PETERSFIELD PETTY SESSIONS
TUESDAY.—Present: The Hon. J. J. Carnegie (chairman), Sir W. W. Knighton, Bart, and J. Waddington, Esq.
DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.
Joseph Long was charged with being drunk and riotous in the highway at Finchdean on Sunday night, the 4th inst. While the case was being called on for hearing the defendant was shouting and singing outside the court, and on being called in he staggered up to the table in a most unseemly condition, and assumed an air of stolid indifference. The case was proved by P.C. John Smith, and on defendant being asked what he had to say to the charge, he coolly replied that he did not consider a man drunk so long as he could lie on the ground without holding!—Fined 5s., and costs, 11s., or seven days’ imprisonment, with hard labour. Defendant was not prepared to pay, and was removed in custody.
CAUTION TO CARTERS.
Charles Greentree, a carter, was summoned to answer the charge of riding on the shafts of a waggon drawn by three horses, on Tuesday, the 6th inst., in the parish of Liss. Defendant pleaded guilty, and was fined 2s. 6d., and costs, 7s. 6d.
CATTLE PLAGUE REGULATION.
John Mundy applied for, and obtained, a certificate authorising him to remove a cow from a farm in Sussex to another farm in Hants, both farms being in his occupation.
HOUSEBREAKING AT BURITON.
Samuel Smith was brought up in custody, on remand, charged with breaking into the dwellinghouse of William Whiteheart, at Bullinge-hill, in the parish of Buriton, on Monday, the 1st of January, and stealing therefrom several articles of wearing apparel, value 3l. 5s., the property of Jesse Whiteheart. Complainant deposed—I left my home on Monday, January 1st, about seven o’clock in the morning. I left a pair of' cotton trousers, a pair of black cloth trousers, a black cloth waistcoat, a black cloth coat, two white cotton shirts, a hat, a cotton under shirt, a pair of socks, and a white slop, in the spare bedroom, Iying on the bed. I returned about six in the evening, and found them all gone. The house was all in confusion. I consider the things I lost were worth about 3l. 5s.
William Saxby deposed—I am a police-constable in the Surrey force, and am stationed at Ash. On Tuesday, the 2nd of January, the prisoner was given into my custody on a charge of breaking windows. I found on him and in a bundle two pairs of trousers, four shirts, a waistcoat, a pair of half Wellington boots, a hat, a handkerchief, a woman’'s cape, two brooches, and a white slop, also a pawn-broker’ duplicate, all of which I now produce. He said he won the trousers at a raffle at a farm in Hampshire, where he had been working, but he did not remember the name of the farm; that he bought the shirts of a man on the road in Kent, that he was going to take the cape from his sister at Farnham, to his mother at Sunbury. He was wearing at the time three of the shirts and two pairs of a trousers, also the hat and boots which I now produce.
Alfred Tyrrell deposed—I live in West-street, Farnham, and am assistant to Mr. Hawwood, pawnbroker. On Tuesday, the 2nd of January, some time in the forenoon, the prisoner came to me and offered on pledge the suit of clothes which I now produce. I took them, and advanced him 8s. on them. I asked him if they belonged to him, and he said, ‟Yes.” He gave his name as George Wood, and his address Aldershot.
William Rolph deposed—I am a policeman, stationed at Buriton. On the 2nd of January, from information I received, I went to William Whitehart’s house. I saw several footprints in the garden, which I carefully covered over. On the 5th of February I went with a warrant to Wandsworth House of Correction, and took the prisoner into custody at the door as he was leaving the prison. I told him I had a warrant to apprehend him on a charge of breaking into the house of William Whitehart on the 1st of January. He said, ‟Yes, I had some of the things on me when I was took for this.” I then brought him to Petersfield and locked him up. The next day I went to Whitehart’s garden and compared prisoner’s boots with the marks which I had covered up, they exactly corresponded, the nailing of the boots is very peculiar, the marks were exactly as I had left them, I had covered them up with pieces of cocoa-matting and slate. I produce the boots. Witness pointed out to the magistrates the peculiarity in the nailing. Among the articles produced by the witnesses, Saxby and Tyrrell, the prosecutor identified several as his property. There were others to which his father, William Whitehart, had sworn at the first examination when prisoner was remanded, but he was prevented from attending on the present occasion by a very serious illness, and his medical attendant, Mr. Cross, of the firm of Whicher and Cross, deposed that he was confined to his bed, and was in such a state as to be quite unable to undergo an examination.
The prisoner, having been cautioned in the usual form declined to say anything, and was committed for trial at the ensuing assizes, and all the witnesses were bound over to appear and give evidence.