From the Kentish Chronicle 5, November 1859.

ST. AUGUSTINUS PETTY SESSIONS.

(Before W. Delmar, Esq., H. Denne, Esq., and T. H. Mackay, Esq.;).

Frank Foster, a boy 13 years of age, was charged with stealing a pair of trousers under the following circumstances:-

George Bourne, carrier, of Chartham, said:- On the 17th instant I took a parcel from Canterbury, which was directed to Mr. Edward Shrubsole, of Chartham, When I got there I saw the prisoner Frank Foster, my nephew, and I gave him the parcel, and told him to take it to Mr. Edward Shrubsole’s. I told him to take care of it as it contained clothes. He went away in the direction. It was a very short distance from the spot where I gave him the parcel. On the 19th inst. I saw Mr. Shrubsole, who said he had not received the parcel. I went and saw the lad and said to him, "What did you do with the parcel?" He replied "I gave it to Mr. Shrubsole." I said, "Come with me then to him." He did not to like to come at first, but he went with me to Mr. Shrubsole, and Mr. Shrubsole said to him, "You never brought the parcel here." The prisoner then replied. "No, I gave it to Mr. Stevens." Mr. Stevens lives at the "Artichoke" public-house, which is near to Mr. Shrubsole's. I went to Mr. Stevens, and said to him, "the boy says he gave you the parcel." Mr. Stevens said he had not done so. I again asked the boy about it, and he then said "I went to Mr. Shrubsole’s shop and put it under a shelf." On the 24th instant I again saw the boy and asked him if he had found out anything about the parcel. He said, "No." I said, "I have waited long enough, and have offered to your fattier for him to make some arrangement." The parcel was directed to be left for Mrs. Shrubsole, at the "George and Dragon," Canterbury, in large letters.

Edward Shrubsole:- The parcel to which the last witness refers was not delivered to me or at my shop on the 17th or at any other time. I expected a parcel on the day with a pair of trousers from Mr. Denne of Wingham, tailor. It is usual for him to send his parcels for me to the "George and Dragon" in Canterbury, and I received a letter from Mr. Denne saying that this parcel had been so sent. I have made every search for it in vain.

John Stevens:- I reside at the "Artichoke, in Chartham, and superintend the business there. The prisoner never left me at the house any parcel for Mr. Shrubsole.

Police constable J. Hart: I apprehended the prisoner on the charge. I asked him, "Do you know what you did with the parcel." He said, "No." I asked him if he left it at Mr. Shrubsole's. He said, "No." I said, "Did you leave it at Mr. Stevens's." He said, "I forget." Then he said he had laid the parcel down against the mill and forgot it.

In reply to the bench, the police-constable said he had made every enquiry for the missing parcel, but had not been able to hear anything of it.

The boy's mother said he had told her that his uncle gave him the parcel, and he carried his coat with him at the time. He laid them both down for the moment while he gave another boy who was with him, some chestnuts, and then snatched up his coat and forgot the parcel.

The Bench asked why the boy had told so many falsehoods if this were the case.

The mother said she supposed he had told them for fear of being flogged for losing the parcel.

The Bench pointed out to the boy the dangerous position in which he was placed in consequence of the falsehoods he had told.

After some further enquiry, the Bench adjourned the ease till next Saturday for the production of the other boy referred to, and any further evidence that can be attained.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 31 May, 1862.

ST. AUGUSTINE’S PETTY SESSIONS.

SATURDAY. CHARTHAM: CHARGE OF POUND BREACH.

Alexander Avis, gamekeeper, to W. Stutfield Esq., was charged by Mr. John Bishop, farmer with taking some cattle belonging to Mr. Stutfield, but which had been impounded by Mr. Bishop, out of the pound at Chartham, on the night of Saturday, the 17th, or the morning of Sunday, the 18th instant.

Mr. Delasaux appeared for the complainant, and Mr. Towne for the defendant.

Our renders will probably remember that on several occasions recently, Avis, the defendant in this case, has instituted proceedings against labourers employed by Mr. Bishop for offences against the game laws; and it transpired that what the labourers did to subject themselves to those proceedings was done pursuant to instructions from Mr. Bishop. A great deal of ill feeling had consequently been engendered between Avis and Mr. Bishop.

Mr. Delasaux having stated the case called a labourer named Pryor, who deposed impounding the cattle, which he put in a yard on Mr. Bishop’s farm, he saw the cattle in the yard safe on the Saturday evening.

Mr. I. C. Browne, of Chartham Deanery, proved that the old parish pound used to be in Mr. Bishop’s yard, and since its removal the yard itself had been used for a pound.

William Fisher, labourer, deposed that he left the "Artichoke" public-house at 12 o’clock on Saturday night. As he passed Mr. Bishop’s premises he saw one cow in the pound and two out. The defendant Avis was close by and appeared to have charge of the cows. Witness asked him whose cows they were, but he said he did not know. Witness went to the railway gate to prevent the defendant driving them through, and he also called James Smith to assist him. Avis told Smith that if he attempted to prevent the cows going through he (Avis) would knock his brains out.

James Smith, the man referred to by the last witness, said that between 12 and 1 o’clock on Sunday morning he saw Avis with some cows near Mr. Bishop's premises. Avis threatened to knock witness's brains out, pushed him away from the railway gate, and drove the cows through.

It further appeared that, after driving the cows over the railway, Avis passed some men leaning on a gate, to whom he said— "If you chaps say a b_____ word about this I will kill you.” This was the case for the complainant.

Mr. Towne then addressed the bench for the defendant. He alluded to the fact that no evidence had been adduced to show that Avis took the cows out of Mr. Bishop's yard. He said be would pass that over, and rely entirely upon a legal question he was about to raise, which was that "cows" did not come within the meaning of the Act of Parliament under which the information was laid. He entered into a lengthened argument to support his view of the case.

The bench, after consulting briefly with their clerk, held the objection to be fatal and dismissed the case.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 16 July, 1864.

SHORT WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND FALSE SCALES.

A number of cases of short weights and measures and defective scales were reported to the Court by Mr. Mount, inspector of weights and measures for the Home Division. After hearing the circumstances the magistrates convicted and imposed fines as follows:—

Daniel Cozens, landlord of the “Artichoke” public house, Chartham, for three measures used as pints, fined 2s. 6d. and 8s. costs.