PETERSFIELD

     PETTY SESSIONS, Tuesday.—Present: Sir J. Clarke Jervoise, Bart., M.P., chairman, J. Bonham Carter, Esq., M.P., Major Briggs, and J. Waddington, Esq.

     SPOILING THE CONTRACT.—George Bridger and Andrew Smith, both of Passfield, were brought up on remand charged with stealing two sovereigns and four shillings from the person of George Bramley, on Sunday evening, September 3rd. It appeared from the evidence that prosecutor had been drinking at a beer-shop in company with the prisoners, and on his way home sat down by the road side and fell asleep. His brother and another person found him there and got him home. The next morning he missed the money, which he knew he had in his purse when he left the beer-shop. On the following Thursday he informed the policeman of his loss, who went first to Smith and afterwards to Bridger. Smith denied all knowledge of the matter, but Bridger produced two sovereigns which he said belonged to George, meaning prosecutor, and stated that he picked up one and Smith the other, as they went to work on Monday morning. They found them near the spot where prosecutor had been lying overnight. Smith, on hearing this from Bridger, said it was not Monday morning, but Sunday night, that they picked them up; to this Bridger replied by saying that ‟you’ve spoiled the contract.” Prisoners were committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions.

     THE MALT STEALING CASE.—James Pocock was brought up on remand charged with stealing six bushels of malt, belonging to Mr. Crafts. The evidence will be found under the report of the former hearing at the Magistrates’ Clerk’s Office, on Friday last. Mr. Harvey appeared for prisoner, and cross-examined the witnesses at considerable length, but failed to weaken in any appreciable degree the force of their evidence. Mr. Crafts applied for a further remand, to which Mr. Harvey objected, contending that there was not a tittle of evidence that his client had any felonious dealing with the malt.—Mr. Supt. Longland supported the application for a remand, by stating that he had another and quite a distinct charge to bring against the prisoner, viz. of stealing two sacks of malt, belonging to Mr. George Maxwell, and as the evidence in this case was not complete, he asked for a remand on this charge also. The Magistrates decided on hearing the evidence on this charge as far as it went before they came to any decision as to a remand, whereupon Supt. Longland deposed as follows: From information I received I went this morning to the shop of Mr. John Richardson, grocer, in Chapel-street. He showed me two sacks of malt. I took a sample from each sack, which I now produce. I went this morning to Mr. Maxwell’s malt-house, in the Spain. I met Mr. Maxwell there. I took a sample of malt from the bulk in his store and compared it with the samples I had before taken from the sacks shown to me by Mr. Richardson. They agreed in appearance, and I found in each sample a few grains of wheat, which had been malted with the barley. John Richardson deposed: I am a grocer, and live in Chapel-street, Petersfield. About three weeks ago I bought a quarter of malt of prisoner. I had bought some of him on a former occasion. He then told me he had taken it as an outset from a person who owed him some money. He came to me about three weeks ago and said he had got another quarter of malt, which he didn’t know what to do with, and asked me to buy it. I did so and gave him 56s. for it. It was the same malt as I showed to Mr. Longland this morning. Cross-examined: I considered the price which prisoner asked for the malt a fair price. I did not notice anything particular about it. The sacks had not been opened from the time they were brought till Mr. Longland called this morning. I have known prisoner as a horse breaker living in the town for many years. I am not aware that he has ever been charged with dishonesty. George Maxwell deposed: I am a maltster. I went with Supt. Longland this morning to my malt-house, in the Spain. I examined the malt in the bulk, and found here and there a brown wheat corn, which had been malted with the barley, also an occasional oat and pea. I went to Mr. Richardson’s shop, and there examined the malt contained in two sacks, and found it agreed exactly with that in the bulk at my malt house. The samples from each contained an occasional grain of brown wheat, an oat, and a pea. I am quite sure from the appearance of my stock of malt that there is a deficiency, but I cannot tell how much till I have up my books and taken stock; this I have not yet done. To the best of my belief the malt found at Mr. Richardson’s is my property. Mr. Harvey addressed the Bench on the foregoing evidence, and contended that there was nothing in it to warrant the detention of his client in custody. The Magistrates, however, decided otherwise, and remanded him till Thursday ??, this day, at twelve o’clock.

     ASSAULT. William Powell, a sailor, was convicted of an assault on William Bailey, of Sheet, on Saturday, 2nd September. Fined 1s., costs, 7s. 6d.