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-------------.-.--.-THE MUNICIPAL…
THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS IT -1 COMMISSION- (Continued lroill rmr last.) HOLT (DENBIGHSHIRE). There was no report on this borough in 1835. The corporation acts under a charter of 5th Elizabeth, confirming a grant of Thomas Earl of Arundel in the 11th Henry the 4th. By the char- ter the burgesses may elect a mayor and coroner, and two sub-bailiffs, English burgesses, every year, who may hold their court from three weeks to three weeks, and have full power to hear and determine all manner of trespasses, debts, coven- ants, felonies, pleas of lands and tenements, and all and singular other pleas and contracts whatso- ever. The courts are not now held every three weeks, but only occasionally when required. The manor for which they are held is a royal minor, and Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart., is steward by a grant from the Crown. The mayor is elected by the burgesses out of their own body at one of these courts. He formerly acted as a magistrate, but since the passing of the Municipal Corporations Act he has been advised that it is doubtful whether he can legally do so, and he has not exer- cised civil or criminal jurisdiction within the last twenty-five or twenty-six years. All the criminal business is taken to Wrexham. The county magistrates grant the licenses for the public-houses within the borough; the mayor never interferes. There are three public-houses in the borough. The bailiffs, called the Queen's bailiff, and the mayor's bailiff, are elected every year from the body of the resident burgesses. They never act as magistrates their duty is to serve summonses, execute warrants, and to act generally as ordinary bailiffs of a court of record. One of the bailiffs is a blacksmith, the other is a cooper. The coroner is appointed by the burgesses at the court leet held for the borough of Holt, in and for the hundred of Bromfield. The present coroner is also mayor. Whenever he holds an inquest he is attended by the town clerk, who advises him. The coroner used to be paid by fees, but since the Coroner's Act he has had a small salary in lieu of fees. By arrangement, the coroner is paid by the county, but his jurisdiction is confined to the borough. The present town clerk receives no salary, but as recorder he is entitled to 15s on the enrolment of every burgess. There are 58 burgesses; who are elected at the will and pleasure of their brother burgesses. Eafch burgess on election has to pay a Government stamp of C3, a small fee to the re- corder, and a small fee called the bailiff's fee. Thomas Earl of Arundel in the reign of Henry the 4th granted a right of common in a piece of land called Common Wood to all his burgesses, being English, their heirs and assigns, and their tenants, in severalty. In the year 1816 a portion of this common, called Little Common, was enclosed under a special Act of Parliament for the purpose of improving the remainder of the land. After the enclosure the little common was sold. By the Inclosure Act a commissioner was appointed to set out and sell so much of the common as should be necessary for paying the expenses of obtaining the Act, for clearing, draining, laying down, and fencing the common. If any surplus of the moneys arising from the sale should remain, it was to be laid out in the public funds in the names of the mayor, re- corder, and L,two burgesses, and the interest thereof applied in the same manner as the rents of the common then were applied. By one of the corporation books, which was produced to us, it appeared that part of the common had been sold amounting to the value 11145 at one sale. The amount of land sold, however, we could not ac- curately determine, although 120 to 130 acres must have gone from the burgesses between 1816 and 1820. There appears to be no record of how the money was disposed of, but i* was suggested that it was expended in obtaining the Act of Parliament, and the subsequent enclosure. No advantage appears to have been derived by the borough from this sale. There is, however, a tra- dition that a part of the money was employed in improving the portion of common which remained unsold. The remainder of the common con- tinued open common until the year 1846, when there was a provisional order under the seal of the Inclosure Commissioners for England and Wales, and the necessary consents having been given to the order, a Mr Chaloner, a land surveyor, set out the common, and divided it into sixty-five allotments. By Mr Chaloner's award one allotment of 2a. Ir. 6p. was to be held by trustees of the Common Wood named in the award, and let by them for the purpose of paying incidental expenses and the remaining sixty- four allotments were to be :held by the trustees upon trnst to allot one of such allotments to each resi- dent burgess who should signify to the trustees his desire of having occupation of an allotment, and to allow him to enjoy the allotment, so long as he should be a resident burgess, as tenant to the trustees. The extent of the common is now about 130 aeres. The average of each inclosure is from 2 to 2 acres. The allotments are arable land, and are each "worth from £ 1 to 50s a year. The practice is for the mayor and burgesses to allot one of these inclosures as they think proper to a resident burgess who makes a claim. There are sixty-four allotments, fifty-eight of which are now in occupation by resident burgesses, the other six are in the hands of other burgesses who have become Eonjjresidents and two widows of deceased burgesses. By a recent byelaw, a resident bur- gess, if he wishes to leave the borough and sell his allotment, may nominate a person wishing to be- come a resident burgess, who is generally accep- ted, and enrolled by the recorder at the next court. By another byelaw (which is not in ac- cordance with the charter) after the death of a resident burgess holding any allotment, the mayor and burgesses, on the application of his widow, grant her one of these allotments as an act of grace while she remains widow. The widow has no right to the allotment. The allotment reserved to the trustees for the payment of incidental ex- penses as the trustees might think proper, has been let since 1848, it now brings in about four pounds a year. There is no record of how the money received for rents has been expended be- fore 1877. It appears that the Rev Mr Powell, who kept the accounts, died within the last few months, and no accounts of his are to be found. It is, however, stated that there is no doubt that the moneys received were spent in payment of in- cidental expenses connected with the common, as there was an audit of the accounts every year soon after the 25th March, in e,ich year. These accounts were signed and passed by the mayor and tlwee burgesses every year. There is at present a balance in the bank of £ 30; no incidental expenses having being incurred during the last eight years. We are informed that the enclosure award was supposed to be bad on the ground that the land had been enclosed as a stinted common instead of an open common, and that in 1851 the defect was remedied by a provision in the General Inclosure Act of that year. There were formerly freemen who voted for members to serve in Parliament, but there are only six left; who claim no rights to the allotments as freemen. The population of Holt is about 1,050. There formerly was a seal, but it is lost. There are two maces, the Queen's mace and the mayor's mace, in the possession of the corporation.
