Diss Family History Group

HARTISMERE PETTY SESSIONS.
MONDAY.
Before the Rev. T. L. French (in the chair), Rev. S. B. Reynolds, Ald. T. H. Tacon, and H. Brooke, Esq.
David Fuller, an elderly man, described as a bricklayer, of Botesdale, was charged with using threatening language towards William C. Scrivener, of Botesdale, at Botesdale, on the 15th ult. - About twenty minutes past four on Sunday afternoon, the 15th ult., complainant was standing at his wicket-gate, when the defendant who was opposite, used most abominable language towards him. Defendant threatened the complainant, and added that he ought never to have come to live at Botesdale as they could have done better without him. Complainant was in bodily fear of the defendant, and asked that he might be bound over to keep the peace. - A son of the complainant substantiated the above statement. - The Bench bound the defendant over to keep the peace for six months in his own recognisances of £10.
Charles Cornish, builder, Botesdale, was also charged with using threats towards the complainant in the last case, at Botesdale, on the 14th ult. - Complainant was unable to establish his case, and the Magistrates, therefore, dismissed it.

HARTISMERE PETTY SESSIONS.
MONDAY.
Before Henry Brooke, Esq. chairman), Alderman T. H. Tacon, and the Rev. S. B. Reynolds.
Robert Perry, labourer, Rickinghall Superior, was charged with assaulting Henry Hazel, gamekeeper, Botesdale, at Botesdale, on the 10th u!t. - Complainant stated that about a quarter to seven in the evening of the 10th ult. he was proceeding along Hall Lane, Botesdale, on his way home, when the defendant, who was accompanied by a man named Foulger, overtook him and said, &dlquo;I have not gone to America yet, you see.” Complainant replied, “Well ! my boy, it does not matter to me whether you go or not,” and defendant then deliberately struck him in the eye twice and also on the nose, whereupon complainant threw down a bag of biscuits he was carrying, pulled off his coat and struck defendant in the chest. He was in the act of striking the defendant a second time when he walked off. The man Foulger attempted to strike complainant with a stick, when defendant said, “Give it him; let’s kill the old -----.” - Robert Holland, miller at Botesdale, corroborated. - The Bench were unanimously of opinion that defendant had committed a most unprovoked and unwarrantable assault, and passed upon him a sentence of three weeks’ imprisonment with hard labour. - Defendant was further charged with drunkenness and disorderly behaviour on the highway at Botesdale on the 1st inst. - He pleaded guilty, but the Bench dismissed the case, being of opinion that the sentence already passed upon the defendant was sufficient.

REDGRAVE. - Amos Watts and William Orvis, labourers, of this parish, were charged at the Hartismere Petty Sessions, on Monday, before the Rev. T. L. French (chairman) and Alderman T. H. Tacon, with being drunk and disorderly on the highway at Redgrave, on the 5th inst. P.C. E. Stannard, stationed at Botesdale, proved the case, stating that when the defendants came out of the Cross Keys Inn, at closing time, they were the worse for drink, and created a great disturbance. Defendants alleged that they were only playing, but the Bench, considering the case clearly proved, Watts was fined 12s., and Orvis 9s., including costs.

HARTISMERE PETTY SESSIONS.
MONDAY.
Before the Rev. T. L. French (chairman), Ald. T. H. Tacon, G. H. Wilson, and H. Brooke, Esqrs.
David Henry Kemp, labourer, Rickinghall Superior, was charged with stealing 6lbs. of pork, value 3s. 6d., from the dwelling-house of Walter Barker, miller, of Botesdale, on the 11th inst. - Prosecutor stated that he had some pork hanging up in his pantry, and subsequently missing it, gave information of the theft to Inspector Grimwood, who brought the boots now produced, and upon witness examining them found they corresponded with the footmarks outside the pantry window. - Mrs. Garwood, housekeeper to prosecutor, spoke to missing the pork about nine o’clock on the following morning. - Inspector Grimwood deposed to meeting the defendant in Rickinghall Street about half-past two the day after the theft, and asking him where he slept the previous night. Prisoner replied at his father&srquo;s, and that he left the Cock Inn, Botesdale, about five minutes to eleven. He took the prisoner then into custody upon the charge of stealing the pork, and upon examining the boots he was then wearing, found they corresponded with footmarks just outside the pantry window. - Prisoner, who had been previously convicted, wished to have the case dealt with summarily, and was awarded six weeks&srquo; hard labour.

