Bristol Mercury - 16 April 1884

TEMPLE CLOUD PETTY SESSIONS

ALLEGED SUNDAY TRADING

Thomas Hall was charged that he being a licensed person kept his house at Paulton open for the sale of intoxicating liquors on Sunday, April 8th, at ten minutes past ten in the morning of that day. Constable Weaver (80) said on the day in question he was on duty at Newtown, Paulton. At a few minutes past ten in the morning he saw defendant at the door of his beerhouse watching. Defendant saw witness approaching, and immediately went into the house. He was bound to have seen witness, as he was only a few yards off. Witness hurried up, and on entering saw Mrs. Hall in the cellar on her knees wiping up the floor with a cloth. The floor was quite wet. The passage at the point was rather narrow, and witness could not go past Mrs. Hall very quickly. When she got up from her knees, he was going on to the next room, when he saw a man named George Harrington, a blacksmith, in the far corner of the cellar crouched against the wall. Witness at once asked him what he was doing there. He then went on to the adjoining room, where he found Hall and a man with whom he was acquainted by sight but not by name. On asking his name Mrs. Hall said it was William Carter. Harrington left the house, and witness walking towards the fireplace saw a pint cup on the bars. It contained cider. Mr. W. H. Davy (magistrates' clerk) - How do you know it contained cider? Witness - Because I tasted it after (laughter). Defendant said Carter came there to help clean up, and having taken a drink from the cup, said "Here, have a drink, we will begin." Witness however, did not see Carter drink. From Inquiries made the next day witness found that Carter's name was Reuben. Witness could not say from his own knowledge that Carter was in the habit of working for Hall, but he had seen them together. By the Bench - He did not see Harrington or Carter drink. In reply to defendant, witness said hs saw nothing else about the place except the cup of cider. Defendant here said that he drew the cup of cider for himself, and when the officer came in his wife was washing out the cellar. On being sworn, Hall said Carter was in the house for the purpose of helping him clean up, and Harrington came there with a message about some work from a man named Webber. The message to know whether the defendant would undertake a job to make a road, and defendant told him he would call up and see Webber himself. Harrington asked for a pint of beer and defendant distinctly heard his wife refuse to draw any. Carter he would swear had been assisting him in the business, as helping him to serve at night, digging in the garden, and for an hour or so Sunday mornings to clean up. In reply to Superintendent Empson, defendant said Carer had been assisting him a nighttime in the way he had described for at least twelve months. George Harrington for the defendant said he was sent on Sunday morning to tell Hall the Mr. Webber would not require him for a week or so. He did not have anything to drink during the time he was in the house. In reply to the bench, witness said the message from Webber to defendant was given him on Friday to deliver, but he left so late that he was unable to do so. George Perry, collier, said he often went to Hall's beerhouse. He could swear that for six months past Carter had been serving the customers. Carter was generally regarded as one of the defendant's family; he did everything in the house except sleep there. The magistrates said although the evidence was not sufficiently clear to convict him, yet they advised him to be careful. the case was dismissed.