THE HONOURABLE SOCIETY OF…
THE HONOURABLE SOCIETY OF CYMMRODORION. A lecture on "Prehistoric Times in Wales" was delivered by Professor Rudler, F.G.S., before the members of this society, on the even- ing of Friday, the 20th instant, at the Free- masons' Tavern, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London. The room was filled by a most intelligent and appreciative audience,—amongst them were Mr R. S. Pairy, ex-Sheriff for Carnarvonshire; Mr "Brinley Richards, Mr John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia), Mr Joseph Edwards, sculptor; Mr Stephen Evans, Mr John Davies, Treasury; Dr. Joseph Parry, Mr David Lewis. Bamster, &c. The chair was occupied by Dr. Isambard Owen, M.A. Some forty beautifully executed diagrams had been hung up to illustrate the lecture. There were also some rare geological and archaeological specimens. The lecture was an eloquent discourse and a most lucid exposition of a very interesting subject. To express their satisfaction and pleasure the large auditory fre- quently displayed their warmest applause. Pro- fessor Rudler, in the course of his admirable lec- ture, said that bronze Celts and chisel-shaped implements were cast in this country, for moulds used for the purpose had been found in Wales. Antiquaries believed that in his progress from savagery to civilization, man passed through three stages of culture, represented by the stone, the bronze, and the iron ages. The men who lived in Wales during the later stone-using age, gene- rally buried their dead in long, not round, bar- rows, or used stone chambers and caverns. The men buried in Denbighshire chambers were des- cribed by 'the lecturer, and attention was called to the curious flat-shinned peculiarity which they and other pre- historic races possessed. These men probably reared the dolmens and megalithic monu- ments. Professor Rudler spoke strongly in favour of Lubbock's Ancient Monuments Bill, and hoped Wales would be more largely represented in its schedule. Attention was directed to the Swiss pile dwellings. A similar structure was discovered by Mr Dumbleton, in Breconshire, some years age. The caves were also noticed, and the lec. turer explained that while some contained remains of the later stone age, others yielded relics of an earlier period. The stone age was, indeed, divided into palaeolithic and neolithic epochs. The earliest races of man in Wales, yet found, belonged to the latter period. The country was at that period inhabited by a short race with long skulls, igno- rant of metals, and who built long barrows. These might probably be identified with the Silurian ancestors represented at the present day by short, swarthy, oval-faced Welshmen. These were probably invaded by taller short-skulled folk, who had bronze implements, who generally burnt their dead, and built round barrows, who probably survive in the taller light-complexioned element, found in Wales. Before history commenced, probably the fusion between these two races had occurred, but the earlier race was still domi- nant in the west, while in the south east of the country the folk from the continent obtained a footing. Such probably was the distribution of races in this island, when the curtain rose and the light of history shone forth. To add to the great silccess of the evening the meeting I was presided over and addressed by a highly gifted and eloquent chairman-who, in a true patriotic spirit, warmly advocated the cause of the Oymmrodorion shewing what the society had done in the past, and its proposed future operations. The lecturer and chairman received the hearty thanks of the meeting, unanimously carried amidst reiterated plaudits.
BUZZINGS PROM THE CLWYD YALE.