RICKINGHALL. At the Hartismere Petty Sessions on Monday week David Henry Kemp, labourer, Rickinghall Superior, was charged with stealing 61bs of pork, value 3s. 6d., the property of Mr. Walter Barker, miller, Botesdale, on the 11th inst. The prosecutor having given evidence which was corroborated by his housekeeper (Mrs. Garwood), defendant was sentenced to six weeks’ hard labour.

HARTISMERE PETTY SESSIONS.
MONDAY.
Before the -Rev. T. L. French (chairman), Alderman T. H. Tacon. and G. H. Wilson, Esq.
William Arnold, Robert Larter, and Walter Fowlger, labourers, of Botesdale, were charged with being on premises at night, in the occupation of Eliza Pooley, widow, of Botesdale, for an unlawful purpose, on the 5th inst. - Complainant deposed to hearing from her bedroom someone in the garden just below, and calling to her son William, with whom she lived, he came to the window and spoke to someone. On the following morning she went to the shed and missed some onions which she was sure were there on the previous night. - William Pooley stated that when he went to the window he saw the three defendants in the garden, and on calling out to them one replied &dlquo;I don’t care.” - After hearing the evidence of Inspector Grimwood of Botesdale, and the statements of the three defendants, who stoutly denied being on the-premises for an unlawful purpose, declaring &dlquo;that they never took anything in their lives,&drquo; the Bench discharged them with a caution.

BOTESDALE.
BURGLARY. - On Thursday night the premises of Mr. George Stearman, grocer and draper, were broken into. It appears that an entrance had been made by means of a back window. On Saturday morning Inspector Grimwood arrested a man named David Henry Kemp, of Rickinghall, on the above-charge, and conveyed him to Eye.

BOTESDALE.
POISONED BY MISADVENTURE. - Mr. Coroner Chaston investigated a sad case of poisoning by misadventure at Mendlesham a few days ago. It appeared from the evidence that Mrs. Laura Georgina Francis, daughter of the late Dr. Vincent, of Botesdale, lived alone, her husband, Mr. Thomas Francis, having gone abroad some time ago. She enjoyed fairly good health, but suffered from neuralgic pains, for which it is believed she was in the habit of taking laudanum. She was last seen alive between three and four o’clock on Wednesday afternoon by a tradesman, who went to the house about 6.40 the same evening, but could not gain admission, and going again about 4.30 p.m. next day, and being still unable to obtain a reply to his knocking, went in and found Mrs. Francis in bed undressed and dead. The police and the doctor were called in, and a bottle containing laudanum was discovered. - Dr. Fryer stated that death, which was due to poisoning by laudanum, had occurred three or four hours before he saw her. - The Rev. Alfred Wardroper, Vicar of All Saints, Islington, deceased’s son-in-law, deposed that the laudanum was sent to deceased by post in ¼lb. bottles from Mr. Gostling, chemist, Stowmarket. She took it to assuage neuralgic pains, and he was sure she would not take it with the intention of committing suicide. - The Jury returned a verdict of “Death from misadventure through an overdose of laudanum.”

BOTESDALE.
DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. - At the Hartismere Petty Sessions on Monday week, before Rev. French (chairman), Mr. G. H. Wilson, and Mr. T. H. Tacon, George and John Banham, brothers, labourers, Botesdale, were charged with being drunk and disorderly at Botesdale, on 18th ult. - Inspector Grimwood, and Stannard, p.-c, proved that defendants were so drunk and disorderly that they were obliged to take them into custody. Defendant John . Was I drunk? Stannard : Yes, staggering drunk. --Defendant : Then it is a pity you are not newsed as a common liar. - Defendant then went on in so incoherent a manner that the Court ordered him to stand aside. He persisted in saying that it was Inspector Grimwood who began the row, and called John Arnold, carpenter, Botesdale, who said that George was not drunk, which James Bay corroborated. - The Bench convicted, and, to mark their sense of John’s conduct, imposed a fine of 12s. 6d. and costs 12s. 6d., or ten days. George was fined, with costs, 15s., or seven days; a fortnight allowed for the latter.

WALPOLE.
POLICE PROMOTION. - Police-constable William Orford, a very energetic officer in the Suffolk Constabulary, has been promoted to be sergeant. He has been stationed at Walpole, where he was much respected; he is now about leaving for Botesdale.

