BASINGSTOKE.
PETTY SESSIONS, Tuesday.—(Present Charles Webb, Esq., Mayor, and F. Blunden, Esq.)
— William Lee of this town, labourer, was charged by Police-constable Tubb with being drunk and riotous in the street, and fined 11s., including costs. Allowed a week to pay.
— George Harman was charged with stealing a mare pony from off the common, on the 28th ult., the property of Mr. W. Adams, of this town, builder. From the evidence it appeared that prisoner was seen by Hannah Willis, the wife of the lodge keeper, to catch the pony and lead it off in the direction of the Alton road, and it was ultimately traced to Petersfield, where prisoner offered it for sale for 8l. to a Mr. Adams, landlord of the White Hart. The case was fully proved, and prisoner committed for trial at the Sessions.
Berkshire Chronicle — Saturday 08 August 1863
BASINGSTOKE.
TOWN BENCH, Tuesday.—(Present, Charles Webb Esq., Mayor, and F. Blunden, Esq.)
— William Leigh, of this town, labourer, was brought up in custody, charged with being drunk and creating a disturbance in the street on the previous evening. P.C. Charles Tubb having proved the offence, the magistrates inflicted a fine of 11s., including oosts, and allowed a week for the payment of the amount.
— A young man, named George Harman, residing in the town, was brought up in the custody of Superintendent Hillard, under a remand warrant, charged with having stolen a mare pony from off the Common on the 28th ult., the property of Mr. Wm. Adams, builder, of this town. It appeared from Mr. Adams’ evidence that he turned the pony out to feed on the Common in the month of May last, and saw it there safe on the 25th ult. On the 29th ult., having occasion to use the pony, he sent his servant to fetch it, but he was unable to find it. Mr. Adams then spent two days in looking for the animal, but without success. On the 31st ult., in consequence of information he received, he went to Petersfield, where he was shown his pony by the superintendent of police there. Hannah Willis, wife of Charles Willis, who resides at the upper lodge on Basingstoke Common, deposed that she knew Mr. Adams’ pony, and on Tuesday, the 28th ult., between eight and ten o’clock in the morning, she saw a person, similar in appearance to the prisoner, leading it by in sort of halter down a pathway (across the common near her house, and saw him take it off the common and go in a direction towards the Alton road. Mr. John Adams, an innkeeper, residing at Petersfield and keeping the White Hart there, deposed that on the 28th ult. the prisoner came to his house about half-past nine o’clock in the evening with a mare pony, which he put into the stable and then went into the house and had some beer. He afterwards had some conversation with the prisoner, and they both went out into the yard where the pony was, and in reply to Mr. Adams’ inquiries the prisoner said he had bought the pony cheap, as he only gave £4 15s. for it. He then wanted Mr. Adams to purchase the pony, but he declined to do so. Whilst they were talking a police constable came into the yard, and ultimately took the prisoner into custody. Henry Elderfield, a police constable stationed at Petersfield, deposed that on the 28th ult„ in consequence of information he had received, he went to the White Hart Inn, kept by Mr. Adams, about half-past nine o’clock in the evening, and saw Mr. Adams and the prisoner in the yard looking and talking about the pony. Hearing Mr. Adams decline to purchase it, and the prisoner also remarking that he must go on to Chichester that night, he questioned him as to how he obtained the pony, when the prisoner replied that it was his, and tried to pass him. After some further conversation with him, he took him into custody on a charge of stealing the pony. The prisoner at first gave the name of Harvey, and afterwards that of Cooper, and stated that he came from near Basingstoke. Witness then communicated with the different superintendents of police in the county, which led to Mr. Adams coming and identifying the pony as his property. The prisoner, who declined to say anything in answer to the charge, was then fully committed for trial at the next sessions to be holden at Winchester in October.