BUZZINGS PROM THE CLWYD YALE. BY WASP. SOCIAL DEPRAVITY. -STREET NUISANCH AT DEN- BIGH.—A MARRIED FARMER SEDUCING HIS NEIGHBOUR'S DAUGHTER.—A DAY'S HUNTING AT RHYD-Y-CILGWYN, AND HOW IT TERMINATED. The records ef the doings in divorce courts, assize, police and sheriffs' courts, point to the pre- valence of widespread moral depravity in Great Britain. Not a day passes over without some scandalous revelation, and the bringing to light of the grossest immorality in our midst. Millen- ialists and less sanguine mortals have constantly to deplore the existence of a canker worm who is eating into the very vitals of society. In the ranks of the highest and the lowest classes, something abominable is continually oozing and bubbling to the surface. I am not a preacher, and I do not intend to set up as a moral censor of the frailties of humanity; but it is my opinion that very sweep- ing legal changes are needed to enforce more generally compulsory obedience with the common dictates of morality. It is useless to prate and preach, without taking decisive physical action. Burns tells us that- The fear o' hell's a hangman's whip To haud the wretch in order. I say that the fear of prison ought to be the hang- man's whip to check the frightful licentiousness which abounds in society, and is a reproach to our advanced civilization. The unprincipled scoundrel who can dexterously manage to swindle his credi- tors has innumerable loopholes of escape. With a little astuteness and sharp practice he can man. age to get whitewashed. He then has another opportunity of carrying on the same old game in fresh fields and pastures new." I do not in- tend at present to "buzz" at length on com- mercial rascality. I will reserve that question for future occasions, but I should like to show now that there is something monstrously anomalous in the state of the law which sends a female hawker, 68 years of age, to gaol for two months, which the magistrates at Ruthin did last Monday, and which liberates on the payment of costs, which he can well afford to pay, an arrant villain who has defiled the wife of a friend, or robbed of her chastity, and seduced the daughter of a compan- ion While a man can be sent to prison for a long term, with the accompaniment of hard labour, as the punishment for catching' a hare, or shoot- ing a pheasant, and another wretch gets free who has been guilty of the most despicable immorality, I shall urge that the law needs amendment, for "something is rotten in the state of Denmark." The poets-and they are many-who have written so sweetly, pathetically, and charmingly on the subject of Bells" ought to be sentenced to six months' residence in Denbigh. I don't mean that they should be immured for that period within the guarded walls of the North Wales Lunatic Asylum, because there they would escape the terrible infliction which the town residents constantly suffer, and we should miss the benefit of a change of strain in their cam- panologic effusions. I, of course, admit that sweet music may proceed from bells. Nothing can be sweeter on a fine Sunday morning than the peals from a village church tower borne to the listener on a balmy summer breeze. Gray has reminded us how Drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds." 'Tis a pity that Gray had not lived in Denbigh in these days of keen competition in coal hawk- ing. He would not then have had cause to sing so sweetly of all the bells he heard. Like one of Shakespeare's characters, I rather think he would have been more inclined to exclaim Silence that dreadful bell." Of all the hideous noises that ever drove humanity to distraction I have heard nothing to compare with the horrible din made by the Denbigh coal-hawkers. Of course it may be said that the men who sell coals in the streets only comply with their masters' orders. But, I ask, why should the masters be allowed to send men round the town to frighten sober people, and distract suffering invalids with their "dreadful" bells? Have the Denbigh Town Council no provision in their bye-laws to put a stop to this detestable nuisance? If they have it not, they ought to get the necessary authority at once, as it is possible that we may soon have bakers' men, pastrycooks, pedlars, and vendors of Bath brick and blacking, as well as coal hawkers, each wielding a ponderous bell, and trying to push trade by making a clanging uproar worthy of the infernal regions. Last Saturday, at Denbigh, a sheriff's jury sat -sess the damages in a case of seduction. The (, adant, a married man, admitted seducing the daughter of the plaintiff, who is his next door neighbour, and the jury found damages against him to the extent of XIOO. I suppose that costs followed the event, and I can easily imagine the ] sum total reaching £150. As to the mildness or severity of the decision, I shall offer no opinion. Is it not the law, however, that any man in England, whether in a civil or a criminal court, has a right to be tried by a jury of his country- men P The jury in question included a German, and for anything I know to the contrary, he is not naturalised. My forensic learnr, g is not deep on this point, but it seems to me that if there was an unnaturalised (if I may be excused for using the term) German on the jury, the proceedings will fall to the ground. I commend this suggestion to the legal luminary who had charge of the case for the defence, but I do not wish to be understood for a moment to be as sympathising with his client. Aspirants for distinction in the hunting field should be well mounted and well equipped they should be possessed of good courage, and above all they should be thoroughly able to manage the gallant chargers that are expected to carry them to victory. An unfortunate gentleman who was at the Rhyd-y-cilgwyn meet last Saturday, complied with all these necessary conditions but one, and that the most important. He was mounted on a superb hunter, his get up was unexceptionable, and his personal bravery worthy of a Wellington or a Stanley; but, as the sequel proved, he was lacking in one particular-his horsemanship was rather bad. The meeting was a jovial one; the sportsmen were high-spirited and on the best of terms with each other; and after the exchange of morning salutations all were soon occupied with the excitement of the chase, for the dogs speedily scented their prey, and there was no further