HARTISMERE PETTY SESSIONS.
MONDAY. .
Before the Rev. T. L. French (chairman), and G. H. Wilson, Esq. .
School Case. - James Foulger, labourer, Botesdale, was charged with neglecting to send his two children, Edith and Frederick, to school on the 17th July. The School Attendance Officer proved that defendant had been summoned previously on a similar charge, since which time the child had not made one attendance. - Fined with costs, 5s.

IXWORTH.
IXWORTH PETTY SESSIONS, September 21. [Before His Grace the Duke of Grafton, Mr. G. E. Payne, Mr. F. M. Hampden Turner, Mr. W. N. King, and Mr. Sidney Field.]
DRUNK. George Smith, of Botesdale, and Edward Ray, of Rickinghall Superior, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly on the highway at Rickinghall Inferior, and were each fined 6s. 9d. and 3s. 3d. costs.

Hartismere Petty Sessions. - At these Sessions on Monday, before T. H. Tacon,, Esq. (chairman), and the Rev. S. B. Reynolds, Frederick Bryant, labourer, Wortham, for trespassing in search of game on lands in the occupation of Mr. John Bryant, farmer, of Redgrave, on the 8th inst., was fined 4s. 6d. and costs 8s. 6d. - A charge under the Elementary Education Act against John, Banham, labourer, Botesdale, was dismissed for the officer to amend the information.

EYE.
(At the Hartismere Petty Sessions on Monday, before the Rev. T. Lee French and Rev. S. B. Reynolds)
The Blessings of Education. Two Botesdale lads named Henry Newdick and William Banham, stepbrothers, aged respectively 15 and 12 years, were summoned to appear before the Hartismere Bench, on Monday, for having written obscene language on a wall in that parish, on the 14th ult. The father of the lad Banham and step-father of Newdick, Mr. George Banham, a respectable looking man, said, in answer to the Chairman (Rev. T. Lee French) that he had not only flogged his own boy, as he would have done Newdick also, only that he was delicate, but had kept them both indoors of an evening ever since the offence was committed, and would do his utmost to prevent a recurrence of such conduct. - The Chairman remarked that he thought the best thing to do would be to order the lads to be well birched, and to this Mr. Banham in effect said, "Amen," for, said he, if you fine them the lot will fall on Jonah, but if they are birched the punishment will be theirs. - The Chairman said there appeared to be some queer sort of boys in the Botesdale district, for it was only last week that a father from that neighbourhood washed his hands in that Court of all responsibility for one of his own boys, although that boy was only twelve years old, but he hoped Mr. Banham was not going to let these boys get the master of him. Police-sergeant Orford had, however, handed in a paper containing tbe words written on the wall, which were so shocking that if the practice was not put a stop to no decent person would be able to walk along the street, and these boys must have got it from older ones, as he could not think lads of such tender years knew the meaning of it. This being their first offence, however, they could not order a birching, and as they did not wish to punish Banham by inflicting fines, they although pleading guilty - would be let off this time. The Chairman added that the Bench hoped Banham would flog them and keep a sharp eye upon them in the future, for if they appeared there again on a similar charge they would be severely punished.-Mr. Banham having said he would carry out the Chairman's wishes, the lads were dismissed.

IXWORTH PETTY SESSIONS, April 4.
[Before Messrs. R. E. Lofft (chairman), G. E. Payne, F. M. Hampden Turner, and W N. King.]
George Smith, of Botesdale, was charged with stealing oats, value Is. 6d., belonging to Walter Pettit, dealer, of Walsham-le-Willows. The oats were in Mr. H. Colson’s barn, where James Hubbard, labourer, looked through a hole of the door and observing defendant William Pain (who has since absconded) near the oat sack, unfastened the door to see what they were after. Subsequently police-constable Baldry went to Botesdale, and having communicated with Sergeant Offord and constable Stannard, went to defendant’s premises, where oats were found lying loose at the bottom of his cart. Defendant, who had been repeatedly convicted, was fined 30s.

HARTISMERE PETTY SESSIONS.
MONDAY.
Before the Rev. T. Lee French (chairman), Rev. P. French, and T. H. Tacon, Esq.
School Case. - John Banham, labourer, Botesdale, was charged with neglecting to send his two children to school on tha 29th ult. - Defendant, who did not appear, was fined 5s. in each case.
George Banham, labourer, Botesdale, was charged with trespassing in search of game at Botesdale, on the 14th inst. - Defendant denied the charge, saying he never left the footpath, but after hearing the evidence of a gamekeeper named Walter Boston, the Bench were convinced of his guilt, and inflicted a penalty of 1s. 6d. and costs 6s., allowing a week for payment.

