From the Kentish Gazette, 18 February 1845.

Capture of Swindlers.

A few days ago the inhabitants of Tonbridge were visited by two fashionably dressed persons, under the assumed names of the Hon. Captain and Lady Stewart. They took up their abode at the "Queen’s Arms Hotel," and had not been long there before they called at different tradesmen’s shops and gave extensive orders for valuable jewellery and clothes of the very best description.

The dress and appearance of the strangers were well calculated to lull suspicion as to their real diameters, and they succeeded in obtaining two gold watches, chains, rings, and pins of various descriptions, which were paid for with checks on the London and County Bank (a check-book of which the "gentleman" carried in his pocket), and filled up in the presence of the unsuspecting tradesmen, from whom he generally obtained £5 or £10, the balance of the amount of the check.

They carried on their depredations with great success until Thursday morning last, when several boxes were removed to the railway station, addressed to Mr. Dittmar, London, to be left at the terminus at London until called for. The removal of so many boxes caused some suspicion, and inquiries were instantly sent to London respecting the checks, when it was ascertained that the party was known there only as a swindler, several applications having arrived at the bank from various parts of the country respecting him.

On the return of the messenger from London it was discovered that the parties had absconded. An officer was despatched by the railway after the fugitives, who had walked a short distance from Tonbridge, where they had a conveyance in waiting, and in which they were driven off to Loudon.

On Monday, Moy and Bladford, of the M division, secured the prisoners at the railway terminus, where they had arrived to carry away their luggage. The whole of the boxes were seized by the police, and found to contain jewellery and dresses worth between £200 and £300.

On the male prisoner was found a gold watch and chain, a blank check-book of the London and County Bank, and 30 sovereigns. On the woman was also found another gold watch and chain.

They were taken into custody by an officer from Tonbridge, and conveyed back by railway to that place, where they will undergo an examination.