Kentish Gazette, 1 July 1851.

James Jezard.

"Red Lion Inn," Sturry Street.

Near the railway station, 2 miles from the city of Canterbury.

Dinner's on the shortest Notice.

German spirite; fine draught, bitter, and other ales; bottled ales and stout, in high perfection; well aired beds; good stabling. Charges very moderate. Coaches and Omnibuses to all parts of the County.

Kentish Gazette, 28 February 1854.

ST. AUGUSTINE'S PETTY SESSIONS. Saturday, Feb. 25.

Violent Assault upon a Constable.

(Before Edward Foss, Esq., chairman, Wm. Delmar, Wm. Hyder, T. R. Mackay, W. Slark, and F. J. Percival, Equrs.)

Henry Sturts and Stephen and Edward Champs, (father and son) were charged on the information of Thomas Wood, with having a lawfully assaulted and beat him, in the parish of Sturry, on the 18th of February last.

The defendants said that they were so drunk at the time of the occurrence that they did not know what they did. The third defendant being absent, the case was then gone into, the answer given by those present being deemed testament to a plea of not guilty.

The complainant deposed as follows:- I am a constable, and live at Sturry. On the 18th of February last, I was sent for in haste, to go to Mr. Jezzards, the "Red Lion" public house, at about two o'clock. When I reached the house I inquired what was the matter, and stated that I was a constable. Sturts was standing outside the tap room door, and the other two defendants were in the room. Sturts said he would be quiet; at that instant Steven Champs rose up from his seat, pulled off his coat, and using an oath, said he did not care for a constable any more than for any other man. I had not said anything to him before; he then struck me a violent blow on the left side of my head. I had my staff in my pocket at the time, and I hesitated whether I should use it or not. Finding, however, that the defendant was coming with more force against me. I took out my staff and struck at him, but whether I hit him or not I cannot tell. He caught hold of me and threw me down in the room; when I succeeded in getting up again, I struck the defendant on the head. While I was defending myself, Edward Champs caught hold of me and tried to take my staff away. I was then ordered to put the defendants out of the house, when Sturts laid his hands on me. However, with the assistance of a neighbour, I succeeded in getting Stephen Champs and Sturts to the door, and closed it after them; the other defendant had previously ran out; whilst doing so Sturts grasped my staff and tried to get possession of it,—but I twisted it from him and struck him twice on the arm with it. The defendants tried to force the door open when they were in the street, and kicked violently against it. Edward Champs stood outside squaring up to me.

He said, "You -----. I will lay you straight for this some one of these nights." I then walked into the tap room, when Stephen Champ pushed his hand through the window, and challenged to fight me if I would go out.

By the Chairman:- I was summoned to the public house to quirt the defendants or put them out. They were all drunk, I believe — completely drunk.

James Jezzard, landlord of the "Red Lion," said the defendants had been in his house about ten minutes, or scarcely so long, when the asault was committed. They came in a horse and cart and called for some liquor; after serving then with it they immediately became noisy. He did not know they were drunk when they first came into the house, but as soon as he observed it he sent for the constable. The evidence of the constable respecting the assault was true, to the best of witness's knowledge and belief. When called upon for their answer to the charge, both the defendants expressed their ignorance of what part they took in the affray, as they were drunk at the time, and were very sorry for what had happened. In addition, Stephen Champs, in a piteous tone, said:— "I don't recollect being at the house at all, nor how I got home. All I know is, that when I reached my home I was covered with blond, and my hands were very much cut. I am sorry to say, that whenever I drink, I am mad with it.

The Chairman:- Then you should belong to the Temperance Society, and keep yourself sober.

After the Bench had consulted together for a short time, the Chairman told the defendants that if there had not been extenuating circumstances in the case, they would have been sent to the sessions for trial, on the charge of assaulting a constable while in the execution oft his duty; however, under the circumstances, the Bench had determined to fine them 20s. and costs, in default to be imprisoned for one month. Allowed a week for payment.

Malicious Damage.

Stephen Champs, one of the defendants in the previous case, was then convicted of unlawfully breaking a pane of glass at the "Red Lion," public-house during the assault, of the value of 1s. Ordered to pay the value of the glass, and 9s. costs.— In default, one week's imprisonment.

Faversham Gazette, 5 July, 1856.

STURRY. Death by Drowning.

Mr. John Johnson, master of the National School having been to Canterbury on Wednesday, as was customary with him, supped at Mr. G. Wood’s, draper, and returned towards home between 10 and 11, in company of Miss Wood, who also resides at Sturry, and at whose house he had had apartments the last two years. When near Sturry bridge he expressed a desire to have a bathe, the evening having been warm; and while Miss Wood went forward to get some things he required, he went in, and on her return she saw his clothes but not him. At an inquest held before Mr. Delasaux, at the "Red Lion," on Thursday, 26th ult., Miss Wood related that the deceased said when they had reached the small mill near the bridge, "It is a beautiful evening for bathing; the water is to clear, and I shall bathe;" to which she replied "Do so." He said he would if he had his cloak, and which she offered to fetch, and he requested her to bring with her a towel. Thinking he was only joking she did not return till after the space of 20 minutes, when she saw his clothes hanging on the rail, but not seeing him she felt alarmed, and went to the house of the sexton, who with two other persons returned with her. After waiting about two hours she went home, and his clothes were brought to her house before his body was found, and on being searched all his property was found safe, as she believed. She believed his death was accidental.

Edward Hogben stated that Miss Wood called him up at about one o’clock on Thursday morning, and in consequence of what she told him, he proceeded to the mill-pool, and on the rails near there, saw the clothes of the deceased, he was joined by his son, William Hogben, Benjamin Baker, and a surgeon named Twyman, and together they proceeded to search the pool. After about two hours they found the body of the deceased in the middle, where the water was seven feet deep. They got the body out. His belief was that the deceased was accidentally drowned. This statement was corroborated by the other two, William Hogben and Baker.

Mr. Jameson, surgeon, who was called in, on the discovery of the body, could render no assistance, as life was extinct. It was supposed that the bathing, when in so great a heat, produced cramp, and occasioned deceased to sink. His countenance was scarcely changed when taken out. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."

The Rev. C. Wharton, who took a deep interest in the melancholy end of this young man, telegraphed to his parents, who reside in London, and his father left instantly — with the double weight of sorrow, that while coming to view the corpse of his son, he could scarcely tell that he would find his wife, the deceased’s mother, alive on his return, as he left her in a dying state. The deceased was 23 years of age, and much respected by all who knew him; in proof of which, we may mention that when his loss was intimated to the children who had been under his care, there was scarcely one but wept. The Rev. Mr. Wharton, in dismissing the school for a few days until a successor be appointed, delivered an impressive address to the children.

Kentish Gazette, 15 February 1876.

ROBBERY AT A PUBLIC HOUSE.

At the St. Augustine's Petty Sessions, on Saturday last, before Captain Hilton (chairman), and R. E. Thomson, T. G. Peckham, F. Flint, J. B. White, and J. W. Z. Wright, Esqrs., James Epps, of Sturry, was brought upon a charge of stealing a coat and a pair of gloves, the property of Frederick John Stiff.

The prosecutor left the coat and gloves on a trunk in the yard of the "Lion Inn," Sturry, on Friday week, and soon afterwards missed them, and they were traced to the prisoner who was in the habit of loafing about the Inn yard. When the prisoner was taken into custody, he heard him deny taking the coat.

The prisoner pleaded guilty to the charge, and was sentenced to 21 days' imprisonment with hard labour.