HARTISMERE PETTY SESSIONS.
SESSIONS HALL, EYE, Monday. - Before the Rev. T. Lee French (chairman), G. Holt Wilson and T. H. Tacon, Esqs., and the Rev. S. B. Reynolds.
DRUNKENNESS AT BOTESDALE. George Buxton, sawyer, Botesdale, and George Rose, labourer, Rickinghall lnferior, were both charged with being drunk and disorderly at Botesdale, the former on the 19th, and the latter on the 20th of April. - Buxton pleaded guilty, and was fined 2s. 6d. with costs 5s., which he paid. - Rose denied the charge, but the evidence of Police-constable Fuller, of Botesdale, was so conclusive, and defendant’s slate not being by any means a clean one, he was fined 4s., with costs 6s., a week being allowed for payment.

A DAY WITH THE HARTISMERE BENCH. The Justices acting for the Hartismere Hundred were occupied for several hours at the Sessions Hall, Eye, on Monday, in adjudicating upon a variety of cases. The Magistrates on the Bench were the Rev, T. Lee French (chairman), T. H. Tacon, Esq , the Rev. S. B. Reynolds. and G. R. Holt Wilson, Esq., and …..
Charles Smith, labourer, Rickinghall Inferior, was charged with being drunk and disorderly and refusing to quit licensed premises at Botesdale on the 4th inst. The evidence of Mr. Humphrey, landlord of the Cock Inn, Botesdale, was to the effect that defendant went to the house drunk, and because drink was refused him, he smashed a number of mugs and glasses, and had finally to be ejected from the house by Inspector Offord. - The defendant, who did not deny any statement that had been made against him, was fined, with costs, 12s., in default seven days. A week allowed for payment.

BOTESDALE.
THE ALLEGED SHEEP STEALING. - On Monday week, at Eye, before the Rev, T. L. French, and other Magistrates, Albert Holland, of Botesdale, was charged with stealing a lamb, the property of Mr. Wm. Rash, of Redgrave. - Prosecutor deposed that on the 7th inst. he had some lambs folded in a field at Botesdale, and on the 9th inst. discovered that one was missing. Marks of blood were found outside the field, and footmarks outside the road, while marks of blood were traced to a gate some 150 yards distant. About 80 yards distant a lamb was found in a field, and information was given to the police. Footprints were subsequently taken of boots worn by the prisoner, which corresponded with the marks in the soil. - Ernest Copping (14) proved going up the Botesdale-road, and finding a dead lamb lying among the nettles. - John Copping, shepherd, Botesdale, said he went on the Botesdale-road, and there found a dead lamb, and on counting those in the fold found only 284, showing that one was missing. On searching the fold he found blood, and a stick close by, and footprints leading through the hedge to the roadway. The Inspector of Police afterwards picked up a stick. Witness had no hesitation in saying that the lamb found corresponded with the remainder of the flock. Police-constable Arnold proved meeting defendant at midnight coming from the direction of Mellis. He stopped the man and questioned him as to his whereabouts on the previous night, when he said he had been to Mellis with some bullocks, and did not leave before turning out time. Arthur Bennett corroborated, but added he assisted to drive some bullocks to Yaxley, and the stick produced prisoner picked up in Mr. Brown’s yard. Inspector Offord said the lamb was evidently killed by having its head smashed in. At defendant’s house witness found a coat and trousers on the bed, and asked him to account for the bloodstains. Defendant replied that he did not know how they came there. The officer then charged him with the offence, to which he replied that he had nothing to say. He was then committed for trial.

BOTESDALE.
GAME TRESPASS. - At the Eye Police Court on Monday week, Walter Foulger and Albert Holland, labourers, of Botesdale, were charged with trespassing in search of game at Redgrave. Foulger was fined £1 and costs 6s. 6d. ; Holland was fined 5s. 6d. and costs 6s. 6d. - Herbert John Esley, also of Botesdale, was charged with disobeying an order, made on the 2nd July, to pay 1s. per week towards the support of his mother. Defendant said he could not pay the amount. The Bench, however, ordered the amount claimed to be paid.

HARTISMERE PETTY SESSIONS.
EYE, MONDAY.
Before the Rev. T, Lee French (chairman), and Mr. T. E. Cracknell.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE CASES. - No less than twelve persons were summoned at the instance of the Hartismere Union School Attendance Committee for neglecting to send their children to school. The cases against ..... Jas. Foulger, labourer, Botesdale. fined 5s. each in respect to two children; Harry Bryant, woodman, Botesdale, was fined 5s. .....

