WELLINGBOROUGH POLICE COURT

DRUNKENNESS AT BOZEAT—John Johnson and Wm. Johnson, brothers of Bozeat, were charged with being drunk and refusing to quit the "Red Lion" public-house, on the 13th inst.—P.C. Cross and Mr. Horne, the landlord gave evidence to the facts, and George Fairey and Arthur Harrison were called for the defence. The Bench considered the charge proved, and fined the defendants 10s. each, and 10s. 6d. costs, or 14 days.

WELLINGBOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS

REFUSING TO QUIT—Elizabeth Coles, of Bozeat, was summoned for refusing to quit the "Royal Engineer," Bozeat, kept by Wm. Corby, on the 20th ult. Defendant went to the house with her husband, and they refused to draw her any beer because she was drunk, when she used disgusting language, and would not go out when requested to. Thomas Smart also gave evidence.—Fined 2s. 6d. and costs 18s., in default 14 days.

WELLINGBOROUGH POLICE COURT.
Friday, November 9th. — Before Mr. F. U. Sartoris (in the chair), Mr. E. W. Arkwright, Mr. N. P. Sharman, and Lieut.-Col. Thornton.

ASSAULT AT BOZEAT—Wm. Harris was charged with assaulting John Skevington, on Nov. 5th. Prosecutor stated that they were both in the Royal Engineer Inn, when the defendant struck him on the face two or three times, and he now had the marks on his face. Defendant said the prosecutor called him a rogue, and incited him to strike him by telling him than his property did not belong to him. Fined 5s., and 9s. 6d costs.

ASSAULT—Albert George, Wollaston, was summoned for assaulting Joseph Patchett, on Nov. 2nd. Prosecutor stated that the defendant on the day in question tried to incite him to fight, and prosecutor not wishing to do so, defendant struck him several times on the face.—Phenix Green said he saw the defendant hit Patchett in the eye and knock him down in front of Mr. Lucy’s, butcher. Defendant had had some beer. Defendant said that prosecutor hit him first, and that the quarrel arose from Patchett accusing him of taking a hare from his garden ground. — Defendant was fined 10s. and costs 12s. 6d., or in default 14 days.

LEAVING CHILDREN CHARGEABLE—At the Northampton Petty Sessions on Monday, John Fitzhugh, shoemaker, Bozeat, was charged with leaving his two children chargeable to the Northampton Poor Law Union, on the 3rd November, 1882.—Mr. Abell, master of the Workhouse, stated that the prisoner left his children, and they had cost the ratepayers about £28 or £29.—This was the prisoner's 17th appearance, and he was now sentenced to three months' hard labour.

WELLINGBOROUGH POLICE COURT
Friday March 28,— Before Mr. H. M. Stockdale (in the chair), Mr. F. U. Sartoris, Mr. C. J. K. Wolston, and Col. Rawlins.

THE CASE AGAINST A BOZEAT PUBLICAN—Thos. Brealey, of Bozeat, was charged with a breach of the Licensing Act, on the 25th February. The man, Mallows, who was so stubborn in not giving his evidence, sent a medical certificate to show that he was too unwell to attend. In addition to this the defendant’s solicitor, Mr. Clare, did not appear, and defendant asked for the case to be adjourned for a week, which was done.

WELLINGBOROUGH POLICE COURT
Friday, July 25.—Before Mr. Spencer Pratt (in the chair), Mr. N. P. Sharman, and Lieut. Colonel Thornton,

FIGHTING—Albert George, of Wollaston, and George Drage, of Bozeat, were summoned for fighting, at Wollaston, on the 13th inst. Defendant George did not appear, but his father was present, and said his son had got such a face that he was ashamed to come. Thomas Goff, parish constable, proved seeing the two defendants fighting, and when he attempted to stop them George struck him on the face and then ran away. Drage said that George was the aggressor, and that he (Drage) did not strike a blow. Supt. Bailie said he did not think the defendants knew that it was the parish constable, and therefore he did not press the case. The cases were accordingly withdrawn on payment of the costs, 7s. 6d. each.

WELLINGBOROUGH POLICE COURT
Friday, October 10th.—Before Mr. F. U. Sartoris (in the chair), Mr. N. P. Sharman, and Mr. C. J. K. Woolston.

BOZEAT SCHOOL CASE —John Alvis, of Bozeat, was fined 1s. and 4s. costs, for not sending his child to school.—Mr. C. Matthews appeared for the Bozeat School Board, and Mr. Manning, the attendance officer, proved the case.

WELLINGBOROUUH COUNTY COURT
Tuesday, Oct. 14.—Before Mr. T. R. Bennett, deputy judge.

CLAIM FOR BEER—George Wright, Grendon, v. Jacob Bates, Bozeat.—This was a claim for £1 13s. 10d. beer supplied. Plaintiff, who was formerly a shopkeeper at Grendon, said that he supplied the beer to defendant in a field.—Defendant denied having any beer from the defendant without paying for it, and called his sister, Mrs. Brealey, who could only state, however, that when defendant settled up a former bill with the plaintiff she told him (plaintiff) not to supply her brother with any more beer. His Honour said there was oath against oath and he must dismiss the case without costs, defendant to have the right to bring a fresh action if he could produce further evidence.—Several other actions brought by the plaintiff were adjourned without being gone into, it being understood that his wife, who was not present, was a material witness.

Wellingborough Police Court.
This Day - Friday, Nov. 28th. — Before Mr. C. J. K. Woolston (in the chair), Mr. N. P. Sharman, and Col. Rawlins.

NIGHT POACHING AT ECTON—John King, of Bozeat, was charged with poaching in a spinney of Mr. Hawkes, at Ecton.—Chas. Smith proved seeing the defendant with two other men (who were convicted last week of night poaching.)—Defendant denied being there, but the Bench fined him £2 and 13s. 6d. costs, in default one month.

