The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

"RECEIVING" CHARGES DISMISSED. Long Hearing at Brecon Police Court. The Mayor (Mr W. F. Parry deWinton) and Messrs David Powell, --J. C. B. Morris, and Evan Morgan were occupied for several hours at the Brecon Borough Police Court on Monday in hearing four charges of receiving stolen property arising out of a case dealt with a short time ago, when a youth named William Herbert was sent to gaol for stealing various articles the property of Mr H. C. Rich, of the Watton. Samuel Lewis Summers, railway engine driver, of Newmarch-street, was charged -with receiving between February 1st and 28th a salmon fishing rod, value £ 2, the property of Herbert Charles Ingram Rich, well knowing it to have been stolen Ivor Sullivan, railway fireman, of 15, S. David's-street. was charged with re- ceiving between February 1st and 28th a trout fishing rod, value 35/ the property of Mr Rich, well knowing it to have been stolen Edmund Lewis, railway fireman, of Maund's Court, Mill-street, was charged with receiving between March 1st and May 27th a salmon fishing rod, value £ 2 10s, the property of Mr Rich, well knowing it to have been stolen ;-and Lionel Herbert Uncles, of the Struet, was charged with receiving between February 1st and May 27th a motor pump and lift jack, the property of Mr Rich, well knowing it to have been stolen. All the defendants pleaded not guilty. Mr Lewis Jones, Brecon, prosecuted on behalf of the Police in all the cases Mr Harold Lloyd, Cardiff, defended the three railwaymen, and Mr W. Jones- Williams, Brecon, defended Uncles. The three cases in which Mr Lloyd appeared were by consent heard together, and were first dealt with. William Herbert, who appeared in charge of a prison warder, stated that somewhere between February 1st and May 31st he promised Samuel Summers a rod. About-a week after, between 4 and 5 a.m., when he was calling up men for their work, he met defendant in the Watton, and defendant asked him for the rod. He said he had not got it, and in reply to a further question as to whether he could get it, said he could not say. Defendant then said I'll watch while you get the rod." Defendant did watch and witness went to Mr Rich's premises and got a rod and handed it to him. Defendant put the rod together to se the length of it. The next night he gave witness 2/0 on the railway plat- form. Witness knew Summers was a fisherman. At about the same time wit- ness took another of Mr Rich's rods to the Lower Yard and offered it to Ivor Sullivan. Defendant said, It is not stolen, is it, Billy ? He replied that it was not, and defendant said "I will take your word and I will have the rod." Witness told him he need not be afraid, as it was not stolen property and asked 2/0 for the rod, but defendant gave him l/- afterwards. About the end of Feb- ruary he saw Lewis in the Lower Yard and asked him if he would, like a rod, and defendant replied I thought of taking up fishing this year; bring it down for me to have a look at." Witness iiook a rod down to him and he said All right, I will have it," and witness received 2/0. He told defendant it wad not stolen. Cross-examined He had been working on the railway 14 or 15 months before this case was brought up, as a cleaner, and about nine months before he took the rods. There had been no charge against him up to the date of his arrest, and he did not suggest that defendants knew he was a dishonest person. He was not dis- charged from Mr Rich's service the Railway Company asked Mr Bert Rich if he could leave without notice and he consented. About five months before that Mr Rich accused him of taking things and he denied it. Mr Lloyd Then in addition to being a thief you were a liar as well ?—Wit- ness Yes, sir. Cross-examination continued He did not allege that Sullivan or Lewis knew anything about fishing he told Sullivan he had had two rods given him. The transactions with both these defendants were open and there might have been witnesses in the shed. Sullivan hung his rod up openly in the .shed and witness saw it there the following morning. He told Sullivan that Mr Rich had given up fishing and had given him the rod. After he left Mr Rich's he went back occasion- ally to help the girls (the servants) and they lost Treasury notes. He did not tell Summers he had two rods for sale Summer^knew he stole the rod to sell to him. Summers at first said he had heard that witness had been selling rods and asked if*- £ e could get him one. At a seconcU meeting he asked witness where he was getting the rods from and his reply was I am getting them from chaps to sell for them." When they met in the Watton and defendant asked him whether lie had got the rod, witness replied that he would get one from Mr Rich's, and defendant then said "I'll watch while you go in." It was not near the Barracks gate he handed the rod to Summers. A cleaner named Morgan was present, but was not near when witness took it. Wit- ness made a statement when he was arrested. In this he did not say