EYE: Alleged Theft of an Overcoat. - Oh Saturday, George Catterroole, labourer, Botesdale was arrested on a warrant by Police-constable Charles Mills, of Palgave, and conveyed to the lock-up at Eye on the charge of having stolen an overcoat, value 5s., the property of James Doddington, also a Botesdale labourer, on the 16th November, after which the accused is alleged to have absconded. On Monday he was taken before Mr. J. G. Freeman, at the Sessions Hall at Eye, who remanded him to Ipswich Prison until next Monday, when he will be brought before the Hartismere Bench.

HARTISMERE PETTY SESSIONS.
MONDAY.
Before Mr. John Tudor Frere, Mr. J. G. Freeman, and the Rev. A. E. Stantial.
CRUELTY TO A HORSE. Geo. Smith, labourer, Botesdale, was charged with cruelly ill-treating a horse at Mellis, on July 7th. Inspector James Allen, of the R.S.P.C.A., appeared for the prosecution. William Humphrey, carrier, Botesdale, said on July 7th, defendant overtook him at Mellis. He was driving a horse which was galloping. He called out to defendant “Steady” and defendant replied “It can't run away from me.” Frederick Morley corroborated. Albert Perry, jobmaster, Botesdale, said the defendant hired the horse of him. When he returned blood was running from the animal’s mouth, and drops of perspiration were falling from its body. The tongue was cut in five places. The horse was very quiet Sergt. Chapman paid hearing of a disturbance at Mr. Perry’s he went there, and found Smith the worse for drink. The horse was in a bad state; blood was dripping from its mouth, and sweat was pouring off it. Inspector James Mien deposed that the horse’s mouth was badly lacerated owing to the bit having been jerked. He had never seen an animal in so bad a condition Defendant, when questioned said he did more to the animal than he meant to have done. A fine of £2, including costs, was inflicted.

HARTISMERE PETTY SESSIONS.
MONDAY.
Before the Rev. T. Lee French (chairman), the Rev. S. B. Reynolds, Rev. A. E. Stantial, Messrs: John Tudor Frere, J. Gt. Freeman, and T.-E. Cracknell.
KNIFE AMD HAMMER AT BOTESDALE. George Hunt, sweep, Botesdale, was charged with assaulting his wife, Mary Ann Hunt, at Botesdale, on 21st February. - Complainant said her husband was not in his right mind, and she was afraid to live with him. He was in the habit of taking a knife to bed with him. On this 1 occasion he struck her with a hammer, and she had only her earnings by washing to live upon. The Chairman said the proper course would be for Inspector Stannard to communicate with the Relieving Officer.

BOTESDALE.
POLICE SUPERVISION AND THE PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC. The question of the police supervision of this parish, and the protection of the public, came up before the East Suffolk County Council on Friday, the matter arising out of the recent murder at Wortham, and the consequent application for a constable to be stationed in that village. The subject having been duly introduced, the Chief Constable observed that directly he took up his official duties, he received an application from Wortham, and on inquiring into the case, he recommended the appointment of a constable to the village. In the adjoining district of Botesdale, where there were two men, he only now had one, as the West Suffolk officer would have to return to his own county, and that would prevent him putting Wortham under the Botesdale district. - The Chairman (Mr. A. M. Bernard) said at Botesdale they had a station in which there resided a sergeant and constable, and before the separation of the forces those two men looked after Botesdale, Wortham, and part of the adjoining county of West Suffolk. Now they had practically one man at Botesdale, and one in the adjoining parish of Palgrave. If they appointed another constable they would have one for each of the three parishes. - The Chief Constable, replying to Mr. Tacon, said the Botesdale officer had the parishes of Botesdale, Rickinghall Superior, and Redgrave under his charge, the populations being 455, 498, and 503 respectively, while the Palgrave constable had to control the parishes of Palgrave, Thrandeston, Stuston, and Wortham, and of the total population of 2,000 in those parishes, there were 852 at Wortham. - Mr. F. T. W. Burch moved that an officer be appointed at Wortham, and Mr. W. Short, of Eye, seconded, remarking that it was impossible to expect a police-constable to manage such a class of people as lived at Wortham and attend to Palgrave as well. - The Chairman, elicited from the Chief Constable that he had no one to send to Wortham, and that another addition would have to be made to the force. - Mr. T. H. Tacon remarked that the appointment would mean an additional expenditure of £100 a-year. - Mr. Burch’s resolution was carried.