Sons- & daughters-in-law of Henry and Elizabeth Baggs

STEALING MONEY AT SOUTH STONEHAM.—William Gardiner, 31, John Pack, 42, and William Gilham, 33, labourers, were indicted for demanding with menaces from Ludwig August Hirtes, the sum of 1s. 10d., with intent to steal the same, on the 6th September. Mr. Temple-Cooke prosecuted. Prosecutor stated that he he [sic] kept the Prince of Wales Inn at Eastleigh. On the afternoon of the day in question he saw Pack and Gilham sitting in his taproom, and whilst they were there he gave a man named Willis change for a sovereign. Gardiner came in and asked for a bottle of ginger beer, and witness supplied it in the bar, Gardiner paying two penny pieces for it. The other prisoners were still in the taproom. Shortly after he had left the bar he was called back, and his son told him that Gardiner wanted the change. He told Gardiner that he had no change to come, and he replied that he supposed he had made a mistake. The other prisoners thereupon came out of the taproom and said they could swear that Gardiner had given a 2s. piece in payment. Gardiner also attempted to get into the bar parlour by kicking the door, and threatened to throw a ginger beer bottle, cups, and glasses at his head, and through these threats he handed over the 1s. 10d. Threats were also made by the two other prisoners. Witness searched his pockets, but could find no 2s. piece. The other prisoners were in the taproom when the payment was made for the ginger beer. Willis said he saw Gardiner pay down two penny pieces for the ginger beer. Gardiner was found guilty and sentenced to two months' hard labour, but the other prisoners were acquitted by direction of the Chairman, who administered to them a severe reprimand.

Ludwig August Hirtes, landlord of the Prince of Wales, Eastleigh, said that on Thursday afternoon he was in his bar about four o'clock, when the deceased came in and asked for twopennyworth of whiskey. Witness served him with it, and he put water with it himself. He sat down in the bar for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. They exchanged a few sentences—not a great many. Deceased, who was quite sober, left the house about twenty minutes past four and went towards Bishopstoke.

Permitting Drunkenness—Ludwig August Hirtes, an elderly man, was summoned for permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises, the Princes of Wales Inn, Eastleigh, on the 19th March, and pleaded guilty. Police-sergt. White spoke to the defendant's wife being drunk on the premises, and Mr. C.A. Emanuel, who watched the case on behalf of the brewers, stated that directly they read the case against the defendant's wife in the newspaper they gave the defendant notice to leave almost directly. Defendant had been in the house about 27 years. The Bench ordered defendant to pay a fine of £2, to include costs, the Chairman pointing out that he was liable to fine of £10 and costs, and said that the best thing he could do was to get out of the public house. Defendant said he was going to do so. In reply to Mr Emanuel, the Chairman said the licence would not be endorsed.

BISHOPSTOKE. — FATAL ACCIDENT. — The Coroner (H. White, Esq.) has held an inquiry, at the Anchor Inn, Bishopstoke, touching the cause of death of Ludwig August Hirtes, whose body was found in the river near Mr. Budd's Mill, Bishopstoke.—The deceased formerly kept the Prince of Wales Inn at Bishopstoke, and was consequently well-known in the neighbourhood.—Charles Henbest, of Eastleigh, stated that about 11 on Sunday morning, the 24th ult., he was passing over the Mill stream bridge, when he saw something in the water, which, upon closer investigation, he found to be the body of the deceased, whom he knew. The body was quite stiff and cold. With the help of the Police the body was taken out of the water, and conveyed home.—Dr. Simmons said that there were no marks of violence on the body, and all appearances pointed to suffocation by drowning.—Sarah Jane Hirtes, the widow of the deceased, living at Stratford Villa, Hamilton Road, Bishopstoke, deposed that the deceased, who was 54 years of age, had been depressed lately and troubled about money matters. At time he took too much to drink, and had threatened to do away with himself. She last saw him alive on the morning of the 23rd, about 6 o'clock, when he dressed and went out. His head had been affected for the past two years as the result of an illness.—Police-Sergeant White, of Eastleigh, said that the deceased had complained to him of pains in the head, and had, at that time, an appearance of wandering in his mind.—The Jury returned a verdict of "Found drowned."

BISHOPSTOKE

AN ACCIDENT—occurred here on Friday to a young man named Frederick Appleton, employed on the line at this station. Appleton was at work on the road, when the 1.0 p.m. train from Southampton, Salisbury, and Portsmouth, came through the station, previous to shunting off the Portsmouth part. By some means he stepped into the way of the train, which knocked him down in the 4-feet, fortunately clear of the rails, and the whole train passed over him. He was at once sent to the Hants County Hospital, Winchester, where it was found that beyond a severe shaking, and a bruise on the back part of the head, he had not received any serious injury. He is now progressing favourably.

Frederick Appleton, bricklayer, Eastleigh, said the plaintiff, just before the accident, seemed bewildered. He did not see Cook raise his whip to strike the plaintiff.

"Thomas Young, an elderly man, was brought up on remand charged, as reported in our last issue, with having wilfully set fire on the previous Saturday to a large stack of hay, the property of Mr. William Booker, Morant's Court Farm, Chevening."

CHIPSTEAD FARMER'S PASSING

MR. WILLIAM BOOKER.

There will be a very large number of people, both in local agricultural circles and in private walks of life, who will regret the passing of Mr. William Booker, of Froghall Farm, Chipstead, who died on Wednesday last week at the age of 78.

Mr. Booker, who had farmed at Froghall for some 40 years, was born at Dunton Green, and had spent the whole of his life in the neighbourhood, his father having occupied Morants Court Farm for many years.

Mr. Booker always took a keen and active interest in the work of Chevening Church, and both before and during the time the Rev. Roland Streatfeild was rector of the parish he was a churchwarden, an office he filled for a long period, while he also served for some time as a Parish Councillor. Mr. Booker, who was predeceased by his second wife by some 18 months, leaves two sons and one daughter (who is in Buenos Aires).

The Rev. Roland Streatfeild conducted the choral funeral service at Chevening Church on Saturday, when the congregation included a large number of farming and other friends of the later Mr. Booker. Mr. W.K. Duckett presided at the organ and accompanied the singing of the hymns: "Let Saints on earth in concert sing" and "Abide with me," the service also including the 23rd Psalm and the Nunc Dimittis.

The immediate mourners were Mr. William Booker (son), Mr. Tom Booker (grandson), Mr and Mrs. G. Booker (son and daughter-in-law), Miss A. Booker (sister), Mr. George Booker (brother), Mr. and Mrs. H. Booker (brother and sister-in-law), Mr. and Mrs. C. Elwin (brother-in-law and sister), Mrs. J. Booker (niece). Among those also present at the church were Mr. J. Bizard (Dunton Green), Mr. A.G. Shorey, Mr. G. Alderson (Brasted), Mr. R.H. Dark, Sir Edward Meyerstein, Major R.P. Birchenough, Mrs. E. Brett (Dover) and many other friends.

Included in the many wreaths were tributes from the local branch of the National Farmers' Union, of which Mr. Booker had been a member, and from Sir Edward Meyerstein, whose tenant he had been for so many years.

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. J.C. Heath, Riverhead.

The family wish to return grateful thanks for kind sympathy, also for the beautiful flowers.