PETERSFIELD.
PETTY SESSIONS, Tuesday—Present: J. Bonham Carter, M.P., and J. Waddington, Esqs.
— STEALING A LUNCH—Thomas Commings was brought up in custody, charged with stealing, at Liss, on Wednesday, the 18th inst., a bag containing bread and pork, belonging to Thomas Aylward. Complainant works for Mr. Coryton, and had placed the bag containing his lunch in the stable about eleven o’clock, and on returning about twelve o’clock it was gone. Prisoner was seen close by the stable in the course of the morning and on P.C. George Kingshott being apprised of the robbery he went in pursuit and found him at Hawkley with the bag in his possession, which was produced and identified by the complainant. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to 31 days’ imprisonment with hard labour.
— THE PLEASURES OF A FATHER.—George Chitty, of Petersfield, was adjudged the putative father of Jane Butterworth’s illegitimate child, and was ordered to pay 2s. a week from the 20th of April last till the child reaches the age of thirteen years, unless the mother shall marry in the meantime.
— ABUSING KINDNESS.—Isaac Powell was charged on the information of P.C. William Rolfe with damaging wheat in a field belonging to Mr. Shenton, at Buriton, on Monday, the 16th last. It appeared from the evidence that a number of idle and mischievous boys are in the habit of congregating in the village and committing sundry vexatious depredations of the nature of that complained of. In the present case some 20 or 30 boys were seen by Rolfe about eight o’clock in the evening playing their mischievous games, and defendant and another were rolling in the wheat. This is the more inexcusable on Mr. Shenton very kindly allows them the run of a meadow for cricket and other games. This gentleman also attended at the bench and requested that defendant might be dealt with leniently, as his only wish was to put a stop to such wanton proceedings. The magistrates thereupon dismissed defendant with a caution.
— TAKING A PHEASANT’S EGGS.—Richard Moore, of Buriton, was convicted, on the information of Arnold Stroud of taking a pheasant’s egg from a nest, on Sunday, the 1st of May. Fined 5s. and costs 7s. 6d.
— A BAD BOY.—Alfred Purver, aged 13, was charged with a similar offence, committed at Idsworth, on Wednesday, the 11th. Defendant was working in a field, and seeing the keeper at a distance he shouted to him that he knew a pheasant’s nest, which he was going to take. He was afterwards seen to go to the nest, which contained four eggs, and was heard to tell a person whom he met that he had taken the nest, and on being searched the eggs were found upon him. Although as young he had before been convicted of a similar offence, on which occasion Sir J. C. Jervoise, on whose land the offence had been committed, kindly paid the fine to prevent the boy being sent to prison. He was convicted on the present occasion, and the magistrates told his father, who was present, that they saw no reason for mitigating the fine exacted by the statute, which was 5s. for each egg, and costs 7s. 6d, making together £1 7s. 6d The father paid the money.
— REMOVAL.—An order was made a short time since for the removal of a pauper named John Robinson, who, through illness, had become chargeable to the parish of Buriton, to his proper parish, Easton, near Winchester, but the execution of the order was suspended, owing to his being then too ill to be removed. It was now stated that he had sufficiently recovered to admit of the order being carried out, and this was directed to be done, and a further order was made on the parish of Easton to reimburse the expenses incurred for the pauper’s maintenance by the parish of Buriton, amounting to £5 5s. 9d.
— A LUNATIC WIFE.—John Royal, of Rowland’s Castle, appeared to a summons calling upon him to show cause why he should not contribute towards the support of his wife, who is an inmate of the lunatic asylum at Knowle, near Fareham. It appeared from the evidence of Mr. William Tribe, relieving officer of Catherington Union, that the Guardians were paying 8s. 2d. a week for the maintenance of defendant’s wife at the asylum, and they considered that he was in a position to contribute half that amount. Defendant pleaded inability, but failed to substantiate his plea, and the magistrates made an order for the payment of 4s a week from the date of the application, together with costs 10s.