PETERSFIELD
COUNTY BENCH.— Tuesday.—Before the Hon. J. J. Carnegie, W. Nicholson, M.P., J. Bonham Carter, M.P., and J. Waddington, Esqrs.
TRESPASSING IN SEARCH OF GAME.—Mr. George Chase appeared to answer a summons charging him with trespassing in search of game, on land in the occupation of Mr. William Goodeve, in the parish of Buriton.—Mr. Bonham Carter, whose land adjoins that of complainant, retired during the hearing of the case.—Charles Spencer, an assistant keeper to Mr. Benion, at Nursted, said that on the 1st October he was sent by Mr. Benion to see that no one got on his ground. He waited in a field adjoining Mr. William Chase's wood, and got up into an oak tree to watch. He saw defendant standing on the bank of the wood. Joseph Annals was with him, and holloaed out, "Here's a bird, Mr. George.” Defendant got down from the bank, and went into the field about five yards, and then stepped back a yard or two. The field is called "The Eleven Acres,” and is in the occupation of Mr. Goodeve. Joseph Annals asked defendant if he was ready, and walked into the field and put up the birds, which defendant shot at and killed. He shot in the direction of Mr. Goodeve’s field, and the bird fell in the field. Witness then got down and accused him of shooting there, and asked him who gave him authority to shoot on that land. He said he didn’t know that any one had, and he didn’t know that he had shot on that land. Witness asked him his name, but he refused to tell him, and he then he said should take the bird, and did so, and walked away. The bank of the wood belonged to Mr. William Chase.—ln answer to the defendant, the witness said he was about 150 yards away from him. —Defendant, after urging upon the bench that it was perfectly incredible that the witness could at the distance of 150 yards have seen within a yard or two how far he was in the field, called Joseph Annals, who said he worked for Mr. William Chase, at Weston. On the 1st of October he was one of the beaters, and took the upper part of Woodley Hanger. He told the defendant there was a hen pheasant in the ditch, and he drove a bird from the ditch close to the bank of the copse. He could not see the bird shot, as he was too far back. The bird rose in the ditch. Witness saw the keeper coming across the brow after the bird was shot; was about 130 yards off when he saw him.—John Newman, who also works for Mr. William Chase, said that on the 1st of October, about three o'clock, he was standing in the foot path, and saw defendant standing on the bank of the wood. He saw a hen pheasant shot, and was then 100 yards from the defendant. He saw defendant shoot, and the bird fell in Mr. Goodeve's field. The bird rose from the ditch.—The Chairman remarked that the evidence of the defendant’s own witnesses showed that there had been a breach of the law, and there must therefore be a conviction. They should fine him £l, and 7s. costs.—There was also an information against Joseph Annals, but it was withdrawn.
TRESPASSES.— George Penn pleaded guilty to a charge trespassing in search of fish, in a stream at Sheet, belonging to Mrs. Rowe, of Nursted, and was lined 1s., and 9s. 6d. costs.— John Tusler was charged with taking fish from a stream at Sheet, belonging to Mrs. Harris, of Durford. Defendant was found near the stream with a trout in his pocket, but the evidence failed to establish the charge laid in the information, viz., that of taking, and he was discharged.