time to spare for common-places. I always held that a horseman to be successful should be endowed by Dame Nature with nether appendages long enough to enable him to hold himself secure in his seat. In this respect, alas! I am afraid our friend was also wanting. Natural deficiencies, however, were forgotten with the exhilarating in. fluence of a cheery view halloo, and neck or nothing, our ardent sportsman determined at the outset to keep up with the hounds. One tumble did not dis may him he was not daunted by being thrown a second time, but bounced to hisfeet like indiarubber, rapidly remounted, and vigorously kept up the pursuit. But when the next fence had to be crossed, and he came a violent cropper to the ground, he wisely began to think that things were looking serious. Mentally he soliloquised, "This won't wash at all; there'll be an inquest if I go on like this;" and so he resolved to avoid the next hedge he came to. The hedge he certainly did avoid, but he was soon confronted with another formidable ebstacle in the shape of a rivulet swollen by recent rains. By this time he had been left far behind by his more fortunate companions. To avoid causing any unpleasant reflections as to his ab- sence from the death he decided to ford the stream. Catastrophe upon catastrophe! No sooner had he got into the middle of the brook than his horse slipped into a deep pool which nearly took them both out of sight This, ap- parently, was the crowning misfortune, and our luckless friend resolved he would have no more hunting that day, and bent the steps of his horse towards home. I will not expatiate on the dis- comfort of his homeward journey. Suffice it to say that the day was raw and cold, and his clothes were saturated to his skin. I will leave the reader to imagine his sensations, and to picture a disconsolate Quixote heart-broken with the failure of his enterprise. Copious pinches of snuff from a valuable box which was the present from a friend, partially served to dispel disagreeable memories till the railway bridge at Denbigh was reached. The "immortal bard," however, has very truly told us that 4' When sorrows come, they come not single spies, But in battalions." And so it was in this case. From some unex- plained cause our gallant hunter's jaded beast stumbled at the bridge, and he was again pitched to the ground. When he arrived at home with a sackful of sore bones he was minus his snuff box I can only hope that a substantial supper and a good night's sleep restored him, and that he was afterwards no worse for his undignified and unsacramental soak in the river. Whether he will again go hunting is more than I can say, but I will end this story by expressing a wish in a slightly altered version of the last four lines of "John Gilpin: Now let us sing, long live the queen, And the draper long live he And when he next doth ride abroad May we all be there to see.
SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST AN…
SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST AN OLD BACHEfcOR FROM LLAN- DWROG. DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT OF A WITNESS. At the Carnarvon County Magistrates' Court on Saturday, before Mr Whitehead, the Rev Canon Wynn Williams, and Capt Wynn Griffith, Henry Williams, 60 years of age, residing at Gors, Llan- dwrog, was charged with committing an indecent assault on Catherine Ellen Jones, aged nine, daughter of J. R. Jones, Victoria Cottage, Peny- gioes. Sergeant Lewis Williams, Penygroes, watched the case on behalf of the police, and the accused was defended by Mr J. A. Hughes. Catherine Ellen Jones, in reply to questions given by the bench, said she attended both Sunday and day schools, and knew what was the consequence of telling an untruth. She was afterwards sworn and examined by Sergeant Williams. She de- posed she had passed the eighth year of her age, and that she lived at Penygroes. She saw the prisoner near her parents' house on the previous Saturday week She did not know him, and it was the first time she had ever seen him. He called upon her and gave her a halfpenny. He acted .indecently towards her at the back premises of the house of David Jones. [Complainant described the manner in which the accused as. saulted her]. As she was going to her own house he threw a sixpence towards her. Whilst she was standing at the back of the house, Mrs Edwards came to the door, and witness threw the bixpence at the prisoner, as she was afraid to take it, lest he should say that she had stolen it. She then went into her own house and the accused followed fier. There was no one in at the time. The ac- cused again behaved indecently towards her. Whilst he was doing so, a woman came to the window and shouted, and the accused commenced to curse. She ordered him to go out, and he went soon afterwards. When her mother came home, witness showed her the halfpenny, and told her what had taken place. Cross examined: She did not know what time of the day it was. It was before tea time. When she first saw the accused he was about two or three yards from her house. She did not know that little children called after Henry Williams in order to have a halfpenny or a penny from him. She denied having called after him. She cried, and the defendant gave her money for being quiet. She did not see persons passing to and fro at the time. She was quite certain that the ac- cused behaved indecently towards her. The reason why she did not shout was because she was a stranger in the neighbourhood. When her mother returned, the accused was talking to Griffith Jones, servaut of Mr Chambers. She denied having told Griffith Jones that the defen- dant had not even touched her. Jane Jones, mother of the last witness, deposed that it was half-past four or twenty minutes to five when she returned home on Saturday, the 7th inst. Before reaching the house, she noticed a halfpenny in her daughter's hand, and questioned her about it. She had previously met the accused coming from the direction of the back premises, and proceeding towards the front. In consequence of what the girl told her, she called after the pri- soner and asked, What do you mean by doing what you did to a child eight years old." He made no reply, but walked along. Witness after- wards crossed the field, and proceeded to the house of Eilen Jones. She went there in conse- quence of what the girl had told