PETERSFIELD.
POLICE COURT.—Edwd. Jones, John Neale, John Jones, and Richard Robinson, who were remanded from the Petty Sessions on Tuesday, the 27th ult. (as reported in the Telegraph), were brought up before the Hon. J. J. Carnegie, at the Town-hall, on Monday last, charged with uttering a counterfeit half crown, having sundry other counterfeit coins in their possession. Mr. Greenfield, of Winchester, appeared for Robinson; the others were undefended.—James Laker, on being sworn, deposed as follows: I keep the ‟Wheat Sheaf,” near Liphook, in the parish of Bramshott. On Saturday, the 24th, I saw the four prisoners; they stopped at my house with a horse and cart to get a pot of beer. One got out (Edward Jones) and came into my house, and asked for a quart of beer. I said, ‟I suppose, coming from London, you mean a quart of porter.” He answered, ‟That is what I want.” I drew it and gave it to him in the bar. He tendered me a half-crown; I thought it was not good, but I said nothing to him. I gave him two shillings in silver and two pence in copper. He took the porter out and handed it up in the cart; they all four drank of it. Edward Jones returned the cup to me. He then got into the cart, and they all drove away together. My bar is in the front of the house. The persons in the cart could see into the bar through the bow-window. I did not notice which drove, either on arriving or departing. Edward Jones had two half-crowns in his hand when he tendered me the one for the beer. I watched the cart. Edward Jones kept looking back till they got to the top of the hill. I then went to Liphook for a policeman. Liphook is about half-a-mile from my house. I found P.C. Edward Perkins. We got a horse and cart, and went in pursuit of them towards Rake. John Nash drove our cart. Just before we reached the gate at Rake we saw a horse and cart ahead of us, and about 100 yards beyond the gate we overtook and passed them. I said to the policeman, ‟That is the man who gave me the bad half-crown.” I said this loud enough for prisoners to hear, and I think they did hear. The driver then began to flog the horse tremendously in order to pass us again—[Mr. Greenfield here requested that the other witnesses might leave the Court]—and they passed us on the wrong side. Edward Jones and John Neale then got out of their cart, and Perkins and I got out of ours about the same time. I first looked into their cart, and saw them moving some bags about. I saw John Jones with it, and they passed it from one to the other, John Jones and Robinson were trying to get the money out. John Jones struck at me with a stick. The bags were about the centre of the bottom of the cart. I looked round and saw one of the men running towards Rake. I ran after and apprehended him, and gave him into the custody of Thomas Goodeve, at the gate, and he took him to the ‟Flying Bull,” public house. I saw John Neale throw a bag over a high hedge into Moss’s garden. Fanny Moss gave me a bag; that produced by Thomas Fey is the same. It was tied, and contained something heavy. I gave it to P.C. Perkins in the same state in which I received it, in, perhaps, half-an-hour. I did not open it. The other two prisoners went off with the cart up the hill towards Petersfield—Jones and Richard Robinson. I can't say which drove. I have not the least doubt about them. I have not the least doubt they were in the cart at Rake. Robinson said, during the scuffle ‟Drive over the ⎯,” meaning me or Perkins. John Jones took up a stick from the bottom of the cart and struck me. One of the two got out of the cart to turn the horse round. The raves of the cart are high and the tail-board high; I believe the same height all the way round. John Jones had not a guernsey on as he has now.—Cross-examined by Edward Jones: I left the half-crown you gave me on the dresser with the change, and when you brought back the cup you took the change. There was no other half-crown on the dresser nor in my hand.—By Mr. Greenfield: It was soon after one o’clock. Robinson was not dressed as he is now. One had a light and the other a dark coat. No one was in the house when I took the half-crown. I thought he had other bad money in his possession. I kept it in my pocket separate, and did not mix it with other money. Those in the cart could not see whether it was good or bad money; There were some fruit baskets and a bundle or two in the cart.