PETERSFIELD.]—MALT AND BARLEY STEALERS.—On Wednesday Joseph Pearce, John Soal, and Henry Mason, all belonging to the parish of Petersfield, were brought up, before J. Waddington, Esq., at the magistrates’ office, in the square, charged with stealing nearly three sacks of malt, and about two bushels of barley from the stores of Mr. Robert Crafts, of the Red Lion hotel. The delinquents in question were seen to leave the premises in Dragon-street with the property in their possession by George Standen, who lives on the opposite side of the road, who immediately gave information to the police authorities and they went to a stable in the new way, belonging to Mr. James Pocock, coltbreaker, and took the thieves into custody. and also the stolen property. The parties were remanded.
Chichester Express and West Sussex Journal — Tuesday 12 September 1865
WHOLESALE ROBBERY OF MALT.
At the Magistrates’ Office, on Friday, W. Pearce, H. Mason, John Soal, and James Pocock, were brought up before J. Waddington, Esq., charged with feloniously stealing and taking away from a malthouse in the Dragon-street, Petersfield, a quantity of malt, the property go Mr. Crafts, of the Red Lion Hotel.
George Standen deposed—I am ostler at Mr. Monk’s, at the Sun, and live in Dragon-street, Petersfield. Between one and two o’clock on Wednesday morning last, I got out of bed and looked out of the window, and saw some sacks being removed from the yard close to the malthouse belonging to Mr. Crafts, by the prisoners Pearce and Soal. I was about twelve or fourteen yards from them. The night was very clear. The prisoner Soal took up a sack which appeared to be full and walked off with it towards the direction of the Red Lion. Pearce stood at the gate and watched. Pearce then went back to the same place where Soal took the sack from, and brought a sack apparently full about five yards out of the yard. Someone was coming down the street, and Pearce slipped back into the yard and and dropped the sack off his shoulders. He then went a little way up the yard, and appeared to pull off his shoes. He came out of the gate with the shoes in his left hand, and carried them up the street in the direction of the prisoner Soal had gone. I then gave information to the police. I went with Superintendent Longland and watched to see if anybody came after the remaining sack. Pearce and Soal came about half-an-hour afterwards, down the street, on the same side as my house, and opposite the malthouse; when they got nearly opposite the malthouse they turned and ran back as hard as they could go. I believe neither had their shoes on as they made no noise. When they ran I lost sight of Pearce in the New-way, and ran after Soal into the Spain, where I lost sight of him. I subsequently went with the Superintendent to Mr. Pocock’s stables in the New-way. The door was only latched, and the Superintendent opened it. In the stable there were three sacks, one containing malt, one about two bushels of barley, and I don’t know what was in the third. Mason was in the stable, apparently asleep, and lying on the straw in one of the stalls. The superintendent charged him with being concerned in stealing some malt from Mr. Crafts’ premises. Mason said he knew nothing about it, and the superintendent took him into custody. I remained in the stable. Mr. Longland, on his return, went up into the loft and called to Pearce to come down, which he did. Mr. Longland charged him with stealing some malt, and he said he knew nothing about it. Before we took Mason we found a pair of half-boots close to the door. The boots had some barley and malt close to the tip. The stable opened into the street. When we first went in there was no light, but we subsequently got one. I went back with the superintendent and we took charge of the sack which Pearce dropped. The sack was marked Joseph Welch, Sheet, or Sheet Mill. I went to the malt house and found the premises were unlocked. I went in and found malt scattered about the stores, The yard is held in common by the surrounding householders. There was a bar on the outside of Mr. Pocock’s stable, which was down, but on the outside of Mr. Pocock’s stable, which was down, but the padlock which fastens it was locked in the stable. Mason was dressed and had his boots on when we went to the stable.