her. During her stay at Mis Jones' house, the accused came in. Witness heard him tell William Jones, husband of Ellen Jones, that he was a "just man." Witness asked whv had he given a halfpenny to her little girl, and he replied, I never saw a nicer girl, and I will give her another sixpence." She told him that he should never give another halfpenny to her child, and that the halfpenny he had already handed to her would be evidence against him at Carnarvon. Ellen Jones also spoke to him, but witness was too excited at the time to recollect what had been said. She heard William Jones say that he would tell the truth about everything that he h;id seen. The accused was present at the time, and she heard him uttering a curse. Ellen Jones told him that he was a beast to have com- mitted such an act. He replied that it was "only a lark." The child was-cight years and eleven months old. Cross-examined: Witness was not aware that the children in the village were in the habit of running after the accused in order to ask for cop- pers. She bad never heard of such a thing. She was ignorant of what occurred when she saw the prisoner first. She came to know about the matter by pressing upon the child to tell her where she got the halfpenny. The accused was then close by, snd witness spoke to him at onca. .She told him it was a great shame for him to do such a thing, but she did not mention what he had done. Whilst they were in Ellen Jones' house, William Jones showed how the prisoner had acted towards the girl. The accused made no denial, but witness did not remember what he said. Ellen Jones was then examined. She said that she lived opposite to the child's parents. About four o'clock on the Saturday afternoon in ques- tion, witness was standing at the back door of her own house, and saw the accused and Catherine Ellen Jones together at the back premises of David Jones. Henry Williams was behaving indecently towards the girl, and witness called her husband at once. She wanted to go up to them, but her husband prevented her. The accused and the girl afterwards went into the house, and witness pro- ceeded to the place. She again saw the prisoner behaving indecently towards the child. She also noticed him stooping as if he was going to kiss her. The girl was not crying. Witness called out You cursed villain! what are you doing with the little girl? He replied, "Good God, I am doing nothing but joking." Shortly afterwards the mother of the child, together with the accused, came into witness' house. Henry Williams said, "I am a just man, and never did anything wrong." Her husband remarked that he was not "a just man" when he could do such a thing. The accused replied, "I was only joking, and I will give another sixpence to the little girl." The mother said, You won't give her anything again. The halfpenny you have given will be evidence against you at Carnarvon. Witness said he was a beast to behave in such a manner towards the girl. Cross-examined: Witness saw them together at the back of David Jones' house for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. She did not interefere during the time. Witness did not consider the defendant's conduct to be a joke. They appeared to be friendly. William Jones, husband of last witness, gave corroborative evidence as to the manner in which the accused behaved towards the little girl at the back of David Jones' house. He saw him bending as if he was going to kiss her. Mr Whitehead: How is it you did not go there P Witness Well, it was none of my business. Mr Whitehead If your child was there, would you have interfered ? Witness Oh, yes. Capt Griffith: You are far from being a creditable person. Witness: I did not like to go to trouble. I wish now that I had never seen the affair. Capt Griffith: Have you got children of your own? Witness Yes. Mr Whitehead: You ought to have gone out and stopped him at once, and shown yourself a man. Witness proceeded to state what occurred in his house during the time the accused was there. The latter said, I am a just man, and never did any- thing wrong." Witness told him what he had done, and he replied, Good God, I did nothing of the kind." Witness asked whether he was a "just man" to behave indecently towards the girl, and whether he had given her anything ? The accused replied, Yes, I gave a halfpenny to the little girl." Witness then remarked, That proves that I saw you doing something else to her." He made no reply, and was afterwards ejected from the premises by witness and his wife. Cross-examined I think the defendant and the little girl were friendly. I did not hear her cry- ing and from what I saw, she did not resist. I think they remained at the back of the house for about fifteen or twenty minutes, during which time the accused behaved in an indecent manner. If the girl had been older, I would not have taken notice of the affair. And you looked on quietly for a quarter of an hour P- Yes. And you the father of children Yes. Mr Whitehead: And you too consider yourself a just man I suppose ? Witness: Yes tut I had great objection to go there. Capt Griffith: It is not creditable to you in not going there at once. Mr Hughes: I suppose if you saw them again for a quarter of an hour you would still remain quietly ? quietly ? Witness Well, indeed, I don't know. I don't like to mix up in matters like these. The bench severely censured the witness for his conduct. Sergt. Lewis, stationed at Penygroes, said: I served the prisoner with a summons at the Penygroes police-station on the 10th of this month. I told him the nature of the charge, and cautioned him. I also read the charge in Welsh from the summons. He was charged with committing an indecent assault. The prisoner, in reply, said, I did not put any hand under her clothes. The little girl followed me to the back and wanted a halfpenny. I might have taken told of her around the waist jokingly. I was not in the house at all." Cross-examined Do you know him ?—Yes. He is a bachelor ?—Yes. Do little boys and girls call after him for a half- penny ?—I never knew of such a thing. Did the girl tell you that she called out for a halfpenny after him ?—No. This was the case for the prosecution. The prisoner, upon being formally charged, pleaded not guilty, and reserved his defence. The bench committed him for trial at the next quarter sessions. Bail was accepted for his ap- pearance.
