76 HAMLYN’S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
Interesting Italiang Reptiles are the Black 
and Yellow Zamenis eemoncutis, the Four-rayed 
and Leipard Snakes, all magnificent. Land and 
water common Tortoises are very numerous. 
Goldfishes are bred in semi-liberty in many places. 
The Horsham Zoological 
Trading Company. 
WILLIAM BOTTERILL, OF EAST STREET, 
WALWORTH. 
Botterill first came into notice through his 
extraordinary advedtisements in ‘Cage Birds.”’ 
I warned Mr. Carl several times against allow- 
ing such swindling advertisements to appear in 
his paper. It was apparent to any sensible man, 
and Mr. Carl is supposed to have a certain 
amount of common sese, that such an advertise- 
ment was a lying Sane yet it appeared on 
sevedal occasions. Once ‘Cage Birds” informed 
me on the telephone that ‘Sener had produced 
letters proving that the animals were arriving. 
Just fancy, gentle reader, 50 Axis Deer in one 
consignment ! Yet “Cage Birds” believed it. 
Doubtless he will shortly be advertising again. 
HORSHAM PETTY SESSIONS. 
’ 
“The Fool and the Villain.’ 
William Botterill ,alias Willams and Owen) 
and Alfred Webster Harris, of 45, East Street, 
Horsham, were summoned ‘for stealing three 
mole traps, value 4s. 6d., the property of Frank 
Lionel Swabey, of Bourne Hill Farm, on the Ist 
February. 
Prosecutor said that on the 30th January he 
set 22 mole traps on Kerves Farm opposit his. 
They were all there at four o’clock on the 31st. 
On February Ist, about 11.30, he saw two men 
in the meadow. There was no footpath there. 
When they saw witness they walked towards 
the gate. He found three traps were missing 
and wen afted the prisoners. Botterill said they 
were looking for birds. They denied any know- 
ledge of mole traps. He showed the places where 
the traps were missing, and Botterill said, ‘He 
knows where they came from, we had better put 
them -down for him.” -Harris then produced the 
traps, from under his coat. They demurred about 
giving names and addresses, but eventually wrote 
them downl 
P.S. T. W. Bubb said that at about 1.15 
p-m. on February Ist he interviewed the pri 
ers at 45, East “Street! when Botterill adm 
the offence. That morning (as the two men d 
not appear on Saturday in answer to a summons 
for laceny) he arrested them on a warrant. Bot- 
terill replied, ‘I thought as we had written a_ 
statement on oath that would have done. Harris 
made no reply. 
Prisoners pleaded guilty. Botterill, a painter 
by trade, but at present out of occupation, gave 
evidence -that the whole affair was a_ practical 
joke. They were walking over the fields and 
saw Mr. Swabey approaching them on another 
field. He said to his friend, Harris, ‘Ill bet you 
haven’t nerve enough to pick up the traps and 
take them to another field.’’ Harris picked up 
the traps, and they were walking down the road 
to another field when Mr. Swabey came through 
a gateway and accused them of stealing his mole 
traps. 
In reply to Supt. Wakeford Botterill said 
he went by the name of Williams and Owen and 
traded as ‘The Live Stock Importing Company.” 
When he took the house in East Street he des- 
rribed himself as a wholesale jeweller. 
Supt. Wakeford told the Bench that pris- 
oners were discharged soldiers; one had been in 
the Grenadier Guards and the other (a labourer) 
in the Marines. Botterill was a married man, 
and deserted his wife (who was in Court) quite 
recently. He appeared before the Lambeth Police 
Court for that offence, and was, also charged with 
assaulting his wife. He came to Horsham last 
Steptember, and started trading as a live stock 
importing company, advertising extensively in 
the name of Owen. He (the Superintendent) had 
had numerous complaints and correspondence 
from all over the country. Defendants described 
certain animals as worth ten thousand pounds 
and asked for a third deposit. They had practi- 
cally only what they stood up in. There was 
correspondence about one or two cross-bred’ goats 
which were advertised as pedigree goats. Of 
course it was all a deception. He called the ~ 
particular attentions of the Bench to the matter — 
because imediately these men left the town there 
would be numerous inquiries and warrants com- _ 
ing along. There was another woman (not the 
wife) living at 45, East Street. j 
The Bench said that with such a charact 
there was no doubt the plea of guilty was 
correct one, and they could not believe the “coc 
and bull” story told. Sentence of a month’s har 
labour was passed on each, but the Chairm 
said he was sorry for Harris, because he ap- 
Degued to be the fool, not the oun of the pied eG. 
See man. 