any- thing about Summers being outside the garage when he took the rod. It was not until Saturday last, when he was brought back to Brecon, that he made that par- ticular statement. When arrested his idea was not to bring anybody else into trouble. Nothing was said to him about i writing to the Home Secretary to get his ) sentence viduoed on his giving evidence j but the Governor of the gaol at Bristol I told b,, to be a good boy and speak the truth. I P.s. Boore deposed that at a-first inter- I view with Sallivan he asked that defen- dant if he had had any fishing tackle I from Herbert-, and he replied that he had I had some flies, and directed him how to obtain them from his mother's house. He did not then say anything about a fishing rod, but at a second interview witness received a rod from him. He recovered a rod from Lewis, who made a statement which witness produced. This statement was to the effect that Herbert asked Lewis if he did anything in fishing, and he replied Xo." Then Herbert asked him if lis wanted a rod, and although he did not say that he did, brought one afterwards and said Mr Rich had given it to him as he had given up fishing. Lewis gave him 2/0 for it and carried it up the street quite openly. He did not think he was doing wrong. 11 Witness further stated that Sullivan sent a written statement to the Police, This was to the effect that some time in February Herbert asked him to buy a fishing rod and he did so, and gave ¡J- for it. About a fortnight afterwards Herbert gave him a few fishing flies. He had no idea the things were stoken until after Herbert's arrest, when P.s. Boore called to see him. P.c. Hibbert proved receiving a rod from Summers, who offered to make a statement, but witness told him to go to ^ie Police Station. P.s. Richards said Summers came to the Police Station on June 4th and made the following statement :—" Some time in February last I met Herbert in the Watton. He asked me if I wanted to buy a fishing rod. I asked him how much for, and he said a chap asked him to sell a couple of rods for him. I told I him I would not buy a rod without seeing it. About two nights afterwards I was coming from work, and outside the Barracks I met Herbert on a bicycle. He had a rod with him. I examined it. and asked him how much he wanted for it. He said I will let you know to- morrow.' I took the rod with me. I asked him the following day at the Rail- way Station what he wanted for it, and he said 3/6, and I gave him 3/G." Mr Rich gave evidence of identification and as to value. In cross-examination he said the reel now on the rod Summers had was not his. THE DEFENDANTS' STORY. J The three defendants elected to be tried summarily and gave evidence. Summers stated that he had been 27 years in the employ of the Midland Railway Company and this was the first charge against him. In the early part of February Herbert asked him if he wanted to buy a fishing rod, as a man had asked him to sell a couple. His answer was that he could not buy a rod I without seeing it About three days afterwards, when going off duty with his fireman (Morgan) about four o'clock in the morning, he met Herbert by the Barracks gate. Herbert was riding a bicycle and had a fishing rod tied to it, and stopped and said Here's the rod for you." Witness inquired how much he wanted for it, and he replied that he would let him know the next day. There was not a word of truth in the allegation that witness stood outside Mr Rich's house whilst the rad was stolen. He knew nothing about the rod being stolen, and did not know that Herbert had been stealing things. There was no reel on the rod, he could not see the brass, and he had to whip the rings on again. It was a trout rod, not a salmon rod, and his boy afterwards openly used it for trout fishing. Witness bought an 18ft. salmon rod belonging to the late Captain Swayne for 2/6, and in view of its con- ditition thought he gave plenty of money for the one he bought from Herbert by paying 3/6. John Morgan, railway fireman, of Avenue-road, corroborated Summers's statement as to meeting Herbert by the Barracks and what took place there. Edmund Lewis said he had been employed on the railway for many years and never had a charge against him. So far as he knew, before these pro- ceedings, Herbert was a man of good character. Witness proceeded to bear out the statement he made to the Police, and further stated that he had never done any fishing and knew nothing about the value of rods. He left the rod he bought expired in the cabin and took it home the next morning. A& soon as he heard from his mother that the Police were making inquiries he went and made his statement. He had not the slightest idea when he bought the rod that it had been obtained dis- honestly. Ivor Sullivan said this was the first time any suggestion had been made against him, and lie had a good many years' railway service. Herbert told him Lewis had bought a rod and asked would he like to have one, as he had two to sell, and witness said he would and would try