation of Mr. T. E. RISDON. - JONES pleaded not guilty, saying he was not in the field at all, and STEVENS pleaded guilty. - P.C. POND deposed that on Sunday afternoon, the 22nd of January, at three o'clock, he was going from Washford to New Barn when he saw the two defendants in a field called Honeyland, in the occupation of Mr. T. E. RISDON. He watched them for a few minutes while they were searching the hedge between the field and Bye Elms covert. He went to them, and on searching STEVENS found on him the net and spear produced. JONES got away. They were both in the field when he first saw them. - Supt. STICKLAN said JONES had been convicted of a similar offence last September. - JONES was fined 15s. and STEVENS 10s., both fines including costs.
DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS DRUNK. - George PORTER, labourer, of Kilve, was summoned for being drunk and disorderly in the highway at Kilve, on December 18th. - Defendant pleaded not guilty, saying no man or woman ever saw him drunk in his life. - P.C.HALE, of Kilve, stated that on the night in question he found defendant in the highway at the bottom of Putsham Hill. There were two women and two or three young men with him. He was staggering about the road, swearing and making use of very bad and foul language, and so drunk that it required two people to lead him home. Witness followed behind and asked one of the women how he got into that condition, and she said that he had been to Holford. Witness then spoke to defendant, and told him he ought to be ashamed of himself. - Defendant put several questions to the police constable with the intention of showing that he was not drunk, saying also that he had had but two pints of beer all day, all of which he did not drink himself; but the witness adhered to his statement. - The Chairman said he was afraid there was not much doubt about defendant's being drunk, although he did not admit it, and he (the chairman) was sorry to see the defendant brought up on that charge. As he had not been brought there before, he would be dealt lightly with and fined 2s. 6s., and costs 6s.
NEGLECTING TO REMOVE A CART – Walter BINDING, labourer, of Mill-street, Watchet, was summoned for obstructing the highway in the parish of St. Decuman's, on January 6th and 7th, by allowing a cart to remain thereon then hours. - Defendant pleaded guilty, and P.C. GILL stated that at 3.30 p.m. on the 6th of January he saw a cart loaded with alabaster standing on the highway at Watchet, and at two o'clock on the following morning it was still there. He made inquiries and found that defendant had left it there. The cart was standing on the high road near the railway bride, and there was no waste land there; not an inch. - Defendant said he had been obliged to leave the cart as the horse was taken ill. - Mr. WEDLAKE said that, without attempting to justify the defendant, it was correct that the horse was taken ill and had to be shot. Had the defendant reported that he had left the cart there, as he ought to have done, it would have been removed. - Fined 1s., and 5s. costs.
MISCHIEVOUS FREAKS. - Thomas CRIDDLE and Joseph COLES, lads, of Stogumber, were summoned for laying two gates and a hurdle in the highway at Stogumber, to the danger of passers-by, on January 23rd. - Defendants pleaded guilty, and a lad names Albert DENNETT, who appeared as witness, stated that as he was going from Preston Farm to Stogumber on the evening of January 23rd he saw defendants take the gates and hurdle and lay them on the road. - Defendants had nothing to say in defence, and P.C. TRIPP and Supt. STICKLAN both said there had been complaints of mischief of a similar kind being done at Stogumber. - The Bench said such an act might result in a serious accident, and as it was not the first time it had occurred in the parish they fined each defendant 10s., including costs.
STEALING COAL. - Albert HALL, a lad, of Watchet, was charged with stealing, on the 27th November, 1892, a quantity of coal, of the value of 3d, the property of Messrs. Wansbrough and Worrall, of Watchet. - This case was adjourned from the last sessions as defendant did not then appear. Both defendant and his mother were now in court. - James WEDLAKE, traffic manager for Messrs. Wansbrough and Worrall, said that a quantity of coal was kept in their depot on the quay at Watchet. It was enclosed by rails, but not boarded up. On the day in question, at 10 a.m., he was going towards the coal depot and met defendant with a covered basket (produced) coming away from the depot. On being asked what he had in the basket, defendant said, “Sticks,” but on witness asking to look at them, he said “Please, sir, it is not sticks, but coal, which one of the men gave me.” On being asked to point out the man, he said he picked the coal up under the crane. Witness told him not to tell any more untruths, for he had seen him pick up the coal from the heap. Witness asked his name, and he told it, and on being asked who was his father he said he was drowned, which was also an untruth. The boy then fetched his mother, and witness told her that he must report the occurrence to Mr. WANSBROUGH, which he did. Mr. WANSBROUGH said he could not look over the offence, as he had had such a lot of coal stolen, but he asked Mr. WEDLAKE to state to the magistrates that he did not wish to press the case against the boy as he considered that the mother must have sent him as he had a covered basket. The boy's father was at sea, and seldom at home. - Defendant pleaded guilty, and on the advice of his mother elected to be dealt with summarily. - The Chairman, addressing the mother, who was very deaf, said it was a very disgraceful case. The lad had evidently been brought up and taught not only to steal but to lie, for he had told two or three lies to Mr. WEDLAKE, and the disgrace lay with her. The law gave the Bench no power to punish her as she ought to be punished, so, acting under the Probation of First Offenders' Act, they would allow the lad to go, provided that she would agree that he should be bound over to come up for judgment if called upon.
DIDN'T LIKE THE UNION AT ALL. - James Gardner BLAKE, an old man belonging to Bicknoller, was brought up in custody charged that on February 1st, at Bicknoller, he was found unlawfully wandering abroad and lodging in an outhouse, without having any visible means of subsistence, and not giving a good account of himself. - Defendant pleaded guilty to sleeping out, saying that he had nowhere else to go, but had been round to the farmers, and they were all agreeable to help him, and he was going to see about lodgings that day. - P.C. TRIPP said that in company with P.C. BILLINGS he searched a cow-shed belonging to Mr. T. SPARKS at 11p.m. on February 1st, and found defendant sleeping there. He had no money – not a farthing. They told him that they must take him to Williton, but he said at first that he would not go and “let about him” with his stick. They afterwards removed him to the police-station. Defendant slept about at various out-houses, and Mr. SPARKS had said that he could not have him sleeping on his premises as he was afraid that he might be found dead some day. - Supt. STICKLAN said defendant would not go into the workhouse, but would sleep out in all weathers. - The Bench put several questions to the defendant, who appears to suffer from a delusion that he possesses property. He steadily refused at the request of the magistrates to go into the workhouse, asking how long they would keep him there if he went. - The Chairman said they must send him to prison if he would not comply, for others were committed for the same offence, but defendant still protested that he did not like the workhouse at all, and besides said there was no necessity for him to go there, as he had plenty of money if he could only get it, one man in Bicknoller owing him £1,100 and another £200, and the public-house there being his property also. - The Bench most reluctantly committed him to prison for a week, and he was led away crying.