PETERSFIELD.
POULTRY STEALING AND CLEVER CAPTURE OF THE THIEVES.—On the night of Wednesday, or early on Thursday morning last, a robbery of a fowl house took place at Tillington, near Petworth, of 29 fowls, belonging to Mr. Charles Bridger, and the capture of the thieves by Supt. Bennett, of this station, deserves the highest commendation. It appears that the Superintendent was on his way to Midhurst from this town on Thursday morning, when he met on the road a horse and cart, and three men having the appearance of costermongers. Upon reaching Midhurst he received information from Supt. Kemmish, that a number of fowls had been stolen on the previous night; when he returned in pursuit, and traced them on to Petersfield, where, upon enquiry he found that some fowls ready picked and trussed, in a business like manner, had been offered for sale, and some sold, by men answering the description of the party he had met in the morning. Having gained some information he proceeded at eight o'clock the same night, to Alton, 12 miles, where he at once commenced a searching enquiry of the public houses in the town, and at last succeeded in finding the men in bed at the King's Head, from whence at 11 o'clock he removed them to the lock up at the station house. He then returned to the King's Head; in the stable he found the horse belonging to the thieves, and the cart, in which was a hamper containing 15 fowls, all newly picked and trussed, with their necks broken, which appears to have been done in the place from whence they were taken, as blood and feathers were found on the floor. On the following morning the prisoners were brought to Petersfield, and delivered over to Supt. Kemmish, of Petworth. Fourteen fowls had been disposed of from the number stolen, one of which had been eaten at their quarters, at the Fighting Cocks, in the town (a rather appropriate name under the circumstances), where they found the landlady had place on the fire a saucepan of potatoes for dinner, which they turned out, and cooked the fowl themselves.