South Eastern Gazette, 10 April, 1860.

SECOND COURT.

(Before J. ’Eipinasse, Esq., Chairman.)

David Ritchie, a soldier, just returned from India, and wearing three medals and a good conduct stripe, was charged with stealing a hat and feather, value 10s., the property of Louisa Morris, at Chatham, on the 2nd inst. Mr. F. J. Smith was for the prosecution.

The prosecutrix lives at the "Duke of York" public-house, Chatham, which is a house frequented by soldiers, and she saw the hat and feather in the washhouse there, at six o’clock on the evening above named, but missed them at eight o’clock. Next day prisoner sold the articles to a woman named Mc'Cullum, who was in the habit of buying goods from the invalid soldiers.

The jury found the prisoner guilty, and the Chairman, remarking that it was a lamentable thing to see a person bearing such honourable marks about him forfeit the good character which they showed him to have borne, for such a paltry theft, sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment.