PETERSFIELD.
BURGLARY AT THE BELL INN.—On Tuesday last George Watson was brought up in custody, before J. Waddington, Esq., at the Magistrates’ Clerk’s Office, charged with committing a burglary in the course of the previous night at the Bell Inn, Petersfield.—William Moore deposed: I am landlord of the Bell Inn. About eleven o’clock last night I fastened the doors of my house. There is a window looking towards the National Schools, which is sometimes left unfastened, and it might have been so last night. I did not examine. About four o’clock this morning I was awakened by something thrown against my bed room window, and on looking out I saw Mr. Longland, the superintendent of police, with the prisoner in custody. I said, ‟What's the matter?” He replied, ‟I’ve got a man that has been in your house; I caught him coming out of the window.” I went down stairs, and waited while Mr. Longland took prisoner across to the police station. On his return we searched the house. On the window sill of the bar parlour we found some bacon, cheese, bread, and pie crust, which had been removed from a cupboard, and also a jacket belonging to me, which had been removed from a peg on the other side of the room, and was folded up and lying on the window sill. Some packets of tobacco done up in blue paper were here shown to witness, who said they were exactly similar to those used in his house, and of which there were a considerable number in a drawer last night.—Mr. Superintendent Longland deposed as follows: This morning, a few minutes before four, I was passing Mr. Moore’s house, and on turning the corner saw two flower pots and a bundle on the pavement directly under the window that looks towards the National Schools. The window was open. On the sill inside I saw some bacon, cheese, bread, and a pie crust, which I now produce. I stepped. round the corner and tapped the wall with my stick just under Mr. Moore’s bed room window, and threw a handful of gravel against the window. I then ran back and found prisoner with his legs out of the window, which I had seen open. I took hold of his legs and pulled him out. Mr. Moore then came, and I took prisoner across to the police station and searched him. I found in hid pockets a bag containing some broken biscuits. The bag was marked, ‟G. Harffey, Petersfield.” Also five packets of tobacco, done up in blue paper, which I now produce. I then returned to Mr. Moore’s house, and on the settle in the bar parlour, directly under the window out of which the prisoner had got, I found the jacket which I now produce. It was folded up. I then returned to the station and charged the prisoner with the offence. He made no answer, and I asked him if he understood what I said, to which he replied, ‟Yes.”—The magistrates having cautioned prisoner in the usual form, the latter declined to say anything, and was committed for trial at the next Assizes at Winchester.
Surrey Advertiser — Saturday 13 August 1864
BURGLARY.
Capture of a Spike Island Votary within the "Bell" at Petersfield.
George Watson, an Irishman, aged 19 years, who stated himself to be a discharged convict from Spike Island, where he had been confined three years for burglary committed in a baker’s shop in Ireland, was brought up at the Magistrates Clerk’s Ofiice, before J. Wadington, Esq., charged with breaking into the Bell Inn, Petersfield, kept by Mr. William Moore. From the evidence of the prosecutor it appeared that he had fastened up his doors on Monday night, the 8th inst., at eleven o’clock, and at four o’clock on the following morning he was awoke by something being thrown at his window, and on looking out he saw Mr. Superintendent Longlands, who said ‟I have a man here who has been in your house.” Upon going down the prisoner was taken to the police station (which is opposite) and that upon returning with the Superintendent, they found the bar-parlour window open, which is a very small one, with two bars going across, only leaving room at the bottom of fourteen and a half inches by eight and a half, and upon the ledge inside the same, was a piece of bacon, some bread, cheese, and part of an apple-pie, all taken from the larder, together with the landlord’s jacket which was folded up. Superintendent Longlands deposed, that about four o’clock on the morning of Tuesday, he was passing the Bell public house, kept by Mr. Moore, he observed two flower-pots, and a small bundle on the pavement beneath the window, which was open, and upon looking in he saw the food, enumerated, above upon the ledge within and ready for removal. He thereupon went round to the front (the house being a corner one) and threw some gravel at the bedroom window; having so done, he immediately returned to the window, when he saw the prisoner’s legs projecting from the same, and in the act of sliding out upon his back, whom he at once seized, and took across the road to the police station, where upon searching him he found in his pocket five blue papers of tobacco, the same as sold in the house.
The charge being proved the prisoner was committed to the assizes at Winchester for trial.