PETERSFIELD, Saturday, May 23
A FIRST-RATE RUN OF A PACK OF BIPEDS AFTER A GENERAL THIEF.— James Fisk, a young man about 23 years of age, short in stature, having the appearance of a tramping stable man, and said to have been engaged in hunting and training stables, exercised his pilfering propensities in several instances and ways, in which he engaged on Wednesday, the 6th instant, and with so much success as to entitle him to the unenviable character of being one of the most expert inhabitant. The plunder collected by this persevering caterer of other men's goods during the fore part of the day (being market day) comprised a fine loin of mutton and a parcel of drapery, with a rush basket from a carriage in the coachhouse of the Red Lion Hotel, the property of Mr. Sharp, of Froxfield; a pair of cord trousers from the outside of the shop of Mr. Tilbury, in the High-street; also a pair of cord trousers from the outside of the shop of Mr. Coombes, in Chapel-street; an overcoat from the White Hart Inn, and a new sack from College-street. It further appears that having completed his collection, the prisoner started off along the Portsmouth road till he reached the Coach and Horses, at Gravel Hill, five miles on, kept by Thomas Welch, which he entered and offered a pair of trousers for sale, and which the landlord purchased. The prisoner then left, saying he was going on to Portsmouth, to see a brother, but the landlord seeing him at a distance turn away to the left from the road, his suspicions became awakened, and he thereupon proceeded in all haste with horse and cart to Finchdean, where he gave information to Police-constable Charles Butler, who, there being joined by from twelve to twenty others, the party tracked well and threw off across the line of travel, where they soon got upon trail and hit off well. The prisoner now coming in view at a distance and catching sight of the "huntsman in blue," threw down his basket and bundle (minus only the pair of trousers) and took to his heels with all his power of speed, while the "Tally O!" cry rang in his ears as he crossed several large fields. Finding himself hard pressed, he took cover in two coppices, but, the scent being too hot to hold him, he again broke into the open, and, in his endeavour to escape, twice crossed the line of the "Direct Railway," taking a flying leap of eight feet down, soon after which a check occurred, that looked very queer at the time, from the over-running of the pack. Fortunately a boy unable to to keep the pace was following up in the track, when luckily, in passing a large bush, he saw a foot projecting from below, upon this the view holloa was again given, the pack harked back, and after a rattling pace, the mutton-prigger was fairly run into in a well-contested chase that proved "a regular buster," and although strange in its character, concluded one of the best runs of the season, even in this well-hunted district (at least in the estimation of the parties therein concerned), and altogether afforded at its close a rare treat of enjoyment to the sporting characters engaged. On Tuesday the prisoner was brought up at the Townhall, in custody, under remand, before Mr. Waddington and Captain Sandeman, charged with the several thefts, when he was committed fro stealing the mutton, &c.; also for stealing the trousers, the property of Mr. Tilbury; and also the over coat from the White Hart, the property of Mr. Blunden. The charge of stealing trousers, the property of Mr. Coombes, was not gone into, from some trifling doubt of identity, as also the sack. The prisoner was committed to take his trial upon the above three cases at the ensuing quarter sessions at Winchester.