Stabbing Case at Bozeat
Thos. Drage, shoe-finisher, Bozeat, was charged with unlawfully wounding and stabbing George Tompkins, labourer, of the same place, on April 20.

Prosecutor, whose head was bandaged up, said that on Monday night last he was leaving the Chequers Inn at ten o’clock, in the company with the defendant, and as they were coming up the road Drage told him he was “a --------- coward to go and humble himself to ‘Soppy,’” meaning a man named Wm. Harrison. Witness was learning finishing from the latter. He told defendant that he did not humble himself to him, when prisoner repeatedly called him a liar. At length prosecutor asked him if he would “stand to it” meaning to fight. Defendant said “Yes,” and pulled his hat off and gave it to John Maycock. Prosecutor thereupon did the same. Defendant then struck him, and he retaliated, and knocked him straight on the ground. As defendant was on the ground he told him that he could have kicked his ribs in, but he would not be so cowardly as to do it. Defendant got up and they struck one another again. He then said that he would give in, but almost immediately added that he had something in his pocket which would soon settle prosecutor. As he said this he took a clasp knife out of his pocket. Prosecutor then said, “If you are going to use a knife I am done with you. William Drage, Luke Smart, and John Maycock were also present. Witness called their attention to the fact that the prisoner had a knife, and he then walked away, and Drage followed him. As he thought defendant had run it into him he turned round, and in that moment he found himself stabbed on the top of the left cheek. It was not very dark. Witness said, “I am fair stabbed, and I shall give you in charge of the policeman (P.C. Ward).” He went to the policeman. When he got to the policeman he told him his left arm hurt him, and he then found a wound had also been made on his left arm. (The coat and shirt were here produced, the latter covered with blood on the sleeve.) On the following Tuesday a wound was also discovered on his ear when it was being washed. The same night he saw Dr. Perkins at Wellingborough, and he sewed the wounds up. – Prisoner said prosecutor pulled his hat off first, and struck him first. He also kicked him in the mouth. – Prosecutor denied this.

John Maycock, shoe finisher, said he came out of the “Chequers” with the others on the night in question, and Tomkins and Drage began to quarrel and fight. When Drage got up from the ground after Tomkins knocked him down, Drage attempted to kick Tomkins, but he could not say whether he did so. Shortly afterwards he heard Tomkins say that prisoner had a knife and that he was stabbed in the ear. He and the prisoner then went up to what they called the Miller’s-corner, and prisoner gave the knife to him and told him to say, if anyone came after it, that he (witness) had bought it off him (defendant) in the “Chequer” public-house about nine o’clock. He took the knife home with him, and gave it to the policeman the next morning. The knife was produced.

William Drage, riveter, Bozeat, was also present. He saw Drage take his hand out of his pocket, and strike Tomkins twice. Tomkins then ran to Luke Smart, and asked him if he was stabbed or not.

Mr. A. Llewellyn Perkins, surgeon, said that prosecutor was brought to him shortly after one o’clock on Tuesday morning. He had marks of profuse bleeding down the left side of the face and the left arm. On examination he found an incised wound across the top of the left cheek-bone, about 2½ inches in length, and there was also a punctured wound on the back of the left arm. These wounds might have been caused by the knife produced. Neither wound was dangerous, they were going on satisfactorily. On Thursday he also noticed a cut on the ear.

P.C. Ward, stationed at Bozeat, said the prosecutor came to his house at eleven o’clock on the night in question, and said that he had been stabbed by Thomas Drage. Witness afterwards went to defendant’s house and found him in bed. He charged him with stabbing Tomkins. He said “I never stabbed him, I never had a knife,” but he afterwards replied “Oh I stabbed him fair.” He then brought him to Wellingborough. He afterwards received the coat, shirt, and knife; there were marks of blood on the blade. An apron defendant was wearing at the time was also besmeared with blood.

Defendant, in reply to the charge, said he was guilty of the offence.

Committed for trial at the next quarter sessions, prisoner asked for bail, and the Bench said that if two responsible sureties could be found in £25 they would grant bail, and him-self in £50.

Sharnbrook Petty Sessions
Friday—Before Mr Stileman Gibbard (in the chair), Lord St John of Bletsoe, Mr M G Townley, and Mr W Hipwell.

John Drage (57), baker, Bozeat, was summoned for having a 4lb. Beam scale not stamped, and he was further charged that the scale was unjust. Mr Poole, inspector of weights and measures, said he saw defendant in Harrold, and asked for a 4lb. loaf, and he found that defendant’s scales were not stamped, and they were unjust. Defendant said he had not used the scales three times since he bought them. They had worn themselves out, by friction with the cart. He was never asked to weigh the bread. The inspector weighed his bread, and found it correct.—Defendant had been previously convicted, and now fined £1 in each case.

Higham Police Court
John Britten, Manor Farm, Bozeat, a farmer, was summoned for riding a motor bicycle without lighted lamps attached at Higham Ferrers on March 21st.—Defendant said he enquired at Thrapston the lighting up time. He had to stop twice, to clear the mud from his tyres, or he would have been home in time.—P.C.Powell said when he stopped the defendant he said, “Oh, you are one of those snipe-nosed people who want to make a case of it.” Witness said, “No, you have made a case yourself.” Defendant said it was not lighting up time, and they appealed to a bystander, who corroborated witness. Defendant then said, “I’ll go back to the church clock.” They went, and defendant refused to be satisfied by that. At defendant’s suggestion they called at the Rev. H. K. Fry’s, who corroborated witness.—Supt. Mcleod said had the defendant not defied the constable he might not have proceeded with the case under the circumstances.—The Bench fined defendant 10s, saying he would probably treat the constable with more respect next time.