From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 20 October, 1900.

DOMESTIC SERVANT CHARGED WITH LARCENY

???? ????, 17, domestic servant, of Little Mongeham who was charged with feloniously stealing a silver watch, a gold Albert chain, a gold locket, and a gold pencil-case, of the total value £3, the property of Irene Spencer, of Great Mongeham. on the 4th October.

Miss Spencer deposed that she was staying at "Mongeham Brewery" with Mrs. Edwards. On Thursday morning last, after breakfast, she missed her watch, which she had on when she came down stairs. The watch, chain, locket, and pencil-case were together, the two latter articles being attached to the chain, as well as the watch. She did not see them again until they were shown to her that morning by Inspector Ellender. She identified them as her property. She did not leave the house from the time that she came downstairs until she missed them.

Mrs. Edwards deposed that about a quarter past nine on Thursday morning she received information from her daughter that Miss Spencer had lost the things named in the charge, but she did not attach any importance to it at the time, thinking they were on the premises. Her daughter tried to find them, but could not do so. The matter was spoken about quite openly, and about 10 o'clock she asked the prisoner if she had seen the articles, in sweeping the passage, and she replied that she had not. That was her only answer. They searched for the things at different times during the day, and spoke about the affair in the prisoner's presence, but they could not find them, and the next morning witness gave information to the police.

By Inspector Ellender: On Friday morning prisoner asked if the things had been found, and said "I should think there must be a thief in the house."

Miss Evelyn Edwards, daughter of the last witness, stated that on Thursday morning, between nine o'clock and a quarter past, her cousin informed her that she had lost her watch and chain. She looked for them for nearly an hour, but could not find them. About ten minutes after the things had been missed she asked the prisoner to give the watch and chain to Miss Spencer, if she found them, as she had been sweeping in the rooms Miss Spencer had been in. Prisoner said that she would do so, giving a sort of general assent to what witness had said. The next morning a policeman was sent for.

P.C. Handford deposed that about 10 a.m. the previous day he received information from Mrs. Edwards respecting a watch and chain missing from her house. From enquiries he made he asked to see the prisoner, whom he saw in the presence of Mrs. Edwards. he cautioned the prisoner, and asked her if she was aware that a watch and chain were missing from the house, and she replied that she was. He asked her if she knew where they were, and she said "No, I have never seen them." He told her he should like to look through her room, and she said "You can if you like." Asked if she would accompany him, she refused to do so saying, "I shan't come" She then said that the watch was at Mrs. Wright's - meaning where she slept - in a little black bag on the dressing-table. he proceeded to the house and in the prisoner's room he found the black bag on the table as stated.

By Inspector Ellender: The watch was tied up in a piece of flannel in such a way as not to be visible at first sight.

In reply to Mr. Burch Rosher witness stated that Mrs. Wright was not present, but she showed him the room and he walked in and took the bag. It was the upstairs back room.

Witness, continuing his evidence, said that he took the bag back to Mrs. Edwards's, and asked whose it was. Prisoner replied that it was hers, and on being asked how she accounted for the watch being in a bag, she said that she put it there. Witness showed the watch to Mr. Edwards, who identified it as the property of Miss Spencer, and he then charged prisoner with stealing the articles. She made no reply at that time, but about 10 minutes afterwards she said she was sorry she had done it. he took her into custody, and brought her to Deal Police-station. She also said "I found the watch and chain at the foot of the stairs" - meaning at Mrs. Edwards's house. "I only took it in fun, and meant to return it."

Mrs. Edwards, recalled, said, in reply to Mr. Burch Rosher, that prisoner had only been in her service a fortnight, and was standing in during the illness of her own maid. She knew nothing of her before, but she knew her parents to be respectable people. Her servants always slept out at Mrs. Wright's, she paying the rent of the room.

Prisoner was remanded to the Wingham Petty Sessions at Dover on the 18th October, bail being allowed, herself in the sum of £10, and her father - who seemed much distressed at his daughter's position - in a like amount.

From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 27 October, 1900.

DEATH OF Mr. D. M. HILLS

It is with deep regret that we record to-day the death of Mr. Daniel McIntosh Hills, the senior partner in the well-known firm of Messrs. Hills & Sons, brewers, of Deal and Mongeham, which occurred at his residence in High Street, on Tuesday night. Mr. Hills has not been in good health for some years past. he has been subject to somewhat violent attacks of asthma, which have caused him to be laid by from time to time, but he seemed to have thoroughly recovered from them. Latterly, however, symptoms of dropsy have shown themselves in the legs, and the heart has been affected, but the deceased gentleman was apparently about in his usual health until last Saturday week, when he was taken during the night with an acute attack of asthma. Dr. Roberts was called in, and he and his partner, Dr. Hughes, remained with Mr. Hills for three hours before he recovered sufficiently for them to be able to leave him. The attack lasted for about three days, and the patient then seemed better, although he was unable to lie down and has only been able to sleep seated in a chair since that time. he seemed to be rallying, although he has not been well enough to get out to take any part in the business, and yesterday his solicitor, Mr. Mowll, came over from Dover to transcript some business with him. he seemed quite himself, and his brother, Mr. Edwin Hills, was with him during the evening, leaving him about half-past seven, apparently quite bright. half an hour later he was called again, and on proceeding at once to the residence, he found that his brother had died suddenly. It seems that after playing a game of halma in the drawing-room, the deceased, in rising from the table, suddenly fell forward, striking his head on the table, and expiring instantly, the cause of death being failure of the heart's action. Deceased was in his 72nd year.

Mr. Hills had been a familiar figure in the town for many years, and the news of his death has been received with regret by the inhabitants generally. While he did not take an active part in public affairs, he was always ready to support any good object that would tend to the benefit of the town, and he was a generous contributor to many institutions in connection with the place in which he resided for so long. He was a very liberal-minded gentleman, and to mention any deserving cause to him was to secure for it a ready helper and one who would take an interest in it as well as become a subscriber to its funds. Mr. Hills's sudden death is particularly sad, as he had lost two brothers and a sister whose deaths occurred in a similar way to his own, and very much sympathy is felt throughout the town with the Misses Hills, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Hills, and the other members of the family, in their bereavement.

The firm of which the deceased gentleman was a member was founded by his father, the late Mr. Charles Thomas Hills, who came to Deal in 1850. His death occurred in 1854, and the business has remained in the hands of Mr. D. M. Hills and Mr. Edwin Hills ever since that time. The Mongeham Brewery was added to that at Deal about the year 1860.

The funeral will take place this (Saturday) afternoon, at Deal Cemetery, the first part of the service being conducted in St. George's Church, at 2 o'clock.