Petersfield.
SPECIAL SESSIONS.—Tuesday, August 30.
Present Hon J. J. Carnegie (Chairman), Sir J. C. Jervoise, Bart., M.P., Sir A. K. Macdonald, Bart., Sir W. W. Knighton, Bart., J. Waddington, Esq., and Major Briggs.
This was a Special Session for granting, and for fixing days for transferring, alehouse licenses. The whole of the preceding licences were renewed without a single objection being raised.
APPLICATION FOR AN ORDER OF REMOVAL.
Mr. Waller, overseer, applied for an order to remove Ann Burnett from the parish of Steep, to which parish she had become chargeable, to the parish of Ewhurst in Surrey appeared from the statement of applicant that Ann Burnett was the wife of John Burnett, small farmer occupying about 30 acres of land in the parish of Ewhurst, and who had become chargeable, and was in the receipt of 2s. 6d. per week from the parish of Steep. It transpired also that Burnett had neglected his wife and had taken a young person to supply her place as mistress of the house.
The case was proved, and the order granted.
APPLICATION FOR A SPIRIT LICENCE.
George Wells, of the parish of Greatham, applied for a spirit licence being granted to his house, the same being a beerhouse, situate in the above parish. Proof of the necessary notices having been given.
Mr. Cousins, of Portsmouth, appeared for the applicant, and in stating the case to the magistrates, handed in a memorial signed by a number of the respectable inhabitants and others, in favour of the licence being granted, and observed that the applicant had been 26 years in the parish, and five years in the adjoining parish of Selbourne, within a few hundred yards of his present residence, where he also carried on the sale of beer, in connexion with his business of wheelwright, and that applicant had brought up thirteen children; his character was respectable, and no complaint had ever been heard against him; that his house was newly erected and contained ten commodious rooms, without the cellar.
Mr. Goodeve, a considerable occupier land in the parish, objected, on account of its being uncalled for, as there was plenty of accommodation in the adjoining parishes of Liss and Selbourne.
After a short consultation the magistrates granted the licence.
ANOTHER APPLICATION FOR A SPIRIT LICENCE.
William White, a blacksmith and occupier of land in the Parish of Priorsdean, applied for a spirit licence for his house, used for the last three years for the sale of beer, there being no public house in the parish. The required notices were proved, but no witnesses appearing, or evidence adduced in support, the case was adjourned till the next bench day.
SELLING BEER AT IMPROPER HOURS.
Ann Edney, of the Red Lion, Horndean, appeared to answer the charge of P.C. Henry Grant, who deposed to going to defendant’s house on the morning of Sunday the 7th of August, and meeting a boy named Thomas Samways coming out with a quart bottle of beer. Defendant said that her servant, in her absence and unknown to her, had drawn the beer for a gentleman’s servant residing a short distance off.
Fined 1s., and 7s. 6d. costs.
A SOLDIER STEALING A FOWL.
Robert Higgins, a private in the Military Train (which accompanied the soldiers to the late fire at Woolmer Forest), was brought up, charged with stealing a fowl the property of John Bartholomew, residing at Passfield Common, in the parish of Bramshott.
Prosecutor deposed to being awoke about two o'clock on the morning of the 22nd of August by his dog barking, and upon looking out of his window saw three soldiers standing there with white stripes down their trowsers. Upon seeing them pass behind the sheds, he, without waiting to put on his clothes, or even his shoes, went down stairs in his shirt, and seizing his gun, proceeded to the yard, where he laid down. Some slabs were pulled down, and a hen taken from her chickens in her coop. ‟I then,” said the prosecutor, ‟ran out of the yard after the prisoner up a field, and told him if he did not stop I would shoot him.” Prisoner stopped and threw down the fowl and wanted me to forgive him. I told him I should not. He then said he should not have taken the fowl but for the other two men. I took him to my house and sent for the policeman.
The live fowl was here produced, upon which prisoner said. ‟You said ’twas a hen fowl, that’s a cock fowl,” which caused considerable laughter.
Prisoner pleaded not guilty, and elected to be tried by the magistrates, and in his defence said he had been in the service seven years and had never been disgraced, &c.
Prosecutor in reply to the chairman, ‟I saw the fowl in the man’s possession.”
After being admonished by the chairman upon his duty as a soldier to protect the property of the Queen’s subjects, and receiving pay from his country, &c, said they would give severe punishment as a caution to others. Sentence—six weeks hard labour in the house of correction.
STEALING POTATOES.
James Powell, the younger, of Sheet (who did not appear), was charged by Peter Parker with stealing potatoes from a piece ground in the parish of Sheet. Prosecutor deposed to seeing James Powell in company with another, whom he did not know, stealing the potatoes on Wednesday evening last at quarter past six, when he ran away upon seeing him.
The case was proved, and defendant sentenced to pay £1 and 7s. 6d. costs, or one month’s hard labour.