PETERSFIELD.
Agent—Mr. G. DUPLOCK
PETTY SESSIONS, Tuesday.—Present the Hon. J. J. Carnegie (chairman) and Sir W. W. Knighton, Bart.
— John Tilbury and Reuben Pink, of Chanfield, were charged with wilfully damaging underwood belonging to Mr. William Courtney. It appeared from the evidence that defendants had been employed by Mr. George Money to tie a quantity of bunts, and that they went into complainant’s grounds, and cut about 50 withes for the purpose, and that not content with this they dragged the withes about 300 yards through a wheat field. Mr. Courtney said he did not ask for severe punishment, but he had been so repeatedly annoyed by similar depredations that he was compelled to take measures to put a stop to the practice. Defendants were convicted, and adjudged a to pay 7s. 6d. each, including costs.—At the close of the case Mr. Courtney addressed the Bench, stating that, since he had been in the Court he had been very grossly insulted by the father of one of the defendants, Thomas Tilbury, who was therefore called up, and severely reprimanded by the chairman, who told him that by threatening a witness, or in any way attempting to impede the course of justice, he rendered himself liable to a very considerable term of imprisonment.
— Ann Jowett pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing an apron belonging to Fanny Lovel, at the Red Lion, Horndean, on Saturday, June 25th. Prisoner had obtained lodgings at the house on the previous night, and on leaving in the morning she took the apron, which she afterwards sold. Prisoner, who cried bitterly, said she was on her way from Southampton to join her husband at Norwich, and being footsore and hungry she took the apron to procure a morsel of bread. Sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment with hard labour.