CHADLINGTON PETTY SESSIONS.

Wednesday.

Before Rev. Canon Carter, Lord Moreton, and Alderman Webb.

Theft of Wood at Cornbury Park.- Dinah Empson, Charlotte Ferrifan, Charlotte Townsend, Emma Wiggins, Mary Williams, Dolly Wiggins and Annie Pratley, of Leafield, were summoned by Edward Pratley, of Leafield, woodman to Mr. Harvey do Cros, of Cornbury Park, for that they did feloniously steal and carry away 3 cwts. of wood, of the value of 3s., the property of Mr. Harvey du Cros.- The defendants Mary Williams and Dolly Wiggins did not appear, and after some conversation it was decided to issue fresh summonses, and in the event of non-appearance to take out warrants against them.- Mr. T. Mace, who prosecuted on behalf of Mr. Harvey du Cros, said on the 2nd of March, between 2 and 3 o'clock in the afternoon, he would show that Mr. Harvey, head game-keeper to Mr. Du Cros, was at a place called Hatching Hill where he came suddenly upon one of the defendants, Dinah Empson, who was there with a girl, and had a bundle of wood packed up and ready to be moved. He should tell them that this wood had been prepared for making what were known as pheasant flushes, and consisted of brushwood for the young birds, to run under. Mr. Du Cros had suffered considerable inconvenience by having this wood carried away; time after time no sooner had the wood been cut and carried to where it was wanted then it was carried off. Hitherto the difficulty had been to catch and identify the people who had carried it away, but in this case there was no difficulty, for the defendants were caught red-handed, and when they fled away the whole road was left strewd with the wood they were preparing to carry away. On the day in question Mr. Harvey came upon Mrs. Empson and a girl who had got a bundle of wood ready for removal. As soon as Mr. Harvey got up to them the girl ran off, and on Mr. Harvey looking after her he saw a number of women about 150 yards further along the drive, who as soon as the girl got up to them shot off like so many rabbits out of the wood. Mr. Harvey took another road and intercepted them, and when Pratley, the woodman, came up the five defendants were identified, though some four or five others got away. When Mr. Harvey spoke to the women, some of them answered that they had not been in the wood for years, but Dinah Empson said it was no use lying; they had all been in the wood. He had to ask the Bench to convict in each case, if they thought the evidence justified it, as a warning to others.- William Harvey, residing at Ranger's Lodge, Cornbury Park, head game-keeper to Mr. Harvey du Cros, said on Thursday, the 2nd of March, he was at a place called Hatching Hill, Leafield, between 2 and 3 in the afternoon. There was a quantity of brushwood lying there for the purpose of making pheasant flushes. The wood had been cut down and tied-up in bundles. He saw Dinah Empson there with a girl and an bundle of wood. He asked what she was doing, but he could not recollect if she said anything in reply. The girl ran away, and when he looked in the direction she had gone he saw a group of women about 150 yards away up the drive. Edward Pratley, the woodman, was with witness, and leaving Dinah Empson in the custody of Pratley, he ran and headed the women stopped them. The five defendants were present, and in the road he saw a number of bundles of wood lying. Pratley then came up, and witness asked him if he knew the women, and he said he knew them all. One or two of the women - whom he could not say- said they had not been in the wood for years, whereupon Dinah Empson said, "Own up to it; we have all been in." The women then took each a bundle of wood and went away.- Edward Pratley, woodman to Mr. Harvey du Cros, residing at Leafield, was in company with the last witness, and generally corroborated his evidence.- the defendants were charged in the usual way, and elected to be dealt with summarily. They all pleaded guilty, Charlotte Townsend stating that Mr. Macfarlane said he would forgive them that time if they would promise not to do it again.- The magistrates, after retiring for consultation, said they had given the case the fullest consideration, and had decided to dismiss it on payment of costs. They trusted those proceedings would act as a warning to the people residing in Leafield, for if another case arose it would not be dealt with so leniently, but would be sent to Oxford. The costs amounted to 18s., and none of the defendants would admit having any money, or offer to pay, they were ushered into the guard-room to make up their minds. When the door was opened and a policeman escorted them out, the defendants trooped out like a pack of giddy schoolgirls, apparently regarding the matter as a huge joke. They were called into court about half-an-hour later, and reproved by the Chairman, who said that the way in which the defendants treated the matter caused the magistrates to regret that they had dealt with the case so leniently. Apparently they had not realised the serious nature of the charge, but when he told them that they were each liable to a fine of £20, or three months in Oxford gaol, perhaps they would cease to look upon it as a laughing matter. The defendants, who were now considerably more sober in demeanour, managed to make up the 18s. by the help of their friends, and left the court.