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The Western Gazette Friday 26 Nov 1886
Page 7 Column 6 and 7
ILMINSTER.
OUR AGENTS for Ilminster and neighbourhood (Mr. W. BARBER, East Street, for Pulman's Weekly News, and Mr. H. HUTCHINGS, Town's End, for the Western Gazette) will be pleased to receive orders for the papers. Copies may always be obtained at their residences.
PETTY SESSIONS.
WEDNESDAY. - Before Mr. W. BLAKE (chairman), Mr. J. W. SHEPHERD, Capt. BLAKE, and Mr. E. C. B. TREVILIAN.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT. - Wm. OLD, labourer, Puckington, was summoned for trespassing in search of conies upon land in the occupation of Henry William WHITE, also of Puckington, on Nov. 6th. - Mr. WHITE deposed that on the Saturday in question, about 11 a.m., he found defendant on his farm ferretting for rabbits. Witness stated that the people in the village not infrequently indulged in the practice on wet days. - Defendant, who pleaded for leniency on account of being out of work was fined 10s and 6s costs. He was allowed a fortnight in which to find the money.
DRUNKENNESS. - Emily Julia JEST, a married woman, of Watford, South Petherton, was summoned at the instance of P.C. HORNER for being drunk in East Street, Ilminster, on the previous Saturday evening. - The officer gave evidence that he found the defendant, who was accompanied by a child two years old, sitting down in the road incapable. He locked her up. Next morning, however, she was allowed to go home.. - The justices imposed a fine of 5s and 5s costs.
A FIFTH OF NOVEMBER SQUABBLE. - Three cases of alleged assault arising out of some horse-play on the evening of the 5th November engaged the attention of the justices for some considerable time. In the first case heard, Albert PAULL and John WHITE, jun., of Ilminster, were the defendants; and John RIGGS, of Broadway, the complainant. WHITE, along with William WHITE, was in another summons charged with assaulting Albert SPARKS. In a cross-summons SPARKS, who was described as of Broadway Hill, was accused of an assault on John WHITE. It would appear that the parties, with a number of others, had been tot he Guy Fawkes Carnival at Chard. The excursionists arrived at Ilminster Station on the return journey about midnight, and a struggle ensued on the part of several in the crowd to get through the gateway, resulting, of course, in considerable jostling. It was alleged that PAULL and WHITE were amongst others guilty of this conduct, and that on RIGGS remonstrating with them, the two defendants, without any further provocation, severely assaulted him. It was further sworn that SPARKS was also assaulted as alleged. Defendants urged, in defence, that they were first attacked, and simply acted in self-defence. - The Chairman said it was very difficult to arrive at the truth in the cases. The justices, however, thought that in the end one party was as bad as the others, and, therefore, they dismissed the whole of the cases.
DISPUTED RIGHT OF WAY. - Harriett WHITE and Eliza MACQUINCKEN, both of Ilminster, were summoned for doing malicious damage to a fence, the property of Alfred WELCH, on November 19th. The first named defendant summoned John WELCH, brother of the complainant, for an alleged assault on the same day. - Complainant's case was that the defendants on the day in question, instead of crossing his field to go from the New Road to Winterhays by the footpath, entered the field at a more convenient point through a gap in the hedge. When they returned they again made for the gap, but were stopped by complainant's brother, who directed them to the footpath. He stated that in doing so he put his hand on Mrs. WHITE's shoulder. - In reply to the Magistrates' Clerk, complainant stated that he entered into possession of the property about eight months ago, and that there was a gap at the spot in question at that time. He was told by his landlady when he took the land that he was not to allow anyone off the path. Almost as soon, however, as he made up the hedge it was broken down again. - Mrs. WHITE informed the Bench that 15 years ago there was a stile at this particular spot. She affirmed that she crossed the field from that point under the supposition that there was still a path there. Complainant's brother, she added, went up to her “like a savage,” hit her in the face with his flat, and took hold of her by the shoulders and shook her. Complainant, on coming up to her, observed to her, “Oh, it is you, is it, I have had some cheek of you before.” She remarked “What me?” He said, “Well, if it was not you it was someone belonging to you.” (Laughter.) - Corroborative testimony was given by the other defendant. - The Bench dismissed the charge of malicious damage. In the case of John WELCH, considering that he used more violence in directing Mrs. WHITE to the path than he ought to have done, they imposed a fine of 10s. - Alfred WELCH: If that is the case, your worships, I shall not stop my fence any more. (Laughter.)
BAD CASE OF CRUELTY. - Gilbert MALE, hawlier <sic>, Barrington, was summoned by Inspector LOCKWOOD, the local officer of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, on a charge of cruelty. - Acting,-Sergeant COMER said that on Wednesday, Nov. 3, about 11 a.m., he was on duty at Barrington, when he saw a horse attached to a cart laden with gravel going up Barrington Hill. Noticing that the animal was working very hard to get along, he stopped it, lifted up the collar and examined the shoulders. A lad, named DRAYTON was incharge. He found a large raw wound on each shoulder about the size of a crown piece. He also discovered a large swelling behind the collar under the saddle, and on the off side he found another wound, with blood and matter oozing from it. Witness had the horse taken out of the cart. The lad told him that he had come with the gravel from Ilton. Subsequently, accompanied by Inspector LOCKWOOD, witness went to defendant's stables. They there saw the accused, who expressed his regret that the horse had been used, and stated that he should not have worked it in such a condition if he had not been hard pressed to get the gravel on the road. - The magistrates, characterising the case as a bad one, fined defendant £1 and the costs.
