PETERSFIELD
Agent — MR. G. DUPLOCK
STEALING SUGAR AND ITS RESULTS.—AT Petersfield on Tuesday, before the Hon. J. J. Carnegie (Chairman), J. Bonham Carter, Esq., M.P., Sir W. Knighton, Bart., and W. Nicholson, Esq.
Richard Hall was brought up in custody, charged with stealing, on the 19th instant, a [iece of loaf sugar, value 7d., belonging to the London and South-Western Railway Company.—James Daniels deposed: I am porter at Petersfield railway-station, and have to attend the good there. There were 25 loaves of sugar placed in the store on the 9yh instant. I saw them safe up to the 10th instant. On that day, between one and two o’clock, in consequence of something which Paffard, the goods clerk, told me, I went into the warehouse and examined the sugar. I missed a piece from the top of a loaf. The piece now produced is the same.—Alfred Cullam Paffard, a clerk in the goods station at Petersfield, said: On the 19th instant, about half past twelve, I was going to get into Mr. Craft's van in the store, when I saw a piece of lump sugar in the middle of the van. I showed it to Lawrence. The prisoner said he should not go down to the town for a quarter of an hour. He then put some trees into the van in front of the sugar and drove out, and before we got to the booking-office he overtook us. We got into the van and rode down to the town.—John Penchen Murch deposed: I am goods warehouseman at Petersfield Station. On Saturday, the 19th, I was at the warehouse. Prisoner came there about 12 o’clock in charge of the van. He delivers goods in the town and is employed by Mr. Crafts. He had two bundles of trees in the van. I assisted him in pulling up a crate, and then took his book and went into the office and left him to put up two or three more articles. In the evening in consequence of something I heard, I went to the warehouse and found the top of a loaf of sugar missing.—Robert Henry Jackson, station-master, said: On Saturday, the 19th, in the afternoon, I went to see prisoner about some sugar. I said to him "I am come to see you about that sugar you took from the station today." He said "What sugar?" I said "You know what sugar I mean, I must ask you to let me have it." He said "I know nothing about any sugar." I said "It's no use talking in that way, I have two witnesses who saw it in the van, and unless you give it me at once I must give you into custody." He said "If it was in the van it was there now. I will go and see." I said "Very well, we will go." We then went to Mr. Craft's stable, and on our way there he said "I don't know what may be in my apron." When we reached the stable he went direct to the corn bin, and in a minute or do brought from under his apronthe top part of a loaf of sugar. I said " How do you explain this?" He said he did not know it was in the van,, and he thought he would put it into the bin in the event of any one enquiring for it. I said "I said this is a very serious matter. We cannot overlook it," and turning to the police-constable, who was present, I said " You must take him into custody."—Prisoner, by the advise of his advocate (Mr. Harvey, of Portsea), elected to be tried by the bench, and having pleaded guilty, was sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment with hard labour.