WITNEY.

Justice Room, Oct. 1.- Present L. Pickering, Esq., and Rev. D. Adams.-Richard Pratley, of Crawley, was summoned by the Overseers for non-payment of poor-rate.

PETTY SESSIONS.

BAMPTON EAST DIVISION.- Witney, March 17.

Before W. Strickland & L. Pickering, Esqrs.

Richard Pratley, of Crawley, Turnpike Gate, was charged with stealing a quantity of chaff and oats, the property of Mr. W. Cook, farmer, of Crawley; he was committed for six weeks' imprisonment with hard labour.

WITNEY.

JUSTICE ROOM, MARCH 17.

Before W. Strickland and L. Pickering, Esqrs.

LARCENY.-Richard Pratley, of Crawley, was charged with stealing one bushel of oats and half-a-bushel of chaff, the property of Mr. Wm. Cook, at Crawley, on the 12th instant. Pleaded guilty, and committed for six weeks' hard labour.

PETTY SESSIONS.

BAMPTON EAST DIVISION.- Witney, Jan. 2.

Present, L. Pickering, Esq., and the Revs. D. Adams and F.M. Cunningham.

Richard Pratley, of Witney, journeyman baker, was charged with delivering bread for sale, on the 18th ult., in Witney, without having scales with him; fined, including costs; 1l. 2s.

WITNEY.

LOCAL BOARD.

Ninth Meeting.-An adjourned meeting was held at the Board Room, Corn Exchange, on Friday evening. […]

The Surveyor produced his labour account for the past month, which was allowed, and presented the following report :- "Gentlemen : […]. I also submit a report of the state of the Common Lodging House kept by Richard Pratley.

T. ANDREWS,

"July 1st, 1870."

Surveyor."

The Surveyor submitted a detailed statement of the condition of the premises referred to (which, on the whole, was very unsatisfactory for the purpose intended), and recommended certain alterations and repairs, which he was instructed to see carried out, in conformity with the regulations of the Common Lodging House Act, before granting the license applied for.

The premises are situated in Corn Street, and were formerly occupied by the late Mrs. Jones as a "lodging house for travellers."

WITNEY

LOCAL BOARD.

Tenth Meeting.-An adjourned monthly meeting of the Board was held on Friday evening, at the Corn Exchange. …

The Surveyor produced his labour account for the past month, which was also allowed.

Richard Pratley, lodging-house keeper, Corn street, attended the meeting with reference to the order of the Board with regard to his premises. He stated that he had given £10 for the furniture on entering, had since laid out £5 or £6 on the bedding, &c., that the place was even better now than before he took to it, and that no complaints were made in any was by the casuals who stopped there ; but he admitted that the roof and kitchen floor were in a bad state.

After a short consultation by the members, Pratley was re-called and informed that the Board were inclined to deal leniently with him under the circumstances, but, at the same time, they must abide by the law, and if at their next meeting the Surveyor could not produce a satisfactory report as to the cleansing, whitewashing, roofing (which was the landlord's duty), ventilation, &c. of the premises, they should be bound to take proceedings against him ; in the meantime he might continue to take in lodgers, as before.-It was stated that this was a very old establishment, and at present the only house of its kind in the town.

WITNEY

LOCAL BOARD.

Eleventh Meeting.-An adjourned monthly meeting of the Board was held at the Corn Exchange on Friday evening last. …

The Surveyor further reported that he had inspected the lodging-house kept by Richard Pratley, in Corn-street, and found the roof repaired, the windows enlarged, and an improved state of things generally ; but the kitchen floor was still unsatisfactory, and (although the premises were certainly better than on his former visits) much required to be done to make the place comfortable.

The Board, while disposed to deal leniently towards Pratley, intimated that the license would not be renewed unless the premises were kept up to the mark and in good order for the purpose intended.

WITNEY.

JUSTICE ROOM, August 8th.

Present-W. E. Taunton, Esq., and the Revs. F. M. Cunningham and R. L. Baker.

Stealing in a Dwelling-house.-John Wright and Peter Cunningham, two tramps, were charged with stealing, in Richard Pratley's lodging-house, Corn Street, Witney, on the 7th inst., a cheque for £10 and a Bank of England note for £5, the property of Albert Clarke. Committed for trial at the Assizes. [The October 24th edition reported that John Wright, 21, and Peter Cunningham, umbrella makers were give twelve months each at the Oxford Michaelmas Quarter Sessions.]

WITNEY.

LOCAL BOARD, August 30th.

Fifteenth Meeting.-The Board held their fifteenth sitting for the present year on Friday last, at the Corn Exchange. […]

The Surveyor reported a case of smallpox during the last week, at the house of James Pratley, in Corn Street, being a common lodging house. It appeared Pratley had not given notice, as required by the Act in such cases. It was also mentioned that the Guardians had already summoned him for exposing clothes previously to having them disinfected. [I can't find mention of this in either of the previous two meetings.]