Superintendent Longland deposed—I am superintendent of police at Petersfield. On Wednesday morning last, the 6th of September, about two o’clock, the last witness gave me certain information. I accompanied him to the Dragon-street. We went opposite to Mr. Craft’s malthouse yard, and went into the last witness’s garden. A short time afterwards two men came down the pavement on the side the house stands, apparently without shoes on, as I could not hear them step. They came very near to the wicket that we went in at and then stopped and turned suddenly back. The last witness ran out and followed them. I lost sight of the last witness and the two men. I afterwards met the last witness and went with him to Pocock’s stable, in the New Way. I went close to the door, and heard something moving inside, and almost directly afterwards I heard snoring from a person asleep. I tried the door, and found it was merely latched, and sent for a light.I then went in. The door has for fastening an iron bar and lock. The lock was on the staple, and the bar hanging down. Just inside the door there were three sacks, two of them were full, and the other contained from tow to three bushels; there was also a pair of boots near the sack closest the door, to which the the last witness drew my attention. I took the boots up, and found some barley or malt adhering to the soles. I produce the boots. In the second stall from the further end I saw the prisoner Mason lying down on the litter, apparently asleep. I roused him up, and charged him with being concerned with Pearce and another, in stealing some malt and barley from Mr. Crafts’ malt house. He said he knew nothing about it. I took him to the station, and searched him, and in his pocket I found a key, which I afterwards found locked in the padlock on the stable door. I then went to the stable where I found the last witness. I then went up the ladder with a light to the loft, and saw Pearce lying. He appeared to be asleep. He was dressed. I called him by name, he looked up and came down. I charged him with having taken malt from Mr. Crafts’ malthouse. I examined one of the full sacks in the stable, and found it contained malt, and the one partly full I found contained barley. Pearce, when I charged him, said he knew nothing about it. I took him to the station and locked him up. I then went with Standen and fetched a sack from the malthouse yard after having locked up the stable. The sack was just inside the yard gate. I then fetched the three sacks to the station from the stable. I found the two full sacks from the stable contained malt, the one partly full of barley, and the one from the yard contained malt. A little after six o’clock a.m., I went in search of Soal, but could not find him at home. I then went to the field where he had been working, but could not find him there. I went back about half-past seven and found him. I told him he was charged, with Mason and Pearce, with stealing malt and barley from Mr. Crafts’ malthouse, and he said, ‟Very well, I will go with you everywhere.‟ I have the sacks and what they contain in my possession. The malthouse door I found was unlocked, and I went in and found some barley littered in the store away from the heap. There is no sleeping apartment attached to the stable. I produce samples of barley taken from a sack containing about two bushels of barley; I also produce a sample of of malt taken from one of the sacks taken from Pocock’s stable; I also produce a sample of barley taken from Mr. Crafts’ store, and also a sample of malt taken from the heap on the righthand side of Mr. Crafts’ store. The whole of the samples were taken in the presence of Mr. Crafts. One of the sacks taken from the stable is marked ‟S. Tompson, on hire.” Another taken from the stable, ‟J. Lacelles, Guildford.” The sack taken from the yard, ‟Joseph Welch, Sheet Mill.” The sack containing the barley was marked ‟R. Chase, Chichester.” There was a black neckerchief put to stop a hole in the sack. I have this morning been to the malthouse with Mr. Crafts and a Mr. Matcham, and examined it. I find there is a means of access to the malthouse throug a window broken unto a path by the side of the malthouse. A half of one side of the diamond panes is out so that you can put a finger through and unfasten the window which, when unfastened, is large enough to admit a man passing through it. I also find that when inside you can throw the ward of the lock of the entrance door back with your finger when it is locked. I should think the pane of glass has been broken out sometime, but the lead appears as if it had been recently disturbed. Mason is a servant of Pocock, and assists in his business.
Daniel Lee deposed—I do not recollect that I told Mr. Longland that these boots were the prisoner Soal’s. I do not recollect telling him that prisoner requested me to do them light, and that that was the reason why they were nailed with Birmingham nails. I cannot swear that I told Mr. Longland that I took the shoes to the prisoner Soal. I will not swear that I did not tell him it was my work. P.C. Hayter was Mr. Longland. The nails were not made in the country. I was confused at the time. Mr. Longland came about six o’clock in the morning.
James Fidler deposed—I am in Mr. Crafts’ employ, occasionally in the brewery and occasionally in the malthouse in the Dragon-street. The entrance is through some doors. I was there last Monday, when I pit up some malt, and left about eight in the morning. I was screening malt in the store; there were three heaps, two on the left hand side, and one on the right hand side, used for making sixpenny beer. I never interfered with that heap without I had express orders. The malt screened was fourpenny malt. When I came away I locked the malthouse door. I left the key of the store in the malthouse. I returned at ten o’clock and measured up ten sacks from the screening room; the premises were then in the same state. On Wednesday, between nine and ten, I visited the malthouse in company with Mr. Superintendent Longland and Mr. Crafts. I went over to the store room and then saw there was a hole in the heap. It was not in the same condition as when I left it on Monday. A white dust was over the heap, except where the whole was. There was some barley on the premises, but not in the same room as the malt. I saw it in a separate store room; there was about a needful of barley which appeared to have run out of a hole in a sack lying in a little heap on the floor (the sack in which the barley was found in the stable had a hole in it in which a black silk neckerchief was placed), and it appeared as if some had been taken from the heap. It was between two or three feet from the large heap.
