Dover Chronicles 9 October 1847.

Death.

Oct. 1, at Canterbury, Mrs. Matilda Bassett, landlady of the "Black Horse" public house, age 62 years.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 20 October 1860.

FATAL ACCIDENT.

On Monday morning an old man, named John Taylor, was killed by falling from a load of straw in the farm yard, Westgate Court, Saint Dunstan's. Several parties saw the deceased fall, and though the height from which he fell was not great, death was  almost instantaneous. The circumstance was quite accidental. An inquest was held the same evening, at the "Black Horse" public house, before T. T. Delasaux, Esq., when a verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 23 May, 1863.

CANTERBURY COUNTY COURT YESTERDAY.

An action was brought by J. B. Woodward, a bill-poster, of Canterbury, against ____ Hopkins, a publican, for false imprisonment, and our readers will probably recollect that the defendant charged the complainant some short time with stealing some knives and forks, &c.

Mr. Towne, for the complainant, in his opening address, said that all was required was, that Mr. Hopkins should assert that he had at the present moment in imputation against the plaintiff. His Honour recommended that the parties should endeavour to settle the case, and Mr. Delasaux, after several ineffectual attempts, at least prevailed on his client (Hopkins) to accept a verdict against him of 20s. and costs.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 20 February, 1864.

A MODERN ALICE GRAY.

We stated in our last, that about a fortnight ago a decently-clad female, apparently about 25 years of age, obtained lodgings in the house of Mrs. Putwain, at Whitstable. She described herself to be a lady’s maid in the service of Colonel Rawson, Malsdenne Park, Teynham, gave the name of Emily Lawson, and stated that she had come to Whitstable for change of air. On Sunday week, having remained in Mrs. Putwain’s house six days, during which time she “faired sumptuously” at the expense of her hostess, the lodger suddenly quitted her apartments, taking with her two shawls and a counterpane belonging to the landlady. During the woman’s residence with Mrs Putwain, she never once quitted the house, except on the occasion of taking her final departure, and seemed almost to be suffering from religious monomania, spending nearly the whole of her time in reading religious books which she had brought with her. At about one o'clock on the morning of Monday this “soi disant” lady’s maid was seen by a policeman trudging along the high road from Whitstable to Canterbury. In order to avoid meeting the officer she sought the shelter of a cottage porch, but she was seen, followed, and accosted. She told the policeman that she was the daughter of Mr. Randall, living at Whitstable; that she had been on a visit to her parents and was returning to her place of service at Colonel Rawson’s in Canterbury. The policeman advised the woman not to proceed on her journey at such an hour, and offered to endeavour to procure her shelter in one of the cottages near. To this proposition she assented, and a cottager, to whom the officer applied, took her in, under the belief that she was the daughter of Mrs Randall, as above stated. On the following day (Monday) she pursued her journey, and reached Canterbury, where she quickly pledged the stolen counterpane. At night of the same day she entered the “Black Horse Inn,” and representing that she had just arrived by train, and therefore could not proceed to the residence of her father at Blean, who was a farmer there, obtained food and lodgings for the night, and left the next morning. Her story at the “Black Horse” was that she was an adopted companion of Lady Dundas. After these doings she was of course “wanted” by the police, and Supt. Walker, to whom the information was given, at once took steps to have her apprehended, suspecting that she was no other than the notorious Eliza Termaine, whose acts of imposture under the garb of religion, committed in this part of the county, and which led to her being sentenced to penal servitude some few years ago, will be in the remembrance of many of our readers. On Saturday last she was apprehended at Houghton, near Faversham, by a police-counstable, and brought to Canterbury. On her were found a prayer book with the name of “Mary Walker” written on it, a Bible bearing the name of “Ellen Beach,” a church hymn-book, a book of songs, the card of an innholder at Egham, several copies of the “Child’s Magazine,” supplied to some one at Blackheath, and a large number of articles belonging to Mr. White, landlord of the “Black Horse Inn,” Canterbury. The prisoner is rather a stout woman, has dark hair, blue eyes, a particularly pale, flat face, and bears in indented scar on the forehead. She is dressed in a dark blue and black striped silk dress, a straw bonnet with brown ribbon and blue and red flowers, and carries a black muff and a fancy bag. When brought to Supt, Walker she refused to answer any question that officer put to her. On Monday the woman was taken before the county magistrates to answer the charge of stealing the counterpane and shawls from Mrs. Putwain, and committed for trial at the intermediate session. She is not the woman she was at first supposed to be, but she is wanted by the police in Surrey and other places. The robbery of Mr. White's property is a city case, and the charge will in all probability he preferred against the prisoner after taking her trial on the other charge. Superintendent Walker has traced a prayer book, and other articles found upon the prisoner, as belonging to Mrs. Walker, of Windsor. On writing to the Supt. at that town he found the prisoner was there about five weeks ago, and obtained lodgings in the house of at old lady named Walker, from whence she absconded stealing a pearl hoop ring, a prayer book, half a sovereign, a silk handkerchief, a pair of stockings, a blanket, black neck ribbon, a collar, &c. This charge will be preferred against her probably after serving the sentence passed upon her for the felony for which she now stands committed.