The Clerk was directed to write Pratley, informing him of the penalty he had incurred, and cautioning him against a repetition of the offence.

WITNEY.

JUSTICE ROOM, December 2nd, 1880.

Present: Rev. R.L. Baker, and James Mason and P. Southby, Esqrs.

Vagrancy.- Richard Henry Pontin, of no settled place of abode, was brought up in custody charged with leaving his two children chargeable to the common fund of the Witney Union. It appeared that the prisoner came to the lodging house at Witney, and after staying about a week he went away, and left his two children in the care of Mr. Pratley, lodging house keeper, stating he should return next day. He went to Cheltenham, and there met with an accident - spraining his ankle. He communicated with the lodging house keeper and at the same time sent 6s. towards the support of the children, but no further sum of money coming Pratley turned the children out into the street on the 16th of November. The attention of the relieving officer having been called to the children they were at once sent to the Workhouse. Under these circumstances the Bench dismissed the defendant on his undertaking to pay the cost of maintenance.

The Thames and the Windrush.

[General District News.]

WITNEY.

PETTY SESSIONS. - Thursday, Feb. 4th.

Before the Revs. W.S. Bricknell (Chairman) and R.L. Baker, and P. Southby and J.F. Mason, Esq.

thirsty tramps.

Charles Pratt and George Pratt were brought up in custody, charged with stealing a bottle of whisky of the value of 2s. 6d., the property of James Seymour, innkeeper of Eynsham.

The prisoners pleaded guilty.

James Seymour deposed - I keep a public house at Barnard Gate. On the 30th of last month I had occasion to go out of the tap-room, leaving a bottle of whisky there. I saw the defendants about. When I came back I missed the bottle of whisky, and I suspected the prisoners because they were the only strangers about. About 7 o'clock in the evening I came to Witney, and gave information to Superintendent Keal, with a description of the prisoners, and also a description of the bottle containing the whisky, and of the cork. I accompanied Sergeant Cooke to Pratley's lodging-house, Corn-street, and saw the two prisoners sitting by the fire. Sergeant Cooke made them stand up, and I recognised them as the two I saw on my premises. Pratley gave a bottle to Sergeant Cooke.- The bottle was here produced, and witness said he recognised the cork, but not the bottle, as the label was gone. It was a similar one to the bottle he lost.

John Pratley said his father kept a lodging-house in Corn-street, Witney, and on January 30th the two prisoners came there. He went down into the travellers' kitchen, and saw the prisoner George with a bottle and a cup. He saw him pour some whisky out into the cup and hand it to a woman, who drank it, and he then gave some to a man and another woman.

Sergeant Cooke said - I accompanied the prosecutor to the lodging-house, and took the prisoners into custody on the charge of stealing a bottle of whisky. They both denied taking it. The bottle was handed to me by a little girl in the lodging-house.

The prisoner Charles admitted that he stole the whisky.

The usual question was then put as to whether they would be tried there or by jury, and they both elected to be tried at once.

MARRIAGES.

Dec. 16, at St. Mary's Church, Witney, by the Rev. R.W. Buller, Richard Pratley, to Drusilla Loveridge, both of Witney.

The Thames and the Windrush.

(General District News.)

WITNEY.

PETTY SESSIONS, Thursday, Jan. 19.

Before the Rev. R.L. Baker, Captain Wynter, and P. Southby, Esq.

alleged assault on a woman.

Richard Pratley, lodging-house keeper, of Corn-street, Witney, was summoned charged with unlawfully assaulting and beating Caroline Archer on December 28th last, at Witney.

Mr. G. Mallam, jun., appeared for the defendant, and pleaded not guilty.

Caroline Archer deposed - I am the wife of Henry Archer, hawker, of no fixed residence. On the 28th of December I was at Pratley's lodging house in Corn-street. I went to put my children to bed. The police serjeant was there then, talking to Pratley. Pratley said he had given me notice to go. I asked him what I had to go for, as I had done nothing, and had been there three months. After the serjeant was gone, Pratley knocked me against some flour sacks. He then got an iron weight off the corn-bin, dragged me outside the door and struck me on the side of the nose with the weight, leaving a deep cut, from which the scar on my face has come. It was bleeding for an hour.

Cross-examined by Mr. Mallam- I did not see Lizzie Widdows in the morning. I did not say I would break Mrs. Pratley's back or she should break mine. When I was going in, Pratley and the serjeant were standing near the door. Pratley did not try to keep me out. The door was open. He and his wife both laid on me and I struggled. He pushed me on the sacks, but when I got up I was not holding his coat. I was not drunk or excited at the time.