James Hall deposed—I am a servant in Mr. Crafts’ employ. I recollect going on Monday last, to Mr. Crafts’ store with Fidler a few minutes past nine. I then went into the screening room and put up ten sacks of malt and took it away. I only went into the screening room. I did not go upon the top. When I came out I tried the outer door to see if it was locked, and gave the key to Fidler. I did not go again till Wednesday afternoon.
J. Fidler recalled—Hall gave me the key and I hung it up in the bar.
Robert Crafts deposed—I am a brewer, and live at the Red Lion, Petersfield. I occupy a malt house in the Dragon-street. I keep malt and barley there. Two kinds of malt, pale and brown. In the store there is a large heap on the right hand side, and two smaller ones on the left. The one on the right is pale malt. I visited the malt house on Wednesday morning last in company with Fidler and Superintendent Longland, about four o’clock, the door was unlocked. I went to the malt store, at the end of the heap on the right-hand side there had evidently been some taken away. I was led to believe so from the disappearance of the dust. The whole of the heap was covered with dust, with the exception of where it was disturbed. I took a sample from the heap on the right hand side, which Mr. Longland took to the station. I compared the malt with the qualities in the three sacks which corresponded with the samples produced. I believe from the quality, colour, and the berry to be the same. The value of the malt is £4, and the quantity about nine bushels, and about 1½ bushels of barley, value 6s. 3d. The men always lock up the malt house when they leave, and bring the keys to the Red Lion.—The prisoners were fully committed to take their trial at the October sessions to be holden at Winchester.
JAMES POCOCK ((colt breaker, &c.) was brought up in custody by Superintendent Longland, who deposed as follows:—I this afternoon (Friday) went to prisoner’s lodgings in Sheep-street, in company with Mr. Crafts and prisoner; in his bed room. I found two sacks, one containing about four bushels, and the other from two to three bushels of malt. They were each tied, and in the mouth of each sack a few oats were scattered on the top. I produce samples taken from full sacks, and also one taken by Mr. Crafts from the other sack. I also produce the sample taken by Mr. Crafts from the left hand side of the malt further up. I returned to prisoner’s lodgings, where I found him in his bed room. Mr. Crafts said he believed the malt was his property. I then charged prisoner with stealing two parcels of malt from Mr. Crafts’ malthouse, when prisoner said Mr. Crafts was wrong, and he should say no more.
Mr. Robert Crafts deposed—I accompanied Mr. Superintendent Longland this day to Pocock’s lodgings, in the Spain, and examined two sacks containing malt, with a few oats on the top. We took samples from each sack, and compared with the one from the malt house, and to the best of my belief the malt in prisoner’s lodgings to be the same.
Prisoner was then remanded to the Petty Sessions on Tuesday.
Hampshire Telegraph — Wednesday 13 September 1865
PETERSFIELD MAGISTRATES' CLERK'S OFFIlCE.
FRIDAY.—Before J. Waddington.
EXTENSIVE MALT ROBBERY.
Henry Mason, John SoaI, and William Pearce were brought up on remand, charged with stealing on the night of Tuesday, the 5th instant, from a malthouse in Dragon-street, Petertsfield, nine bushels of malt and one and a half bushels of barley, the property of Mr. Crafts, of the Red Lion Brewery.