ACTION FOR SEDUCTION AGAINST…
ACTION FOR SEDUCTION AGAINST A FARMER AT DENBIGH- DAMAGES, £100. Mr Adams, under sheriff for Denbighshire, and a jury sat at the Town Hall, Denbigh, on Satur- day last, to assess the damages in a case of seduction. The following gentlemen formed the jury:-Mr W. P. Evans, -Greenfield (foreman) Messrs Thomas Ashford, High-street, Denbigh Robert Davies, Hight-street, draper; Thomas Parry Evans, Vale-street, confectioner; David Hamer, Chapel-place; Thomas Allen JohnsoR, Ruthin-road Wilhelm Keepfer, High-street, watchmaker; Richard Parry, Crown-square, draper; William Clwyd Pierce, Vale-street, grocer; John Roberts, Vale-street, grocer; T. J. Roberts, Vale-street, timber merchant; Thomas Roberts, Plas Heaton, farmer. Mr Marcus Louis, of Ruthin, appeared for the plaintiff, Mr John Jones, farmer, Berrain, Llanefydd, and Mr R. H. Roberts, Denbigh, represented the defendant, Mr James Jones, who occupies Pentre Du farm at Llanefydd. Mr Louis said the plaintiff had a daughter named Jane who was 19 years of age. Defendant was a married man about 32 years of age, residing at an adjoining farm. It appeared that the defendant had not led a very happy life with his wife, and on that account he had been paying particular atteution to the daughter of the plain- tiff. That attention was paid without the knowledge of the plaintiff, and it resulted in the defendant succeeding in seducing the young woman, and she gaye birth to a child early in the month of January last. The plaintiff therefore came before them to seek at their hands damages for the injury that had been done to him, and the injury that had been done to his daughter. Plaintiff was a farmer in a respectable position, and he asked for such damages as the jury might think he Wt's fairly entitled to. The writ in the action was issued against the defendant on the 6th January of this year. To that action the defendant put in no appearance, and therefore he allowed judgment to '0 by default. Judgment was signed against him, and he admitted the seduction. The jury must inquire not only what damages the plaintiff was entitled to in respect to the loss of his daughter's services but on other grounds. Mr Louis proceeded to quote several cases bearing on the point. In one of those cases Lord Eldon had held that the jury might take into account, the loss of the society of the daughter, in whose virtue the parent had previously found consolation, and they might take into account the corruption of the morals of the other children by the example of the se luced daughter. The plaintiff claimed damages for loss of his daughter's services at the rate of from £10 to X12 a year. He had lost his daugh- ter's services and also her character. He had also lost her society, and the jury must take that into account, as well as the injury which had been done the other children by example. He (Mr Louis) asked them to put themselves in the position of the plaintiff. The defendant had lived next door, had communicated with the daughter, followed her, and seduced her without the know- ledge of the plaintiff, Laving at the same time a wife in his own house. What would be the feel- ings of the jury if they were placed under those circumstances ? He asked them in conclusion to deal fairly and moderately with the case, and then give judgment on the merits. The notices, &c., were then put in, and Police Sergeant Vaughan was sworn as interpreter. It was proved 'that the plaintiff's daughter was born on the 31st of June, 1861. John Jones, the plaintiff, was then called and sworn. He said I live at Berrain farm in the parish of Llanefydd. Jane Jones is my daughter. My wife died ten years ago. I have since married. I hwe seven children. I had four children by the first marriage, two boys and two girls. They are living at home, and Jane is one of them. I have three children by the second marriage. The rent of my farm is X294 a year. I keep twelve cows. I keep two female servants. I had my two daughters instead of two servants. Jane com- menced to act as my servant a year ago. I paid the previous servant at the rateofj612 a year. My daughter Jane had always lived at home with me, and for the last twelve months she has acted as dairy maid. She was strong and healthy, and fit for the work twelve monthsago. She has been confined in my house. James Jones is the father of the child. It was born in the first week in January. Shortly before that I followed my daughter to Bangor. She had left my house for the purpose of going to the house of an aunt in the neighbourhood. She went to Bangor and I followed. I did not see the defendant. I found her living in lodgings in Bangor, and brought her back. She was in bed when I found her. I brought her home, and she was confined about a fortnight afterwards. She was ill in bed about a fortnight after the confinement. She- has not since been able to resume her duties, and she has not done so. My wife found a letter under my daughter's bed some time ago. It was from the defendant and in his handwriting. The under-sheriff said that every document put in as evidence should be read in the open court. He then proceeded to read the letter, and said he did not do it for his own delight or delecta- tion. The letter, which bore no date, was as follows:— "My very own dear darling love love love. I am going to Carnarvon the first train to-morrow dear bach anwyl hefyd oh ngeneth un anwyl hefyd. I think to day It will be better to me to come and see you to morrow night I well be there from half pass eleven to 12. "If it be later than 12 oclock dont expect me afterwards as I wont come home until Monday. I wont keep you dear bachpnwyl from sleep only I want to tell you how it will