—P.C. Edward Perkins deposed: I am stationed at Liphook. On Saturday, the 24th of July, about half-past one, Mr. Laker came to me, and in consequence of what he said to me I went down in a horse and cart to Rake with him and John Nash. I saw a horse and cart ahead, of me; we overtook it on Rake-hill, and passed it. John Jones was driving. Laker said, ‟That is the man who gave me the half-crown,” meaning Edward Jones. As soon as Mr. Laker mentioned that they tried to gallop by us. We were close to the cart when the observation was made. They tried to come by us, and Mr. Nash hit their horse two or three times on the head. Laker and I then jumped out. Edwd. Jones and Neale immediately jumped out of theirs. Laker caught hold of Edward Jones, and I directly went to the cart. I saw Robinson shifting a small bag. I then tried to get him out of the cart. In the meantime, while I was trying to do so, Neale came close to me and then went out towards the hedge. I distinctly saw him throw a small bag over the hedge. I then called out for him to be secured. I saw him taken into custody by John Nash. I then tried to capture Robinson; he hit me over the head with a stick two or three times, and John Jones struck me with the whip at the same time. Robinson, when I got hold of him, said, ‟I have got the gout, don’t hurt me.” I held to Robinson, John Jones whipping the horse. Robinson said, ‟Give me a knife, or else he’ll choke me.” John Jones said directly, ‟Take the whip, and knock his brains out.” I tried to jump into the cart several times, and Robinson knocked me down. I had a struggle with Robinson for a quarter-of-an-hour. I hit him between the nose and mouth with my fist; blood came from it. I saw blood between his nose and mouth. He and John Jones then drove off up Rake-hill, and Nash and I after them. At about half-a-mile from Rake their horse kicked over the shaft, and John Jones and Robinson got out and ran into the plantation adjoining the road. I went into the plantation, but could not find them. I then went back and took charge of the other two prisoners and the horse and cart. I received a small canvass bag from Mr. Laker, it was tied with a piece of string. I gave it to Mr. Fey; that produced by Mr. Fey is the same. I received from Mr. Laker a half-crown, which I produce; it has been in my custody ever since. Mr. Laker marked it on the Monday following (July 26th) in my presence. Robinson was dressed something similar to what he is now. I believe he had a blue rough jacket on. John Jones was dressed in a brown holland jacket, which opens all the way down in front. It is about three miles and a half from Liphook to Rake, where we came up with the prisoners. During the struggle I had an opportunity of seeing the faces of both Robinson and John Jones. I swear to these two men being the two I struggled with at Rake. It is a high cart. Robinson was sitting on the bed of the cart. I saw him in every shape and form. On Sunday, the 25th, I went to Midhurst, Superintendent Parnell opened the station door, and I saw Robinson first; I identified him directly, and then John Jones. I came with the two last prisoners to Petersfield.—Cross-examined by Mr. Greenfield: Neale was ten yards from me when he threw; it imitated a bag. I don't think I could have been so deceived; I won’t positively swear that it was a bag. When I called out and said he had thrown something over the hedge, he said it was a piece of stick. He had a small piece of white stick in his hand; it was very small. I held on by the cart a considerable distance till Robinson knocked me off. I did not lose sight of them above a minute, as I could see from Nash’s cart. Robinson and John Jones could not have changed their clothes until they got into the plantation.—Eliza Moss: I reside with my father, at Rake. I recollect Saturday, the 24th of July last. I saw a scuffle between the four prisoners and the policeman and others, opposite our house; it lasted some minutes. I was standing on the side of the road. I went into my father’s garden with my sister Fanny. I found a bag about twenty yards from the road; it was heavy. I identify the bag.—Fanny Moss, sister of the last witness: On Saturday, 24th of July, I went with my sister into my father’s garden. I saw her pick up a canvass bag. The one now produced is the same. I delivered it to Mr. Laker.