WEST SUSSEX QUARTER SESSIONS.
A DISHONEST WORKMAN.
Wm. MERRYETT, 36, carpenter, was indicted for stealing one smoothing plane, value 3s. 6d., one gouge, value 6d., one chisel, value 6d., one square, value 1s., and one pair of pincers, value 1s., the property of John Payne, at harting, on the 4th of November, 1867. Mr. Grantham prosecuted; the prisoner was undefended.
The evidence adduced was to the effect that the prisoner was working with prosecutor for a Mr. Maxwell, and that he had the care of the room in which the tools of the several workmen were kept. On the 2d of November the prosecutor went to Brighton and left his tools in the room of which prisoner had the key. Some of the tools belonging to the prosecutor were in the prisoner's own charge. On Tuesday, the 5th of November, the prosecutor returned, and missed the tools mentioned in the indictment. The priosner had in the meanwhile given notice to Mr. Maxwell to leave, and in fact did leave, before his term of notice had expired. When Mr. Maxwell went to the room on Monday (the day on which prisoner left), he found the door half open, and the key inside. The tools were there on Saturday, but on the Monday the room looked destitute of them. No one had access to the room when the prisoner had charge of it except in the day time. It was only accessible in the day time. The gouge and the pincers were the only tools identified, and the account prisoner gave of them when apprehended at Petersfield, and which he repeated now, was that the tools were all mixed up together in the room, and he was not aware prosecutor's tools were in his basket, until the constable found them.
The jury found the prisoner guilty of stealing the two articles referred to, and the court sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment with hard labour.