Kent & Sussex Courier 2 October 1891.

ANOTHER CHARGE OF THEFT.

Thomas Barrett, James Barrett, Thomas Wright, and Maurice Hennessy were charged with stealing a quart Pewter pot, two stone bottles, and two gallons of beer, value 12s, the property of Henry Bradford, at Brenchley, on September 28th.

Mrs Philadelphia Bradford, wife of prosecutor, said her husband kept the "Windmill Tavern," Brenchley. On Monday afternoon, a little before four o'clock, Thomas Barrett, Thomas Wright, and Maurice Hennessy came into her house and called for a pot of four ale. They stopped and drank it in the taproom, and witness afterwards saw them pass the parlour window. Witness went to see if they had taken anything as they walked away quickly, and she missed a quart pewter pot and two stone gallon bottles, which had been standing on a mangle in the cellar, and were full of sixpenny ale.

Ernest Hicks, labourer, of Brenchley, said he saw the four prisoners come away from the prosecutor's house. Thomas Barrett and Maurice Hennessy were each earning a stone bottle, and then all went towards Castle-hill. Witness afterwards saw the four prisoners standing in the road, drinking from a stone bottle.

Edwin Russell, living at Hill Top, Brenchley, corroborated as to seeing the men.

P.C. George Johnson, stationed at Brenchley, said at five o'clock on Monday he received information of the robbery, and went in search of the prisoners, whom he found in the road opposite Crook Farm, about a quarter of a mile from the "Windmill Tavern." He asked the prisoners for the quart pot, and they replied that they knew nothing about it. As they had got nothing on them, he let them go, but on returning along the road witness looked over a hedge and saw a bottle floating on a pond. Going a little further witness met the prosecutor's daughter, who said they had also lost two stone bottles. He then got over the hedge, got the bottle out of the pond, and found another bottle on the ground. He again went in search of the prisoners, and found them at Castle Hill. He took James Barrett and Maurice Hennessy back to the "Windmill Inn," and Mrs Bradford identified Hennessy as having been in her house, but she had not seen James Barrett. Witness then got assistance, and went and apprehended the two other prisoners, who were very drunk and could hardly stand.

Lord Bramwell:- What made you take the two you did first into custody? Did you think they were as much as you could manage.

Witness:- Yes.

P.C. Saunders said he went to the assistance of P.C. Johnson.

Thomas Barrett said they were all drunk, and he admitted that he drank the beer, but he denied that his brother was at the "Windmill."

James Barrett denied that he either took part in stealing the bottles or drinking the beer.

Wright said he was not guilty, and Hennessy said he would own he drank out of one of the bottles.

The magistrates sentenced the prisoners to one month's hard labour.