It appeared from the evidence that Mr. Crafts uses a malthouse near the ‟Fighting Cocks,” in Dragon-street, which stands back from the street, and is approached by a yard. A witness named George Standen, ostler at the Sun Inn, who lodges near the entrance to the yard leading to the malthouse, looked out of his bedroom window about two o’clock in the morning and saw Pearce and Soal leaving the yard, each with a full sack on his shoulder. After proceeding at short distance Soal returned, and stooping down, appeared to be taking off his shoes. Standen pursued them and gave information to the police, and they were traced to a stable in the occupation of James Pocock, horsebreaker, near the Spain. There Mason, who is in the employ of Pocock, was found asleep or pretending to be so, and in the stable were found two sacks, one containing malt and the other barley. On returning to the malthouse another sack containing malt was found in the yard, and a pair of half-boots was also found, which from the evidence of another witness, Daniel Lee, were proved to belong to the prisoner Seal. This witness, Lee, is a blacksmith, and he had nailed and pelted the half-boots for Soal, but the prevaricating the manner in which he gave his evidence called forth from the magistrate repeated remonstrance and reprehension.—Mr. Superintendent Longland produced samples which he had taken from each of the sacks found in the stable, and also samples from the malt and barley lying in the malthouse, and Mr. Crafts having carefully examined and compared them, said that to the best of his belief, judging from quality, colour, and taste, they were the same.—James Vidler and James Hall, two men in the employ of Mr. Crafts, deposed to the locking up of the premises on Tuesday night, and Vidler taking the key to the bar of the ‟Red Lion.”—Superintendent Longland stated that he had on that day (Friday) discovered that a window at the side of the malthouse had a pane removed, through which a finger might be thrust and the fastening removed, and that this window when open was large enough to admit a man’s body. He also found that from the inside the bolt of the lock of the front door might be thrust back by the fingers.
Great praise is due to the witness George Standen, who displayed much tact and promptitude in giving information to the police.
ANOTHER CHARGE.
James Pocock, horse-breaker, of Petersfield, was brought up in custody, charged with stealing a quantity of malt belonging to Mr.Crafts. Superintendent Longland deposed—This afternoon I went to prisoner’s lodgings in Sheep-street with Mr. Crafts and prisoner; in his bedroom I found two sacks, one containing four bushels of malt, and the other from two to three bushels. I opened each sack, and on the top I found a few black oats; but on thrusting my hand in I found each sack contained malt. I took samples from each, and have since taken samples from the stock in Mr. Crafts’ malthouse. All these samples I now produce. I returned to prisoner’s lodgings, where I had left him with a policeman. Mr. Crafts then stated that to the best of his belief the malt belonged to him, and I then charged prisoner with stealing it and took him into custody; he said Mr. Crafts was wrong, and he would go with us where we liked, but he should not tell us any more about it.
Mr. Crafts gave corroborative evidence, and deposed that to the best of his belief the samples produced were the same; they agreed in colour, taste, and general appearance.
The prisoner was remanded, and bail was refused.
Hampshire Telegraph — Wednesday 13 September 1865
PETERSFIELD MAGISTRATES' CLERK'S OFFIlCE.
THURSDAY.—Before J. Waddington, Esq.
THE MALT STEALING CASE
James Pocock was brought up on remand, charged with steeling six bushels of malt, the property of Mr. Robert Crafts, and two sacks of malt, the property of Mr. George Maxwell. The case created considerable sensation in the town, and a great many persons were assembled outside of the office, in anxious anticipation of the result. The main features of the case wvill be found in the report given above of the preliminary hearing at the Petty Sessions on Tuesday. The prisoner was represented, as on the former occasion, by Mr. Harvey, of Portsmouth, who took a preliminary objection to any further hearing on the first charge, contending that the information had been dismissed by the magistrates at the Petty Sessions, and that prisoner was only remanded on the second charge. Mr. Soames (clerk to the magistrates) stated that the learned gentleman had mistaken the decision come to on the former hearing, and that the remand applied to both charges. [It will be seen that this agrees with our report, as given above.] The case then proceeded.
Superintendent Longland repeated his former evidence, and added—I this morning opened the smaller sack, which I took from the prisoner’s bed-room, and took from it the sample which I now produce; I took it out in the prisoner’s presence; the sack had been sealed up by his desire.
Cross-examined—The sack had not been opened before since it was first sealed up. I have had the seal in my pocket ever since. The sample which I now produce is a larger quantity than that which I produced om the former occasion.
Mr. Robert Crafts confirmed his former deposition, and added that he had this morning seen a sample taken by Superintendent Longland from a sack at the police-station; it was unscreened malt. Witness here explained that by the process of screening the fibres or ‟tails,” called malt-dust, were removed. He (witness) never knew a maltster sell unscreened wheat; in fact, it would be impossible to measure it accurately, as it could not be known exactly what proportion of malt-dust it contained; he would not positively swear that the malt found in prisoner’s bedroom was his property, but he had no hesitation in swearing that to the best of his belief it was so. Mr. Harvey here asked that a sample of screened malt from Mr. Crafts’ store might be produced, and on this being done he detected a portion of malt-dust in it, and asked witness to reconcile that fact with his statement that by the process of screening this dust was removed. Witness said he would not swear that there was no dust at all to be found in screened malt, but the proportion was so much less than in unscreened, that he had no difficulty in distinguishing between them.
