From the Maidstone Gazette and West Kent Courier, 23 March 1830.

Horse Stealing.

Richard Christmas, 29, labourer, for stealing a gelding, the property of Ambrose Lettis.

This prisoner remained in gaol from the last Assizes, prosecutors name having been laid in the indictment as "Letter" by a mistake.

Mr. Erpinanse was Counsel for the prosecution.

Ambrose Lettis lived at Frindsbury. On the 30th September he missed a black gelding, and afterwards saw it at Mr. Okill's, at Dartford. It's been turned out on Hoo Common.

Harriet Hayes lived at the "Ship," Green Street Green. On the morning of the 30th, at 6 o'clock, prisoner came to the house for the black horse, which he put up, and came again at 8 in the evening. He had altered his dress, hat, waistcoat, and trousers.

Jon Jones, landlord of the "Ship," saw prisoner in the evening; he asked if a man had not left the horse there in the morning, and said, that the man had sent him to see how it got on. Witness called last witness, and asked her if she had seen the man before. She said, he was the man who left the horse in the morning; that made witness suspect he had stole it. Prisoner said, "I think the man told me to bring the horse home at Dartford." He also said, that the man had been at the "Eight Bells" all day. Witness then went for Okill.

Cross examined by Mr. Dunbar:- Witness did not see the man in the morning.

William Lucas Pearce, High Constable of Dartford, proved the distance from Hoo Common to Green Street Green, to be between 14 and 15 miles.

Death. Recorded.