Daniel Barry said- Caroline Archer is my mother. We came from Abingdon yesterday. On December 28th, I was in Mr. Pratley's lodging-house, when I heard a voice calling "Oh, my mother." I went out, and saw Mr. Pratley holding my mother's hands, while his wife was hitting her in the face with her fist. She was struggling. Pratley ran into the room, and fetched a weight off the flour-bin, and struck my mother with it three times on the face, outside the door.

By Mr. Mallam- I saw a young man there, but I did not know his name. I did not hear him say, "That is enough now, get away." I did not kick Pratley; I was helping my mother up. She did not tumble against the door, and she was not drunk nor excited. I did not hear her threaten Mrs. Pratley. Mr. Pratley struck her three times, but there was only one cut. It was a round weight.

Annie Archer, 15, said- On December 28th, I was in the kitchen at the lodging house, when I heard a voice, "Oh, my mother! Oh, my mother!" I and my step-brother ran out, and saw that Mr. And Mrs. Pratley had got my mother between the door and the flour sacks. We helped mother up, when Pratley took hold of a weight and struck her on the side of her face with it, saying, "I have done for you now, you b____ cow."- By Mr. Mallam: I don't know how many times I have said this over before I learnt it. Pratley struck my mother three times with the weight. It was a round weight, about half-a-pound.

P.S. Yates deposed- On December 28th, at nine o'clock, I visited Pratley's lodging house, and as I was coming out, Pratley commenced telling me a tale about Mrs. Archer's children. While we were talking Mrs. Archer came up, and I said to her, "Why don't you go when Mr. Pratley orders you." She said if she went her children would stop. I told Pratley to let her stop that night, and I would turn them out in the morning. Soon after I was gone, a little girl came to me and said "Pratley's killing mother." I went and found the woman on the pavement, with blood flowing freely from her face. I sent for Mr. Kindon, and we had her taken to the Union Workhouse.- By Mr. Mallam: She was not drunk, but was very excited. I do not say she had had no beer.

Joseph Kindon, surgeon, said- I went to see the woman on the night of December 28th. From the appearance of her face and clothes, I should say blood had been flowing very profusely. She had succeeded in stopping it from her nostrils, but not from her face. She was very weak, and I ordered her to have some brandy. The wound must have been caused by a blunt instrument; it might have been caused by a blunt instrument; it might have been a weight. There were several more bruises, which might have been caused wither by the weight or the fist. Both eyes were very black.- Cross-examined: She was bleeding from a short deep wound, the arteries being divided. It could not have been caused by the fist, but it might have been caused by the weight.

This was the case for the prosecution, and

Mr. Mallam, addressing the Bench, said he should bring evidence to show that there was sufficient justification for an assault because the prosecutrix was rushing into the room for the purpose of attacking Mrs. Pratley. He should also show that the wound was caused by falling against a door.

Lizzie Widdows deposed- I live with my father, who is a carter, in corn-street. On December 28 at 10.30 in the morning, I saw Mrs. Archer going up the "fury." I heard her say she would break Mrs. Pratley's back, or she should break hers. I made a communication at Pratley's house about it.

Thomas Beal, factory hand, son of John Beal, Gas-house lane said- On December 28th, at ten minutes to 8, I was outside the lodging-house, in Corn-street, when Mrs. Archer came and put her foot inside the door, and said "Now for Mr. And Mrs. Pratley." She was very excited. Pratley got up and went to the door and tried to push her back. She would not go, and he pushed her back on the sacks. They struggled, and she struck him and he struck her. I was there all the time, and he did not fetch a weight. He struck her with nothing by his fist. I afterwards said to Mrs. Archer, "That will do now," and I said to Pratley, "Go indoors now." As Mrs. Archer was going out she stumbled and fell against the staple on the door, which cut a wound on the side of her face.- By the prosecutrix; I did not see you hit Mrs. Pratley. I saw you hit Mr. Pratley.

The Bench retired to consider the case, and on their return, the Chairman said there had been a certain amount of provocation, and they would not put any penalty on defendant. He would have to pay the costs, 50s.

WITNEY.

PETTY SESSIONS.

March 12th.

Before Rev. R.L. Baker (Chairman) and Capt. Wynter.

Robert Pratley, of Corn-street, was summoned by his wife for assaulting her on the 6th March.

Defendant pleaded not guilty.

Drusilla Pratley deposed: I am the wife of the defendant. On the 6th March, about half-past ten a.m., he kicked at me three times and ran at me with a candlestick, but my little girl prevented him hitting me. We had some words; he was going to sell the business over my head without letting me know.

Siney Loveridge deposed: I am 13 years of age, and am the daughter of Mrs. Pratley. I was in the house on the 6th March. Defendant said he would strike her with a candlestick, but I ran and stopped him from doing it. He was going to kick her, but I prevented him. He was sober.

Case dismissed.