fishing. When the rod was brought witness asked where it came from and defendant said Mr Rich had given it to him as he had given up fishing. Witness asked him how much he wanted for it and he named 2/6, but two days after- wards said witness could have it for Is., and this sum was paid. As soon as he heard anything about the inquiries, he told the police that he and Lewis had a rod each. Cross-examined: Sergt. Boore was not correct in saying that witness did not mention the rod when asked about the flies. Mr Lloyd addressed the Bench at some length and drew attention to the accepted view of the law, that the evidence of an accomplice could not be acted on unless it was corroborated in material portions. After the Bench had consulted for a short time in private, the Mayor said they had decided to dismiss the three cases, because they considered the- evid- ence tendered was not quite strong enough to convict. (Applause). But they felt that this kind of behaviour ought to be watched very carefully. They thought that three men of the world, such as the three men in front of them, should have known better than to accept such bargains as were offered to them in this way. They dismissed the cases. (More applause). His Worship intimated that the Court (which was crowded) would be cleared if there was any repetition of applause. THE FOURTH CASE STOPPED AFTER EVIDENCE FOR THE PROSECUTION. I The charge against Lionel Herbert Uncles was next taken. Herbert stated that when he was help- ing the girls at Mr Rich's about February defendant told him his pump and jack had broken and asked him if he could get him one. He hesitated for a moment, but got a jack and pump from a car which defendant pointed out in the garage (saying they were underneath the seat when he looked there) and defend- ant gave him 1 Defendant put the articles into his father's car, which was then standing on the washing place, and it was afterwards locked up in a part of the garage let to Mr Uncles. Cross-examined by Mr Jones-Williams: He knew that Mr Uncles had kept his car at Mr Rich's garage for four years. During the time he was there witness sometimes helped to wash it and mend punctures. He had borrowed a jack from Mr Uncles's car. For the help he gave he had sometimes received a shilling or so as a tip. Defendant did not tell him that somebody had taken their jack and pump and ask him to look for them. Jno. Wm. Jones, foreman at Mr Rich's garage, called to give evidence of identification, admitted that the pump and jack produced were standard patterns supplied with all Ford cars, and that in the case of cars kept at the garage when such a thing was lost it was usual to borrow from another car. Defendant had almost the same liberties as if he were employed by Mr Rich, his father's car being kept there. This car, contain- ing the pump and jack, came back to the garage every night, and could have been searched but it was kept under lock and key. P.s. Boore said defendant danied that part of Herbert's written statement con- cerning him, and afterwards himself made a statement as follows I deny having from Herbert any lamps, axle shaft, horns, or accumulators. I admit all the rest in the statement of Wm. Herbert." Cross-examined Defendant was carry- ing the pump and jack in the tool box of the car. Witness called Mr Bert Rich, who said that it was in Mr Jones's hands, but also said he could not tell one Ford jack from another, they were all alike. On the close of the case for the prose- cution, the Mayor said the Bench con- sidered that the evidence was not strong enough to carry a conviction, and they therefore dismissed the case without calling on the defence. There was again some applause in Court. Defendant was seized with faintness at the conclusion of the hearing of the It, ca-e, but soon recovered.

LIBANUS. Presentation to Departing Pastor.—On Saturday last a tea and presentation meeting were held in connection with the departure of the pastor of the Congregational Chapel, the Rev. David Price, who leaves to take up his duties at Tredegar in August next. Tea was held in Tairbull Schoolroom and the games took place in the adjoining field. lent for the occasion by Mr and Mrs John Jones, Cwmclyn. The presentation meeting was held in the chapel, and Mrs Miller (Forest Lodge) occupied the chair. A cheque was presented to the pastor. 0:1 behalf of the Church, by Mr William Williams (secretary), in the unavoidable and much regretted absence of Mr John Williams (Bryn. Bolgoed). Mr John Pugh iCloscedi) and the Hew T. -If (vicar of IlItyd), also spoke, and Mr Howel Stephens (Pantglas) favoured the company with twA solos. All the speakers expressed their 'good wishes to the pastor, who at the close responded, gratefully acktiqwledging the welcome given him by all in the district, and the happy ending to a happy stay. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mrs Miller for presiding, and to all who had helped to make the tea a success. A happy little meeting closed with the singing of the Doxology.