pass in Carnarvon we must do something that we may preapare to go some where to live together my very love. I do longing to see you to day Jane bach anwyl. I hope they did not found out the mark of my foot Jane anwyl never mind no body keep up you spirits we wont be long untill we be together If I wont be there at the time that is between half pass eleven and 12 to morrow night- I come on Monday night but I try my best to be there to morrow night Dear bach anwyl oh Jane anwyl I am your most truly love for ever J- J ONES with thousand millions of kisses ever believe me my dear bach." (The letter was addressed to Miss Jane Jones, Berrain, Llanefydd, Rhyl.") The evidence of the plaintiff was then proceeded with. He estimated the damages at £500, and said a blemish had been cast upon his daughter for life. Defendant's farm was the property of Mr Griffith, Garn. It covered 80 acres. He had five or six cows, ten or eleven heifers, and three horses. Witness had been informed that de. fendant's wife had left him. Cross-examined by Mr Roberts: After finding the letter he told his daughter not to visit the defendant's house. Witness knew the defendant's father, who had been to his house. (Defendant's father is Mr John Jones, farmer, Tyddyn Wisci, Carnarvon). Witness told him if he would go with him to Mr Louis to Ruthin he would settle everything with him. That was on the morning of the last Denbigh fair but one. The father asked plaintiff if he had any objection to letting him take the child to Carnarvon. Plaintiff said he had not. Plaintiff then asked him if he would pay the costs as far as they had gone, and he re- plied that he could not say until he had seen his wife. Witness did not ask him to do anything further. Witness was not willing to stay pro- ceedings on the payment of costs. He was bent upon trying to get something. Defendant had been bragging to the girl how much he was worth. He had done that several times. He had also compared his wealth with plaintiff's poverty. Defendant's father told plaintiff that his son owned all the stock at Pentre Du farm. Mr Adams, after consulting the authorities, here ruled that the evidence of the defendant's means was irrelevant, and therefore inadmissible on both sides. Mr Roberts: They had stated that he farmed a farm of 80 acres, and had stock, &c. Mr Adams When I sum up to the jury I shall omit all reference whatever to the defendant's position and means on both sides. Witness, re-examined by Mr Louis: He saw the defendant's father after the defendant had been served with the writ in the action. The father said, "I am very sorry you have put any costs in the matter." He also said that the de- fendant's mother was ill in bed, and if the proceed. ings could not be stopped she was likely to soon go to her grave. The father blamed plaintiff for not going before that time to Pentre Du. Witness did not say anything to him as to damages, but wanted him to go and see Mr Louis at Ruthin. Plaintiff's daughter went to Pentre Du to see the family. Witness had no suspicion that love letters were passing between the defendant and his daughter. By the foreman of the jury: His daughter told him who was the father of the child. No ap- plication had been made to the magistrates for the child's maintenance. Mr Louis said he had other evidence as to the defendant's means, but the aheriff had ruled that that was inadmissible. The daughter was present, and he would call her if the jury wished, but he thought he had established what he had sought to prove. Mr Adams said it was for Mr Louis to consider & whether it was advisable to call the daughter of not. Jane Jones, the plaintiff's daughter, a young woman of prepossessing appearance, was then called and examined by Mr Louis. She spoke to the delivery of the child and its parentage, and corroborated her father as to the service she had rendered him in the capacity of dairymaid. Cross-examined by Mr Roberts She knew that the defendant was a married man, and did not live happily with his wife. Defendant and his wife both told him so. Witness went to Pentre Du once or twice a week. Sometimes she went in the morning, and sometimes in the evening. Mr Louis here objected that evidence as to the witness's character could not be taken, and quoted Lord Ellenborough's opinion in support of his contention. This was an action for an assault committed upon the daughter. What had the conduct of the daughter to do with that ? Mr Adams held that questions put to the witness with the intention of imputing levity and immo- desty to her were inadmissible. Cross-examination continued: Witness used to, see both the defendant and his wife when she went to their house. She had not sent to ask James Jones to come and see her. Mr Roberts here put in a letter which witness admitted was in her handwriting. It was to the defendant, and was as follows:— Berrain. My Dear Cariad. I hope that you are quite well and I hope that you will fjrgive me for coming home but what should I do else I was very glad to hear that she has gone away She came hear Monday I went away and she told them greate many things I suppose that Hannah Jones told you that all the close are in Bangor shant go near Hannah Jones house now they think of sending the little James out to be rare and of sending me to a place they nocked all my best close up now X hope that you can get a divorce from her because I am afred that thy will try to do something to you don't think that I don't love you as before you oate not to think thing like that and about Elias don't think cariad auwyl that I have such a low tast as that I cant have much time to write this girl is about me." The plaintiff denied having written the latter part