PETERSFIELD.
PETTY SESSIONS, Tuesday.—Present: The Hon. J. J. Carnegie, chairman, J. Waddington, Esq., Major Briggs.
— John Shepherd and Edward Ede were convicted of wanton cruelty to a duck belonging to Mr. Edwin Martin, at Horndean. Fined 5s. each, and costs 6s. 3d.
— Henry Pretty was convicted of taking four pheasant eggs from a nest in the parish of Buriton. Fined 5s. for each egg, with 4s. 6d. costs. Defendant was further charged with assaulting William Haylock, gamekeeper to S. Rowe, Esq., Nursted House. The assault arose out of the former case, and was committed while Haylock was attempting to search defendant for the eggs. Convicted: fined 30s. and 9s. 6d. costs.
— William Kingshott, a carter in the employ of Mr. T. Boys, of Chalton, pleaded guilty to a charge of taking six pheasant’s eggs from a nest. Fined 5s. each egg, and 9s. 6d. costs.
— Thomas Moss was convicted under the recent statute of unlawfully having in his possession four pheasant’s eggs. Fined £5, costs 11s. 6d.
— George Bee, of Haslemere was convicted of stealing four hen’s eggs from a nest in the parish of Bramshott. Twenty-one days’ imprisonment with hard labor.
— James Laws was brought up in custody charged with stealing a pewter cup belonging to Mr. Crafts of the Railway Hotel. It appeared from the evidence that on Sunday evening, the 30th April, about half-past nine, soon after the closing of the house, prisoner knocked at the taproom door and said he had taken two cups from the room, and If some one would go with him he would give them up. Stephen Shepherd, an ostler, accompanied him to the Railway View beershop, where the pewter cup was found. The landlord, Stephen Lillywhite, deposed to prisoner offering him the cup for sale, which he refused to buy, but took care of it with the intention of returning it the next morning. Prisoner was also charged with stealing a plough coulter, hook and chain, the property of Mrs. Elizabeth Padwick, of Dunhill Farm. These articles he had also taken to Lillywhite’s house and thrown them under the table. He then went into the town and meeting P.C. Hayter in the square told him he had taken the two cups from a public house, and if he would go with him he would show him the house. He did so, and afterwards going to the Railway View, Lillywhite called the policeman’s attention to the bags under the table containing the iron. Hayter then charged prisoner with stealing the iron, and told him he should lock him up, to which he coolly replied that he got the things from a farmyard, and if he would allow him he would go and get another load. Prisoner behaved in a very reckless manner during the hearing of the case, and on being asked if he had any witnesses to call, or anyone to speak to his character, replied, with the greatest effrontery, that he could give himself a character, and volunteered a statement that he had been twice in gaol, the last time being two months at Bristol. He was convicted on both charges, and was sentenced to three weeks’ imprisonment for the former offence, and three months for the latter, with hard labor in each case.