LLANGYNIDR. Honour for the Rector.—The new rector of Llangynidr, Breconshire (the Rev. Richard W. Jones, M.A.), who has recently returned from the Army of Occupation in France, on being demobi- lised. is now gazetted as honorary chaplain to the forces.

BREcors mm. Th3 Awful Might Have Besn Inhabitants of Brecon and District have. without in the least suspecting it, during the past week been within danger of wholesale poisoning. Let there be no unnecessary alarm, the danger is over, and there are no vile miscreants at large awaiting another opportunity of killing us off wholesale. The danger arose out of an accident—damage to two drums of week-killer but it was an accident fraught with terrible possibilities. The facts were made known at a meeting of the Brecon Town Council on Tuesday morning in the reports of the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. V. Rees) and the Borough Surveyor an8 Inspector (Mr H. Ll. Griffiths). Dr. Rees stated that on Thursday last he was asked by the Inspector to visit I and examine some sacks of sugar and some cases of oranges, which had been damaged by the contents of two drums of weed-killer placed in the same truck. A considereble number of the sacks showed evidence of having been infected 11 i by the fluid, and as it was impossible to differentiate between them, it was con- sidered advisable to condemn the whole lot. Rightly or wrongly, the bags of sugar were taken possession of and were now in the custody of the Inspector. Mr Griffiths's report on the subject r was to the effect that 1 ton 13 cwt. of sugar and 10 cwt. of fruit were being held by the Council's officials under a justice's order in consequence of having been exposed to contamination by a. highly poisonous fluid. Replying to the Mayor, Mr Griffiths said he took action with the concurrence of the Stationmaster and the person to whom the sugar was consigned. Dr Rees added that both the drums of weed killer-a very poisonous fluid- were quite empty, and the whole of the contents had escaped into the truck. The spread of the fluid was assisted by rain coming in through a hole in the tarpaulin which covered the truck. The Mayor said it was a serious thing, and whatever the ultimate lesponsibility as to the goods, it was certain that pre- vention was better than cure. —————————

BUILTH URBAN CPUNCIL. A special meeting of the Builth Wells Urban District Council was held on Saturday morning, and there were present Messrs G. Eadie (chairman), H. T. Price. T. R. Worthington, T. Hamer, Reginald J. 0 wen (clerk), W. J. Morris (inspector) and Dr. W. Black Jones (medical officer). MUSIC FOR VISITORS, A letter was read from Mr Isaac Carter, offering the services of his band during the coming season, and it was decided to grant him permission to play in the town. I It was also reported that two or three important bands would visit the town during the season. SIG:, FOR MOTORISTS. Dr. Black Jones drew the attention of the Council to the importance of placing i a sign near the Lion Hotel, pointing out the turn for Llandrindod Wells, as motorists often ran up the town before they ascertained that they were off the road. Very often also motorists coming from the Llanwrtyd road ran up Market street in mistake for the road leading to I Hay, and a notice would be of great service if it were placed by Mr H. Vaughan Vaughan's office. The Council ¡ decided to ask the Motor Union to have ¡ the necessary notices erected. A DANGEROUS CORXER. The Chairman pointed out that owing to the dangerous turn near the old Tollgate at Llanelwedd, accidents con- tinually happened there.' and some of them had proved very serious. It was to be regretted that the Radnorshire County Council did not take advantage of the < offers made by the owner of the land adjoining and by Mr Lant, who was prepared to provide the necessary material for widening the road. He understood