Mr. Charles Matcham deposed to having compared the samples produced from the sacks found in prisoner’s bedroom and that taken from the bulk in Mr. Crafts’ malthouse, and pronounced them both to be unscreened and, in his judgment, parts of the same bulk. He had had great experience in dealing with malt; some thousands of quarters had passed through his hands.
Mr. Harvey, in cross-examining this witness, adroitly introduced the sample of screened malt which had just been fetched from Mr. Crafts’ store, and in which he had detected a little malt-dust, and said—Now, Mr. Matcham, you tell us you have had great experience in malt. I have got a little parcel here; will you be good enough to look at it, and tell the magistrate whether it is screened or unscreened?
Witness looked at it cursorily, and seeing in it the dust referred to, pronounced it to be unscreened.
Mr. Harvey—You will swear that it is unscreened malt?
Witness—Yes
Mr. Crafts here addressed the magistrate, and said he felt he had no alternative but to abandon the prosecution.
The other charge was then proceeded with.
Superintendent Longland added to his former evidence as follows—I yesterday took a sample of a gallon from one of the sacks at Mr. Richardson’s, and picked out all the wheat, peas, and oats I could find. I now produce them. [There appeared to be about 30.] I also took a gallon from the bulk in Mr. Maxwell’s store, and picked out all I could find of wheat, peas, and oats, which I also produce. [There appeared to be about 10 or 12.]
Cross-examined—There may be double the number of wheat, peas, and oats in the sample taken from Mr. Richardson’s that there were in that taken from the bulk in Mr. Maxwell’s store.
By the Magistrate—The quality of the peas in each sample is the same.
John Richardson repeated the evidence he gave at the former hearing.—[It is due to this witness to state that as soon as he heard that prisoner was in custody on a charge of stealing malt he immediately informed Superintendent Longland that he had two sacks in his possession which he had purchased of him, and requested him to come and examine them to see if they could be identified as part of that stolen.]
Cross-examined—I have two boys and a man in my employ. They all have access to the store in which the sacks were placed, but I am not aware that the sacks have been opened from the time they were brought in till Mr. Longland came to examine them. I sell split peas in my busiess; there is occasionally a black pea among them. I see nothing peculiar in those now produced. The sacks were tied in several knots, as if by a person not much accustomed to tying up sacks. I have heard persons say in my shop that prisoner has taken malt in outset of accounts. I consider the price I gave was a fair price.—[Witness produced a newspaper, in which prices were quoted even lower than that he had paid prisoner.]
George Maxwell, in addition to his former evidence, corroborated Superintendent Longland’s statement as to picking out the wheat, peas, and oats from the samples, and said they had all been malted, and on comparing the samples he found them exactly alike in quality, kind, and colour. The difference in quantity he accounted for from the fact, which he knew from experience, that when malt is carried about in sacks, if there is other grain mixed with it, this will always work up to the top. He had that day taken stock, and found that he was deficient three quarters as compared with the barley he had wet, which was 362 quarters, and this ought to have yielded an increase of 10 quarters, instead of which he was three quarters short, thus showing that he had lost 13 quarters. Witness added, ‟I swear that the malt found at Mr. Richardson’s is my malt, and that I never gave or sold it to prisoner.”
Mr. Harvey, in cross-examining this witness, produced again the sample of screened malt from Mr. Crafts’ store, and witness (like Mr. Matcham) pronounced it unscreened.
By the magistrate—I could not swear to the malt alone apart from the wheat, peas, and oats which are mixed with it.
John Mells deposed—I live at Liss, and am a maltster. I have had seven years’ experience. Samples were submitted to this witness’s examination from the sacks at Mr. Richardson’s and from the bulk in the store. After a very careful inspection he pronounced the samples from one of the sacks and that from the bulk to be the same; but he did not think the other quite corresponded. Witness went out of the room while the samples were readjusted and placed in a different order, each being numbered, and on being recalled he examined and compared them again, and his decision was found to be the same as before.
This being the whole of the case, prisoner was charged and cautioned in the usual form, after which Mr. Harvey addressed the magistrate at considerable length and in a very able manner, but his worship said he felt it his duty to commit prisoner for trial at the quarter sessions.
Application for bail was acceded to, and prisoner was bound in his own recognizance of 50l., and George Smart and George Harfield were severally bound in the sum of 25l. for his appearance.