SECOND CASE OF SHEEPSTEALING AGAINST GEORGE HYLANDS

We last week gave a long report of the case against George Hylands, for stealing 10 (sic, it should have read 4) sheep belonging to Mr Thomas Ellman. Since that time, further particulars have come to light, implicating the prisoner in the robbery of the three sheep, belonging to Mr Stephen Grantham, from the Crink Field, Barcombe, also mentioned in the Sussex Advertiser of last week. The following is the evidence adduced at the examination which took place on Friday last. The first witness called was:

William Reed, farmer of Barcombe, who stated that he was in the employment of Mr Stephen Grantham of South Malling and that it was his duty to attend to the sheep in the Crink Field, in Barcombe. On the 21st April last there were 37 sheep, and on the 24th three of the sheep were missing.

Samuel Mepham, labourer, of South Malling, stated that he was also in the employment of Mr Stephen Grantham and that during the day he was at work in the Crink Field, in the parish of Barcombe, there were 37 sheep, - 18 ewes, 10 wether lambs, 6 two-year old wether sheep, and 3 rams; but on Friday the 24th April last, having occasion to go to the Crick Field about 6 o'clock in the morning, he missed three of the sheep, viz: - 2 of the 2-year old wethers, which were not marked, and one ewe, which was marked with the letter G on the rump, and the figures 12 on each side. The ewe was a very fat one, and it might have been eleven stone. Soon after the sheep were found to be gone, Mr Stephen Grantham and Mr George Grantham came into the Crink Field, and to them was Immediately communicated the loss. The skin afterwards produced was identified by the pitchmarks as having belonged to the fat ewe.

James Cozens, butcher, School Hill [Lewes], stated that on the 25th April the prisoner came to his shop, and brought with him two hind quarters of wether mutton, not detached, one hind quarter of wether, and one hind quarter of a maiden ewe. When the prisoner brought the mutton it was remarked by the witness that the meat was in good condition, and on asking him what the mutton might have cost him the prisoner replied a crown or thereabouts; the mutton was weighed and was found to be about nine stone; for this quantity of meat the witness paid 5s a stone.

James Moorey, fellmonger, All Saints [Lewes], stated that he was servant to Mr John Hother of Lewes and on the 25th of April the prisoner Hylands came down to his master's yard, bringing with him in his cart five sheep skins, which were thrown down apart from others in the yard. The prisoner only said he had brought five skins - no particular notice was taken of this, as all skins brought there by the prisoner were always entered in the account of Stephen Gibbs, butcher; and the skins in question had tiver [this may be a mis-print for liver; the liver-fluke is a trematode worm that infects the bile ducts of sheep] marks on them; and two of the skins were more stale than others. The skins were then subjected to the ordinary process of dressing, and remained in the pit until the 7th May, when Captain Bolton rquested me to show him the skins. I knew the skins by the tiver marks, and by this means I easily found them. The prisoner said he had brought the sheep at Hailsham, of a person he did not know.

No further evidence was adduced, and the prisoner was remanded.