that the Road Board were willing to make a grant for road improve- ments, and now was the time to move in the matter. It was agreed to draw the attention of the Radnorshiie County Council to the corner in question. LINKS TO PROVIDED. The Council decided h take steps for the provision of golf links for the town. "i T-ACV. rF.EP.RATIONS. The Chairman observed that he had had conversions with several of the tradespeople of the town, and they con- sidered it very inconvenient- to have the Peace Celebrations on Saturday, the 19th inst,, owing to business. The feeling was in favour of holding them on July 23rd. It was decided to hold the celebrations on Wednesday, July 23rd. It was also decided to present the children with a mug each, and the follow- ing members of the Council contributed each towards the celebrations Messrs G. Eadie, H. T. Price, D. E. H. Williams, H. Vaughan Vaughan, T. R. Worthington, and T. S. Hamer. It was arranged to wait upon the other three members and ask for a subscription. MOKE HOUSES. I The Council decided to meet early in I the following week to decide upon the number of houses to be erecied under the new scheme. TERRITORIAL SERVICE. The New Conditions Explained. We are asked by the Brecknock Territorial Force Association to publish the following explanatory Statement issued by the War Office EXPLANATORY STATEMENT WITH REGARD Tu ENLISTMENTS INTO THE RECONSTITUTED TERRITORIAL FORCE. A good deal of comment has been made on the decisions of the Army Council that all serving soldiers in the Territorial Force desirous of continuing to serve in | the reconstituted Territorial Force must be discharged and re-enlisted and that N.C.O.'s will be re-enlisted as privates. j These decisions require explanation. The object aimed at firstly is to pro- vide for the continuance in the Terri- torial Force of all Territorial Force soldiers who are desirous of so continu- ing, and secondly to welcome the enlist- ment of men who have served in the war in any of His Majesty's Forces and r do not contemplate re-joining the Reuglar Forces. The necessity for re-enlistment is caused by the fact that the position regarding men who are serving on a Territorial Force attestation is compli- cated and varies greatly according to whether they enlisted prior to or during the war and have or have not completed their engagements or re-engagements. In any case so long as the Force remains are in operation, their liability for service embodied And the Military Service Acts I continues. Before, therefore, asking s men to re-enlist in the new Territorial Force it has been dc-cidod that it would be right to relieve them of all obliga- tions under their present engagements and that the best and simplest way to accomplish this will, be to give them a full discharge and a new enlistment. L nder this arrangement discharge from existing obligations will not constitute a break m continuity of service. W itli regard to the re-enlistment of N.C.O.'s as privates, in the first place it it not legally possible to enlist or re- enlist a man in a rank above that of private. Moreover, seeing that the Territorial Force has been more than triplicated during the war and the new Force will for the present go back to its pre-war establishment, it is clear that there will be a very large surplus of N.C.O.'s available, and that ex-N.C.O.'s can only be accepted in their previous rank up to the numbers permitted by the reduced establishment. It is equally clear that the most efficient N.C.O.'s must be secured, and in practice the Commanding Officer will have a free hand in selecting his N.C.O.'s from those who have served as such in the Field and offer their services, and those selected will be promoted on the day they attest as privates, provided they have offered themselves in sufficient time to enable their promotion to be carried out. War Office. 28th May. 1919.