—William Erwess: I live at Harting Combe in the parish of Rogate. On Saturday, the 24th of July, about half-past five in the evening, as I was coming from my work, I met two men at the back of Mr. Nevill’s house, about two and a-half miles from the mile-stone at the top of Rake-hill. They were comig to meet me. They asked me where that road would take them to. I told them to go through the hatch-gate, then to Trotton, and then into the main road to Midhurst. Witness identified John Jones and Richard Robinson as the two men. They were dressed exactly as they are now.— George Talbot: I live at Knapp Farm, in the parish of Iping. On Saturday, July 24th, between half-past five and six o’clock, I saw two men on Knapp Farm, in a meadow, coming over the fence on to the Common. I asked them what they were doing there. Robinson said they had been misdirected. John Jones was not then over the hedge. They asked me if I could direct them. I asked them where, but they made no answer. I asked them three or four times. Robinson said they came from Portsmouth. I asked them what place they came through. They did not tell me. Robinson asked me if I could direct them where they could get lodgings. I told them Liphook. They asked me how far it was, and which way it lay. I told them. John Jones shook his head, and said something. I told them they could get lodgings at Midhurst. Robinson asked how far it was. I told them about four miles, or a little better I directed them the road to Midhurst. They thanked me, and went towards Midhurst. They were both dressed as they are now. I took particular notice of them. They were very wet about the legs, and seemed all in a totter. They were out of the footway. It had been raining during the day.—William Hill: I manage the ‟Half Moon,” about half-a-mile from Midhurst, on the Petersfield road. On Saturday, July 24th, between seven and eight o’clock in the evening, I saw John Jones and Richard Robinson. They came to the ‟Half Moon,” and asked for four-penny-worth of bread and cheese each. I said, ‟I suppose you are from London. You are not aware how much bread and cheese we sell in the country for four-pence. I think two-pennyworth will be quite enough for you two gentlemen.” They then ordered a pot of ale, and paid a shilling. They asked me if I could direct them to lodgings. I told them the town was full, and asked them if they were going to Goodwood races. They said, ‟No.” They said they came from Petersfield, on their road to Chichester. They staid about an hour, and then went towards Midhurst.— On being asked if they had any question to ask, John Jones said they told the witness they came from Winchester, not Petersfield.—John Parnell, Superintendent of West Sussex Constabulary, stationed at Midhurst: On Saturday, the 24th of July, about nine o’clock in the evening, from information I received I apprehended John Jones and Richard Robinson on the Chichester road, about a mile and a-half from Midhurst, on the road to Cocking. I asked them where they came from that day. Robinson said they came from Winchester, and were going to Chichester. I asked them what they called themselves. They said they were shoemakers, looking for work. I told them I should take them into custody, on suspicion of being concerned, with two others, in passing counterfeit coin at Liphook that day. One of them (I think Jones) said, ‟We have not been to Liphook, and don't know where it is; we came direct from Winchester.” I then took them to the station at Midhurst, and searched them. On Robinson I found twelve shillings, seventeen six-pences, and one four-penny piece, and two-pence halfpenny in copper. On Jones I found no money at all. I saw a red mark on Robinson’s nose, and I made the remark and asked him if he had been fighting. He said, ‟No.” I sent to Liphook for P.C. Perkins. He identified both immediately in my presence. I then brought them to Petersfield, and handed them over to Mr. Fey.—Thomas Fey, Superintendent of Hants Constabulary, stationed at Petersfield: On Saturday, 24th July, Edward Jones and John Neale were brought to the station. I searched them. On Edward Jones I found half-a-crown of good silver, and on John Neale a box and pipe. I produce a bag which I received from P.C. Perkins, It contained 39 half-crowns, 10 shilling pieces, and six half-sovereigns, all wrapped in packets, except three half-crowns and one shilling loose, all of which I believe to be counterfeit. They have been in my possession ever since.—The prisoners were all remanded to Monday next, to give time to communicate with the Solicitor to the Mint.
See also
(14-Aug-1858)