From the Southeastern Gazette, 10 July 1866.

FRIDAY — FIRST COURT. (Before Sir William Yardley).

Alleged Housebreaking at Gillingham.

George Spoofs, 26, soldier, was indicted for housebreaking and stealing two paper bags, and 16s., the property and moneys of Jane Penyouick, at Gillingham, on the 1st April. Mr. Barrow prosecuted.

Prosecutor was keeper of the “Canteen” at Brompton barracks, and on the night of the robbery fastened up the bar and went to bed, leaving about 16s. in coppers in paper bags on the desk. Next morning it was gone.

Andrew Cary, labourer, deposed that shortly after seven on the 1st April, when he was going over Dock Field, in the rear of the barracks, he saw prisoner with a towel in his arms. Prisoner went a little way and the towel dropped, and he saw a number of coppers and some pieces of paper. He afterwards saw a paper bag picked up.

Edward McMassey, employed at the “Royal Engineer” beerhouse, Bromley, deposed that on the afternoon of the 1st April prisoner produced a quantity of coppers, and the mistress gave him silver for five shillings’ worth at the rate of thirteen pence for a shilling. He (witness) also purchased thirteen pence for a shilling.

Sergeant Mathews said he was pay sergeant of the company to which the prisoner belonged. During the month of March prisoner was paid 3s. 6d. He did not receive more because he did not work on the garrison works.

Prisoner’s defence was that the money was won by him in gambling, and he called the orderly-corporal, the corporal of the guard, and two other witnesses, to prove that (so far as they knew) he was not absent from his room on the night of the 31st March.

The jury acquitted him.