The GLIO Site

PETERSFIELD.

     PETTY SESSIONS, TUESDAY.—Present: J. Waddington, Esq., and Capt. Sandeman.

TRESPASS IN SEARCH OF PHEASANT EGGS
     JOHN SOAL and GEORGE MASON were charged by George Spencer, keeper to Mr. Benion with being at four o'clock on Sunday morning, May 4th, upon land in the occupation of Wm. Munday, in the parish of Buriton, beating a hedge in search of pheasant eggs.—The case was proved and each defendant fined 10s. and 5s. 3d. costs. Paid.

ASSAULT CASE
     JOHN SOAL, the defendant in the last case, was charged with an assault upon George Spencer, the prosecutor and in connection therewith.—Defendant was convicted and adjudged to pay a penalty of 20s. and 9s. 6d. costs. Paid.

TAKING PHEASANT EGGS
     — EMM, a boy of the parish of Buriton, was charged by Jas. Stroud, keeper to Mr. Green, of Ditcham, with taking one pheasant egg from a nest. Defendant pleaded guilty, and was fined 5s. and costs ps. 6d. Paid.

     ALBERT SOAL, a little boy, was charged by Josiah Smith, assistant keeper to J. Bonham Carter, Esq., M.P., with taking two pheasant eggs from a nest in the occupation of Mr. Shenton, of Buriton, on the afternoon of the 11th of May.—Fined 5s. for each egg, and 9s. 6d. costs, or 14 days’ imprisonment with hard labour.

     WM. ROBINSON, who did not appear, was charged by — Lambert, assistant keeper to J. Bonham Carter, Esq., with taking eight pheasant eggs from a nest upon land in the occupation of Mr. Shenton, at Buriton, on the 14th of May, at seven o'clock in the morning. A previous conviction being proved against the defendant he was adjudged to pay a penalty of 40s. and 9s. 6d. costs.

A CASUAL STATION
     JOHN SMITH, a casual pauper boy, 16yrs, upon tramp, was brought up charged with tearing up his clothes on the night of Sunday the 17th, while in a ward of the Petersfield union. Mr. Dollery, the master, found prisoner setting on the straw in a state of nudity with a rug round him, his clothes being torn into small shreds.—14 days’ hard labour.

TURNING OUT HORSES
     JAS. POCOCK, colt breaker, charged with turning out two horses upon the public roads in the borough, pleaded guilty, and a previous conviction being proved he was fined 5s. and 5s. costs, or seven days’ imprisonment. Paid.

A GENERAL THIEF
JAS. FISK (whose capture was reported in our last impression, under very peculiar circumstances, at Finchdean, as being hunted up and cheeringly run into after a "ripping" chase) on Wednesday, the 6th inst., was brought up under remand charged with several thefts; the first was for a loin of mutton, the property of Mr. Sharp, who deposed—On Wednesday, the 6th of May, I came to the market and put up at the Red Lion. I took a rush basket and went to Mr. Baker's for a loin of mutton.
Mr. Baker deposed to Mr. Sharp coming to his shop on Wednesday, the 6th inst., for a loin of mutton, which he sent by his boy Pay, who deposed to taking the mutton in the basket, and to putting it into Mr. Sharp's chaise in the coach house, at the Red Lion.
Edward Windybank (brewer to Mr. Crafts) deposed to seeing the prisoner coming from the coach house on the day named, between the hours of two and three in the afternoon, with something beneath his jacket.
P.C. Charles Butler deposed—From information I received I went in search of prisoner. I was on duty at Finchdean. I saw the prisoner coming on the footpath leading from Chalton to Finchdean, carrying a bundle and basket. As soon as prisoner saw me he hesitated for a short time and then put down both the bundle and basket and ran away. I followed him (with others) and took him into custody.
Mr. Blunden, a farmer, living on Milland Marsh, identified the overcoat left by him in his cart at the White Hart, on coming to the market, on Wednesday, the 6th inst., which he missed upon his return back to the inn.
Mr. Tilbury, draper, in the High-street, also identified the trowsers sold by the prisoner to Thomas Welch, the landlord of the Coach and Horses, on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 6th inst., as being the same taken from the front of his shop, on the same day.
The trowsers found in the prisoners’ bundle as taken from the front of Mr. Coombe's shop, in Chapel-street, was not proceeded with from some little doubt being entertained of proof, or of the new sack found in the prisoner's possession.
The defence of the prisoner was the usual old one of a thief, viz., that he was sent to sell the articles by a person he did not know, and who was waiting for him at the time in the fields.—Committed for trial at the ensuing Quarter Sessions at Winchester.
(See also 4-Jul-1868)

APPLICATION FOR ADDITIONAL POLICE
     In consequence of the numerous burglaries and petty thefts with which our town has lately been the theatre, we hear that a numerously and respectably signed memorial has been addresses to the chief constable, Captain Forrest, directing his attention to the inadequate protection afforded by the police force under his control to the town and its immediate neighbourhood. We therefore have reason to hope it will meet with that attention, that the urgency of the case appears to require.

