From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, 12 October 1861.

Maidstone Petty sessions. Tuesday.

Before the Mayor, (Charles Ellis, Esq.) and Robert Cooper, Esq.

Thomas Epps, of Brunswick Street, Maidstone, boot closer, was brought up on remand, charged with stealing a purse with it's contents amounting to 1s. 10 1/2d., four pawn tickets, and a small knife, the property of John Jordan.

Elizabeth Mary Jordan deposed that she was the wife of John Jordan, who is living apart from her at St. Faith's Street, Maidstone. On the third instance, she met the prisoner and asked him to walk home with her, thinking that she would give him anything to drink as she was not well. He consented and they went to the "Three Tuns" in King Street where she treated him to a glass of ale, and afterwards accompanied her home. When he entered the house he assisted her daughter in undoing her stays, and then in making some gruel. A young woman was there who sent for half a pint of gin, and she poured about half of it into the gruel, the young woman drinking the remainder. The young woman then sent for another quartern, which was found in the bottle next morning. After taking the gin she felt better, and on putting her hand into her pocket to get her handkerchief she found her purse was gone. The prisoner was then present, and she accused him of taking it, but he denied having done so, and made his way to the door, and ran out. She then went out at the door and call to some one to stop him, she then put on her bonnet and shawl and went out, when she saw him in the custody of the police, and charged him with felony.

P.C. W. Kemsley, deposed that on Friday morning, the 4th instant, he was on duty in Week Street, at the top of St. Faith's Street. As he was standing there he heard a door opened, and he listened several minutes when the prisoner came out of the house and ran up the street towards him, and he stopped him. He directly heard someone sing out "stop him," and he took him back. He saw Mrs. Jordan, who said he had stolen her purse and four duplicates from the mantelpiece. The prisoner said he had not got the purse. He then took him to the station house, where, on searching him, he found the purse produced the purse contained a shilling, one six-pence, two-pence, half-penny in copper money, and small knife, which Mrs. Jordan identified as her property.

This being the case, and the prisoner having been asked in the usual way that he had to say, pleaded guilty. The Mayor severely reprimanded him and sentenced him to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for two calendar months.