Cambridge Chronicle 12 Dec 1857: trespass on Mr Toller's land
Mr. Edward Pote, of Grantchester, and Stephen Dilly, one of his servants, were charged with trespassing in pursuit of game, on land in the occupation of Mr. Toller, at Trumpington, on the 26th November. Mr. GRAIN appeared for complainant, and called two of his labourers, who proved seeing defendants come to their master’s field with two dogs: Dilly carried a gun and beat about but did not fire. — Mr. GARRATT for the defence cross-examined the witnesses at some length and after addressing the Bench, called William Watts, who is also a servant to Mr. Pote, and he stated that on the day alluded to in the charge, he had been with his master and Dilly up the river to shoot plover, but on nearing home Mr. Pote complained of being cold, and with Dilly got out of the boat that were all in, to walk home to Grantchester, and the reason of their going into Mr. Toller’s field was to drive the dogs into a grass close adjoining, in which Dilly deposited his gun prior to attempting it. The dogs were not for sporting purposes, one being frequently deprived of its powers of locomotion from obesity — At the termination of this evidence, the witness was charged with trespassing on Mr. Toller’s land on the 28th Nov., it being the request of Mr. GARRATT that the case should be heard before the decision was given in the other. A labourer of Mr. Toller’s testified to seeing Watts on his master’s land with a gun and two dogs; he fired, but witness did not observe that he killed anything — Stephen Dilly, the previous defendant was produced as a witness for Watts, and stated that it was not game he went in pursuit of, but a plover that had been “winged:” this he shot, and brought with him to the boat, where witness was sitting watching the whole affair — The Bench, having considered all the evidence, fined Mr. Pote £1 13s 6d; Dilly, £1 14s 6d; and Watts, £1 19s 6d, including costs in each case.