SERIOUS CHARGE ARISING FROM THE FESTIVITIES AT EASTMEON CLUB
JAMES REED, of Ramsdean, was charged with committing a rape on Lydia Ann Welch Ansell, of the same place, on Wednesday, May 13th. Mr. Field (Gosport) defended the prisoner.
Complainant deposed—I am a single woman, and live with my parents at Ramsdean. On Wednesday, the 13th of May, I went to Eastmeon to visit my aunt. My younger sister, who is about 11 years of age, went with me. It was Eastmeon club day. I went to the club about six o'clock in the evening. My brother was. there. I stood beside the dancing booth looking at the dancing; I did not go into the booth at that time; I went in about nine o'clock; my sister was still with me. After looking on for a time I went out again, and in about half an hour I returned. I then danced with a young man; I don't know his name; after which I sat down with a female friend of mine. Prisoner came up and asked he who I was, and she told him. I then danced with him. He said he would go out and tell them to go home, as I was going home with him. I told him not to do so. He got up and went out. When he returned I went out to see if he had sent them. I found my sister outside, but my brother was not there. I asked prisoner to go and find him for me. He said he would go and look for him in the club room. I and my sister went into the parlour of White's house, where the club is held, and prisoner told me to sit down while he went to find my brother. He came back and said he could not find him, and he then proposed that we should go on home, as perhaps my brother has gone on before. We then left to go home. When we got to the New Inn prisoner said he thought he heard my brother's voice inside and he would go in and see if he was there; he came back and said he could not find him for me. We then walked on towards home up the road, till we came to the stile by the blacksmith's shop, we went over the stile across the meadow, past Mr. Lillywhite's mill, and came out into a road at a place called the Crossways—one road leads to Oxenbourne, another to Ramsdean (called the Greenway), and another to Eastmeon—we went over a gate leading into the Greenway lane, where we passed Mr. and Mrs. Merritt (they were going the same way as we were), they spoke to the prisoner, who said, "Let us walk on fast, as I don't want them to know me." They called after him and said he need not be so green, as they knew who he was. I asked him who they were. I did not know them as I had been living in London for three or four years; he said they were Merritt and his wife. We walked on, leaving them behind. When we came to the stile leading to a footpatch across the fields to Ramsdean, we turned down the lane leading to the Oxenbourne road, which was in our way to my home. Mr. and Mrs. Merritt went over the style, and Mrs. Merritt called out that we should not go the same way as they went. I had hold of prisoner's arm; he took round my waist, and held me close to the hedge, and said we would hear what the Merritts were talking about; he then kissed me. I objected to his doing so; he attempted to lift my clothes. My sister was standing a little way on. I told him if he did not let me go on I would call Mrs. Merritt. He then allowed me to go on. When I turned to go I could not see my sister anywhere. He still held me round the waist. I said, "I wonder where my sister is?" He said he thought she had sat down. I said I must find her before I went, as she would be so frightened. He then said he thought she had walked on. We went on for nearly a quarter of a mile, and he then stopped me and began pulling me about. I begged him to let me alone, and told him I would meet him any other evening if he would let me go home to-night. He said he would not let me alone. I struggled with him as much as I possibly could, and called my sister as loud as I could. He told me not to holloa. I fought and struggled with him till his foot slipped, and he fell and pulled me down with him. This took place about a quarter of a mile from my home. There was no house there. I was almost in a fainting state. I fell by the side of the hedge among some nettles, and stung my hands very much. I attempted to get up, but he held me firmly down, and said that I should not get up. I struggled and screamed with all my might. (The complainant here deposed to particulars which are wholly unfit for publication.) As soon as I was able I flew up, and told him I would give him in charge; he said I should think better of it, and begged me not to say anything about it. I told him that as soon as I got home I would tell my mother, and she would see about it directly. As we walked along he pulled my arm into his and walked together until we came to the place where our roads home parted; he went to his home and I went to mine; he kissed me when he left me, but I resisted his doing so. When I got to our yard gate I met my mother and my sister, and I, went immediately to the prisoner's house, but I did not see him any more that night. The next morning he came to our house, about half-past ten; my mother and sister, and I saw him; he said he was very sorry for what he had done, he knew it was very wrong, and if he had not been drunk, he should not have thought of coming home with me. My mother told him not to say anything that he could not say again, as she meant to give him in charge. He asked that he might leave the house by the back door, as he saw my father in the front garden; he did so. Prisoner told me when he prepared to go home with me that he knew my father very well.
Cross-examined by Mr. Field—The young woman who was sitting in the dancing booth with me was Lucy Greentree. I did not hear prisoner ask her to dance with him. I did not say to prisoner that I'd dance with him, but he got up and beckoned to me, and I followed him. I did not know him. I danced with him as a stranger. I drank a little brandy and water at White's, which prisoner bought; he also brought a second glass, and I put my lips to it and drank very little. My sister walked on before; I had not told her to do so. The reason I did not call to Mrs. Merritt, when he first took liberties with me was, that when I threatened to do so he let me alone. My mother did not beat me in the house when I got home, but she did hit me on the back as we were going to prisoner's house. I swear that I did not kiss prisoner from first to last.
     After some further evidence the prisoner was committed for trial.