ANOTHER CASE OF CRUELTY. - Henry MALE, also of Barrington, was similarly summoned. - COMER proved this case also. He stated that on November 3rd, he saw a mare in trace harness attached to a load of gravel ascending Barrington Hill. He examined her, and found a raw wound on the off shoulder about the size of half-a-crown. The carter, a man named ROWSELL, informed him that the mare was being used simply to assist in dragging loads up the hill. - Defendant was ordered to pay £1, including costs. - A summons against ROWSELL for working the animal was, on the application of Inspector LOCKWOOD, allowed to be with-drawn, the accused being too unwell to attend.
A RICH DEFENCE. - Henry GIBBS, army reserve man, Seavington St. Michael, was summoned under the Poaching Prevention Act. - P.C. HILL deposed that on Sunday, Oct. 31st, he saw the defendant cross the road at Seavington St. Michael with a gun in his hand, and go into a garden occupied by Mrs. BRAKE. Witness lost sight of him for about ten minutes. When he saw him again he was in a crouching position with his hat off, looking into a field occupied by Mr. WARE. Defendant put the muzzle of his gun through the hedge, and tried to fire, but the gun would not go off. He tried again with a like result. On renewing the attempt, however, he was successful, and then “up flew a covey of partridges.” Defendant went into the field where the birds were. He afterwards came into the road. Witness then accosted him, stating that he suspected him of having game in his possession, and that he would have to give up his gun. Defendant demurred to doing that. He then searched defendant, and found in his possession some shot and some caps, but no game. - Defendant said he had had the gun loaded a fortnight and more. The powder had got damp, and he thought the best thing he could do, in order to prevent the possibility of an accident happening in the house, was to ask permission to go into his neighbour's garden to fire the gun off. (Laughter.) His neighbour said he was quite welcome to go and do as he requested, so he went and put the gun through the hedge and fired, not at a covey of partridges, but at a flight of sparrows and starlings. He did that because having got a number of fowls he though the birds would pick up the corn instead of the fowls. (Laughter.) - Three previous convictions were recorded against the defendant, who was ordered to pay a fine of £1 and the costs, and to forfeit the gun. - The Court agreed to allow him a fortnight in which to raise the money.
AN UNLICENSED PEDLAR. - Wm. MORGAN, described as of South Petherton, was summoned for acting as a pedlar on November 4th, without having obtained a certificate enabling him so to do. - Defendant went to Acting Sergeant COMER's lodgings at Barrington, hawking umbrellas. He was asked for his certificate, when he produced a tobacco license to premises in Union Street, Frome, and stated he thought that would do just as well. Defendant promised the magistrates that he would at once take out a certificate. - He was on this understanding ordered to pay 3s 6d costs only.
NEGLECTING TO WEIGH BREAD. - Tom THOMAS, of Stoke-sub-Hamdon, a baker in the employ of Mrs. CHANT, was summoned, at the instance of Acting-Sergeant COMER, charged with having sold bread otherwise than by weight. - The officer deposed that on Nov. 5th defendant called at his lodgings with bread. Witness asked for half a quartern. Defendant replied, “Half a loaf?” He said, “Yes.” Defendant went to his cart and brought back a half, or small, loaf, for which witness paid twopence. Defendant did not weigh the loaf. He then went on. Half-an-hour afterwards witness again saw him, and asked him if he had his scales and weights with him, to which he replied that he had, and he produced them. Witness then told him that he intended to take the loaf to Supt. SELF, at Ilminster. - Mr. SHEPHERD: Do I understand you took the loaf without his weighing it? - The Officer: Yes. - Mr. SHEPHERD: You didn't ask him to weigh it, then? - The Officer: No. - Supt. SELF: He is not bound to according to law. - The Sergeant added that he found the loaf in question 1¾ ounces deficient of 2lbs. - Defendant stated that the officer asked him for a half-loaf in the first instance. Had he applied for a 2lb. loaf it would have been weighed to him. - A fine of 1s and 6s costs was imposed.
IN THE WALNUT TREE. - John RAYMOND, Charles STUCKEY, and John CLARKE, youths, of South Petherton, were charged with stealing a quantity of walnuts, the property of Mr. John Edward SCHENCK, on October 13th. - Samuel GILES, gardener in the employ of the complainant, deposed to finding the three defendants in the tree picking the nuts. - Defendants did not attempt to deny the charge. One of them, however, stated that they had been informed Mr. SCHENCK gave the walnuts away to anyone who had a mind to get them. (Laughter) – Each defendant was ordered to pay a fine of 3s.
SCHOOL BOARD CASES. - A number of persons were before the Bench charged with having neglected to send their children regularly to school. - The Chairman, who retired from the Bench during the hearing of these cases, said there was a committee appointed by the Yeovil Union to look into such cases before they were adjudicated upon. They met at Yeovil and Martock when there were any cases, and went into them, and if there were a good excuse they excused the people altogether. When, however, the cases were troublesome, and had been before the Committee two or three times, they thought it necessary to take out a summons. He merely mentioned this in order to show that the Committee took every precaution before bringing a person before the magistrates.