SAD DEATH AT CRICK HOWELL Prominent Tradesman and Buff." It is with much regret we record the death of Mr William Colerick. of High street, Crickhowell. baker, which took place on Saturday morning list, as the result of injuiies he received on the previous T!i,,irq(la: "lrLl-- deceased who was 51 years of age. was an exceedingly popular tradesman of the town and he will long be remembered on account of his genial and upright character. He was kindness to a degree, and many persons in humble circumstances have good reason to remember him for his large-heartedness. especially during the trying period when circumstances caused by the war were pressing on them. For many years Mr Colerick was a very prominent member of the R.A.O.B., and was one of the founders of the "Glanusk" Lodge, Crickhowell, besides being a member of the Abergavenny Lodge. He received his "Knighthood" a few years ago as a mark of appreciation for the good work he had done for the Order. A sad feature of the case is that Mr Colerick's only son, who had been ill for a considerable time at Abergavenny, died on Sunday last, the day after his father. THE INQUEST. Mr R. H. A. Eavies, coroner, held an inquiry on Saturday last into the death of the deceased. Miss Hannah Colerick, of Walton Hill, I near Newbury, Berkshire, sister, gave evidence of identification, and stated that she came to Crickhowell on Thursday evening last, having been informed by a telegraph message as to the accident. The deceased was conscious off and on, but he never referred to the accident. He died at 6.40 a.m. on the 5th inst. Gwladys Maud Browne, daughter of Mrs George Browne, of Castle road, Crickhowell, 14 years of age, who has been assisting the deceased in the bakery, said that on the 3rd instant they had loaded the car (a Ford van) with bread. It was a full load. They then pushed I the car out of the garage, and the deceased got in. Witness pushed the car on to the top of Bridge street, a distance of about 20 yards. The engine did not start. so Mr Colerick got out. placed a block before one of the front wheels, and started the engine with the handle. The car immediately jumped" over the block. The deceased tried to hold it back by pushing against it with his hands, when he slipped and fell, and in doing so he turned over on his stomach, and the front wheel went over him. Witness ran and stopped the engine, and put the brakes on, and the car stopped. The car was a difficult one to start, and to get over the difficulty the deceased's habit was to start it in gear. and to block the front wheel to prevent it moving. The brakes were in order, but the car would not start on the brake. The railing of the Police Station stopped the car and prevented the hind wheel also passing over the deceased. Dr. A. E. Jones, Crickhowell. said he was called to see deceased at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dr. Hill having previously seen him. It was evident from examina- tion that the deceased had broken a rib, or ribs, and that there was a puncture of the lung which caused internal hetn- orrhage and an escape of air between the lung and chest wall, causing suffoca- tion. There was little or no hope of recovery from the first. The Coroner, who said that much regret was felt by everyone as to the sad circumstances of Mr Colerick's death, said the deceased took the risk of starting the engine when it was in gear and there was no doubt that he came by his end as the result of it. It was a very smd case, and he expressed his sympathy with the relatives. The verdict recorded was that death took place as the result of injuries re- ceived by misadventure.

Hay Rural District Counoil. Mr J. W. Jones (chairman) presided over the monthly meeting of the Hay Rural District Council held on Thursday last. Mr Harpur, county roads surveyor, was in attendance and observed that the Road Board were prepared to give a considerable sum of money towards the improvement of roads, providing that the traffic was suiffcient; but they were not prepared to give more than twenty-five per cent. towards the improvement of bridges. In such a case as the road between Llyswen and Poutybat, he was of opinion that the traffic was sufficient to secure a substantial grant. This year the Board expected the rural councils to carry out the same amount of work as in 1914, although the expense would be twice as much. The chairman was doubtful whether the Council could entertain the suggest- ion of doing much work on the Llyswen road this year. The matter was adjourned till the next meeting, the clerk to ascertain particulars as to the Llyswen road in the meantime. Applications from the different officials of the Council for increase in salaries were post poned to the next meeting. next meeting. Mr J. R. Griffith reported on the sites selected for houses at Talgarth and for the Smithfield and the clerk was instruct- ed to communicate with the-owners, the Rev. T. H. Beavan and Mr Bamford.

"County Times" Fixture List. Monday. July 14th.—Brecon and Radnor Farmers' Union Executive Meeting at Builth Wells. Thursday. July 15th.-Festival Ser- vice, Priory Church, Brecon (Western Canada Fund). Friday, July 18th.—Standing Joint and Main Roads Committees. Monday, July 21st,—County Finance Committee. Tuesday, July 22nd. — Breconshire Compensation Authority. Friday, July 25th.—Breconshire Edu cation Committee. Friday, Aug. lst.-Breconshire County Council. Monday. Aug. 4 lb (Bank Holilay).- Glasbury Oddfellows' Sports. Wednesday, August 13th.—Llanvillo Bazaar, in aid of the Church Restoration Fund. Friday. Aug. loth.—Breconshire War Pensions Committee.

EARDISLEY. EVERY branch of Dentistry at Henderson's Dental Surgery, Brook House, Hay, daily, all hours