of the letter, in which she desired the d fen- dant to come through the window to see her at midnight. The letter added" Never mind what people speaks I dont care," and concluded as follows" Remember to pray for me cariad anwyl and love with kisses remember friday night." Mr Roberts contended that the conduct of the daughter had been such as to call tor mitigation of damages. The Sheriff The conduct of the daughter has nothing to do with the damage sustained by the plaintiff in consequence of this seduction. Witness, re-examined by Mr Loui- James Jones told her to go to Bangor. He met her there, and slept with her at the lodgings one night. When her father came there next morn- ing, James Jones was not there. He had returned to Pentre Du. He wished to leave her for a while at Bangor and said he would take her away-she did not know where, but understood that the place was "faraway." She used to go to Pentre Du on errinds for her mother and father. She never went there purposely to see James Jones. Ellen Parry was the next witness examined by Mr Louis: She said she had often seen the defen- dant in bed with the last witness at Berrain. The time was usually between 11 and 12 o'clock, when the plaintiff aad the rest of the family had retired to bed. Cross-examined: She never told her master what she hnd seen. Mr Louis said that was all the evidence he proposed to call, and he then summed up his case to the jury. He said the defendant had done all he could to aggravate that case. Instead of coming there and admitting like a man that he bad done wrong, and made the only amends he could, he had tried to throw dirt at the young woman whom he-a married man-had seduced and ruined. He (Mr Louis) had not come into that court to say one word in aggravation of damages providing the defendant's conduct had been what it ought to have been, after doing a grievous wrong to the plaintiff and his daughter. To save a few paltry pounds, however, the defen- dant had endeavoured to throw dirt at the woman he had ruined. His conduct had been such that deserved no commiseration at the hands of the jury. Mr Roberts also addressed the jury, and argued that the sum claimed as damages -1500-was excessive. The under-sheriff then summed up the case to the jury. He directed the jury to assess the damages for the loss by the plaintiff of his daughter's services as the result of the seduction, for the loss of her society, and the discomfort thereby entailed, and for the dishonour brought on the family by the defendant's conduct. The jury, after an absence from court of about three quarters of an hour, found for the plaintiff, damages XIOO. Defendant's wife was in court when this decision was given, and indulged in some rather noisy observations. A threat to remove her by the police had the desired effect of putting a stop to her tirade.
FATAL QUARRY ACCIDENT AT TALYSARN-
FATAL QUARRY ACCIDENT AT TALYSARN- On Wednesday, the 18th inst., W. Joseph Wil- liams, Rhwng-y-ddwy-afon. Nazareth, was killed at Talysarn Quarry, in consequence of the break- ing of a winding chain. Dr Hunter Hughes, dis- trict coroner, Pwllheli, held an inquest on the body on the following Friday, the following persons being sworn on the jury:-Dr D. T. Jones, Hafodesgob (foreman) Rev. W. B. Roberts, Nazareth; Messrs T. Thomas, Llwydcoedbach; O. Owens, Gelli Bach; Robert Roberts, Cerrig Mawr; William Jones, Pen Pelyn; Lewis Jer- man, Pont Crychddwr Morris Parry, Berth; Humphrey Jones, Hafod Esgob; William Jones, Efail y Berth; and the Rev. J. M Jones, Ty- cerrig. D. Thomas, Brynmelyn, gave evidence to the effect that he was working in the bargain adjoining that of the deceased on the day in question. Witness heard the noise of the chain breaking, and saw the deceased lying under a portion of it. He raised him from the ground, but life was extinct.—John Jones, blacksmith, proved having examined the chain about a fort- night ago, and found no defeat whatever.—Two links belonging to the chain were shown, but the broken link was not produced. The Coroner said that the jury ought to examine the broken link, and the inquest was necessarily adjourned for its production. On the re-opening of the inquiry, a witness named Smith deposed to having seen the deceased knocked down. Mr William Jones, the manager, produced the broken link, which was minutely examined by the jury, three of whom were of opinion that there was negligence in the matter. After further deliberation, the jury re- turned a verdict of Accidental Death." At the same quarry, on Thursday, J. J. Owen, aged 26, was killed by the fall of rock. The de- ceased left a wife and two children to mourn their loss.
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A very strong appeal has been made to the Dean of Westminster against the erection of the memorial of the late Prince Napoleon in Westminster Abbey, or rather, according to the distinction suggested by Dr Stanley himself, in that part of it which is alleged to be a royal peculium-Henry VII.'s Chapel. An immense majority of those who interest themselves in the dignity and right uses of the Abbey as a Campo Santo of famous servants of England are unable to see that difference between parts of the church which is indicated by the Dean's apology—we use this term in its oiiginal sense-for the intrusion of this monument under the roof which covers the graves and the cenotaphs of so many British worthies. All due regard might be paid to the memory of the Prince, and susceptibilities of all kinds respected, if the monument were set up in the Wolsey Chapel at Windsor, which is essentially royal. The decorations this building has lately received are well adapted for this, additional enrichment.