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Publican prosecuted for concealing brewing

Source: Cambrian News 26/10/1906       Date: 1906
Copyright:       Type: Newspaper
Description:

Transcript:
Prosecution of a St. Dogmell's Publican. At the Police Court at Fishguard on Tuesday October 16th, Mr J. W. M. Smith, inland revenue officer, Cardigan, charged John Davies, "Sailors' Home," St. Dogmells, with offences against the revenue. Mr.. A. W. Stubbs, supervisor of inland revenue, appeared to prosecute, and Mr W. J. Williams, Cardigan, for the defendant. Mr Stubbs stated that owing to a letter received from defendant's solicitor that he would plead guilty so as to save expense of bringing witnesses to the couirt, he would offer no evidence but would explain the nature of the offence and state undisputed facts. Mr. Williams agreed and the defendant was charged and pleaded guilty to each offence. The first charge was that of concealing worts, or beer, so as to avoid the charge of duty. On the 11th July, Mr Stubbs and Mr Smith visited the Sailors' Home, having suspicion that wort was being secreted. They searched th. whole of the premises and coming to a smal cellar under the stairs, which contained cases of mineral waters and a few bottles of spirits, they found partly hidden by hanging wall paper a door and beyond it a small room haviing no windows. In this room were found two vessels of fresh wort, twenty-one gallons of weak beer, and twenty-three and a half gallons of strong ale. The vessels and the beer were seized by the supervisor and forfeited. It was evident it was contended, that the concealment had been planned before the brewing took place, as the proper vessels for holding the wort wete not large enough to contain all that was found on the premises. Here Mr Williams called the attention of the Bench to the fact that defendant had already paid £3 for the goods seized. The other two charges were, Mr Stubbs explained, similar in character, but were committed on different dates. Every publican was required to keep a stock book and to enter in that book particulars of all the spirts received on the day of receipt. That duty defendant had neglected to perform.A penalty of £5 and 15s. 2d. costs was imposed for concealing worts and 1s. and 15s. 2d. costs in each of the charges for non-entry of spirit certificate, making in all a total of £7 7s. The defendant being poor, time was allowed in which to pay.
Notes:
Linked to
Sailors Home , St Dogmaels