PETERSFIELD.
PETTY SESSIONS — TUESDAY.
Present:—Hon. J. J. Carnegie, S. Waddington, Esq., and Major Briggs.
THAT YOUNG MAN FROM THE COUNTRY, WHO KEPT COMPANY WITH ME!
FRANCIS EDWIN, a young man, was brought up charged with stealing at Bowyers, Liss, a gold watch, a silver watch, two gold chains, a gold seal, and a set of charms, to the value of £15. Mr. Wallace, of Portsmouth, appeared for the prisoner. Mr. Benjamin Charge deposed—On the 27th June, I tried to open this box, in which Mrs. Charge kept her jewellery, with the key. I found it tampered. It was afterwards opened in my presence, when a gold watch, a silver watch, two gold chains, a gold seal, and a set of charms, together about £15 in value.
Harriett Aylward deposed—I have lived four years at Mr. Charge’s as servant. The prisoner came to see me after last Christmas. He wrote to me twice after he left. He had been staying with his aunt, Mrs. Aldred. We had tea in the kitchen. Master and mistress were then at home. The third time he came in the same week, master and mistress were from home, it was about three o’clock. I then took him over the house, to show him through the rooms. I afterwards left the prisoner in the kitchen, and went into the field to get some turnips. I told him he might go if he liked, if not, he might remain by the fire. He did so. I was gone about half-an-hour. It was a fortnight or three weeks after Christmas, prisoner was there. We were a little attached to each other.
Cross-examined by Mr. Wallace.—I must have seen him if he had taken the box. We were in the room about two minutes. That was the only time he was in the bed room; he did not know what was in the box.
James Henstridge, a whitesmith, working for Mr. Boxall, at Cosham, deposed that prisoner came to his master as an improver, about six months ago. Soon after he came he paid his footing. He then took a gold watch out of pocket, and looked at it. Witness afterwards took it to Southsea to pledge for the prisoner, but did not succeed, and was afterwards taken into custody. Witness identified the watch produced.
Cross-examined by Mr. Wallace—I did not particularly notice the watch at the time.
Sergeant William Pole deposed to taking the watch from the last witness, who was taken before the Portsmouth magistrates, but afterwards discharged.
William Burgess deposed—I am apprenticed to Mr. Boxall. The prisoner and I slept in the same room together. The prisoner told me that Henstridge was locked up, and the next day I saw him throw a lady’s chain like gold into the forge fire. It was a long one, of a sort of a snake pattern. He said he should burn the chain, and that he got it from a young girl at Portsmouth.
Cross-examined—That was the only time I saw the chain.
Superintendent W. Longlands deposed that when he took prisoner into custody he said he got the watch from a girl, a prostitute from London, whom he met in the Landport-road; she had ‟a swell cove” with her.
The witness Burgess was re-called, and said after Henstridge was taken into custody on the Tuesday night prisoner left, and came back at the same time as Henstridge was let out of custody; to the best of his recollection on the Friday.
By Mr. Wallace’s advice prisoner pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to six months’ hard labour.