Children of John and Jane Baggs

William Benson, Richard Benson, and Joseph Childs, three lads, of Southsea, were charged with having, on the 2nd inst., at the parish of Widley, damaged underwood there, the property of Mr. Thomas Thistlethwayte, by cutting the same.—John Baggs proved the same.

Richard White, a cabdriver of Portsea, was charged with having damaged a fence, the property of Mr. Thomas Thistlethwayte, at the parish of Widley, on the 11th instant.—Mr Ralph J. Thompson and the above defendant were also charged with having assaulted John Baggs, a watcher, in the employ of Thistlethwayte, at the same time and place.—John Baggs was also charged with having assaulted White at the same time and place, and (by a separate information) with having used abusive language towards Mr. Thompson, calculated to provoke a breach of the peace.—All the foregoing cases arose out of the same transaction, and were heard separately. Mr. Henry Ford, of Portsea, appeared for Baggs, and Mr G.H. King for Mr. Thompson and White. It appeared that on Good Friday Mr. Thompson hired White's cab, and went to a farm in the parish of Widley, occupied by Mr. Farrow, where head previously lodged. He was accompanied by his nurse and a little girl, who, wanting to pick some primroses, Mr. Farrow took them into a field of his where they were plentiful. There White, the nurse, and little girl remained some time, gathering the flowers, but Mr. Thompson and Mr. Farrow left. White and the nurse and girl were discovered by Baggs, who ordered White off, and compelled him to go through the adjoining copse over the bank, into the road. Something was also said to the nurse, all of which was communicated to Mr. Thompson, who shortly after met Baggs, and asked him why he had used insolent language to his nurse and child. Words ensued, which resulted in Mr. Thompson giving Baggs a "smack in the mouth," which cut his lip.—After hearing the whole of the evidence and the speeches of the attorneys the magistrates retired, and, on resuming their seats on the bench, dismissed all the informations except that against Mr. Thompson for the assault on Baggs, of which he was convicted in the penalty of £1, and 9s costs.

Robert Stiggants and William Budd, both of Hambledon, were charged, on the information of John Baggs, with having unlawfully attempted to take trout in private water, belonging to Mr. Thistlethwaite, at Boarhunt, on the 15th. ult.—The defendants were severally convicted in the penalty of 14s 6d and 5s 6d costs, or fourteen days' imprisonment, with hard labour, in default of payment.

Charles Baggs said, that on Sunday the 15th day of October last, he was with his mother on a Down, which commanded a perfect view of the rick destroyed, and of the country about it. About a quarter before four o'clock he saw a woman standing under the rick, and a few minutes after he first saw her she ran away towards a hedge-row, which separated the field in which the rick stood from an adjoining one. Immediately after she left the rick, it burst out into flames. He and his brother directly ran towards the hedge-row, and after some search, found the prisoner sitting down in it. He was quite sure that the person who ran away from the rick could not pass through the hedge-row without he and his brother seeing her, as the elevated place where they stood entirely commanded the country about them.

Catherine, who for years prior had manifested a great horror of water in large quantities and at such times her terror was exceedingly painful to witness. When the water commenced to come into the house, she knelt on the foot of the bed clasping her aged husband by the hands. As the water rose, she continued to scream until she gradually relaxed her hand and before anything could be done to save her, fell into the water and was drowned. When the rescuers opened the door her body floated out.

Catherine's body was subsequently found on the 7th February, far advanced in decomposition.

INQUEST

An inquest was held outside the Church of England Cemetery, Greenough on Wednesday morning at 8 o'clock, touching the death of Mrs Bridgman, senr. The inquest was held before Maitland Brown, Esq., and a jury consisting of Messrs T. Clinch (foreman), J. Donahue, and Frank Wallace. Thomas Smith having been sworn, the jury and witnesses proceeded to view the body. The witness named said: the body I have just seen is that of Catherine Bridgman, wife of Joseph Bridgman, I identify it by the clothes and by a boot which I saw drop off the feet when the body was being removed from the cart last night. There being no further evidence forthcoming as to the circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased the coroner said he would give the necessary authority for the burial of the body immediately.

EXTRACT FROM THE GREENOUGH POLICE STATION OCCURRENCE BOOK

An inquest was held at the Greenough Court House touching the death of Catherine Bridgman who was drowned on the 3rd Inst. After hearing the further evidence of Joshua Waldeck and Reuben Morrell came to the following verdict that the deceased came to her death by accidental drowning in the flood waters at Greenough on the 3rd inst.

d. at Frost Hill, Overton