Kentish Gazette, Tuesday 20 August, 1771.

Saturday as Richard Hussey a labourer, who works in Chatham Dock, was returning from Greenhithe, he was stopped by two men, near the sign of the "Falstaff" on Gadshill, who robbed him of 4 pence his hat and wig, and threw him into a ditch. He was soon after taken out by some people coming that way, almost suffocated.

Kentish Gazette 17 December 1802.

Chatham Dec. 13.

Thursday last in the afternoon, between 3 and 4 o'clock, as Mr. Thomas Howell, who keeps a public house at Gravesend, was coming to Chatham to pay his brewer, he was attacked by two footpads and coming down Gads-hill near the "Sir John Falstaff," who knocked him down and beat him in so unmerciful a manner as to break two of his ribs, and bruising in many other places; they robbed him of £40, and left him in the road helpless; a returned post-chase going to Gravesend coming up, the driver saw him lie, and his pocket book open by him. The boy got him into the chaise and drove him to his own house, where is he continues dangerously ill.

The next afternoon about the same time, as three men were coming to Chatham; two of them went into the "Sir John Falstaff" to light their pipes; one who's pipe was not out, kept walking on; when he came near the same spot where Mr. Howell was stopped, two men rushed out of the wood and knocked him down, and one got upon him to rifle his pockets, they took one pound notes and a few shillings, pulled hard at his watch but the chain breaking they missed taking it, for the man's companions coming out saw the circumstance and ran, the footpads seeing them, left their prey and fled into the wood.

Kentish Gazette, 23 November 1847.

ALLEGED POISONING NEAR ROCHESTER.

An inquiry, which has occupied Mr. Hinde one of the county coroners, and a jury, for several days, was brought to a close late on Friday evening, at the "Falstaff Inn," Gad’s Hill, near Rochester.

The deceased was a healthy woman, and on Tuesday, the 9th of last month, she was delivered of a child which is still living. Mr. Wiblin, a surgeon, residing at Strood, attended her. He saw her on Wednesday and Thursday, and he neither saw nor heard of any unfavourable symptoms. He considered her to be going on so well that he did not deem it necessary to call and see her on the Friday. At this period the nurse, Ann Caush, noticed a remarkable change in her state. She reached violently, and threw oft her stomach a slimy substance of different colours. During the day her mother, Mrs. Fisher who is blind and lives in Gravesend, visited her, and hearing the alarming turn her condition had taken, begged the husband to send for the doctor. She suffered considerably during the night in vomiting, and on Mr. Wiblin seeing her he found her in a state of collapse. She was apparently asleep; he touched her on the shoulder, and she awoke. He inquired of her whether she had any pain, and she immediately fell into a state of slumber. He ordered her such medicines as he deemed advisable and saw her frequently during the day, when she appeared in the same state. Gruel seemed to have been her principal nourishment; it was made either by the nurse or Mrs. Fisher, and it frequently happened that it was left on a hob in the adjoining room, with no one present, so that any person could mix anything in the gruel without the attendants knowing it. The nurse generally gave the unfortunate woman gruel when she required it, but the husband in the course of the Sunday night helped her to some, which she took. An hour or so afterwards, her state became more alarming. She was in a state of frenzy, and had jumped out of bed, and it required all in the house to prevent her injuring herself. Mr. Wiblin attended her. She was sensible to a certain extent. She complained of a burning sensation in the throat, thirst, sickness, and a pain in the region of the stomach. What was thought proper was given her, but she kept sinking very fast during the following day, and on the next (Tuesday) morning she expired, at four o’clock. Previously to this, Mr. Fisher had written to a Mr. Holmes, an appraiser and undertaker in the London-road, Borough, London, who was an uncle to the deceased about her mysterious change, and begging that he would go down to advise her. On reaching Mrs. Fisher’s residence at Gravesend, on Tuesday morning, Mr. Holmes found the husband of the deceased there, and heard that she was dead, hearing the circumstance, he immediately proposed accompanying him to see the corpse. They accordingly went. As soon as the husband heard of the parish constable summoning a jury, he decamped, no one knows whither. The result of the post mortem examination of the body of the deceased Mr. Wiblin detailed at some length. Externally he saw nothing to cause death; there was a large bruise on one hip, which was the only external mark of violence on the body, but it had nothing to do with death. Internally he found the throat much inflamed, discoloured and swollen; the stomach and intestines were considerably inflamed; there were recent ulcerations in the stomach. He took away the throat and stomach, and after applying the different tests, he discovered the presence of oxalic acid. He was of opinion that deceased had died from oxalic acid.

The Coroner then at some length summed up the evidence, and alluded to the remarkable fact that the husband of the deceased leaving his family, his home, his business his all, the moment an inquest was about being held.

The jury consulted for a considerable time, and then found a verdict of Wilful Murder against William Brown the husband.