From the Kentish Chronicle. 13 August 1859. Price 1½d.

The “Castle Inn” Coal Club had their annual dinner on Tuesday, under the presidency of Mr. Gunner, when a most excellent repast was served by Mr. Sharp, and highly enjoyed by nearly 50 guests. The afternoon was spent in a friendly game of trap-bat and the evening in harmony and unanimity.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 15 December, 1860.

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE RAILWAY.

On Saturday evening, Mr. T. T. Delasaux, coroner, and a respectable jury, of whom Mr. H. Good was foreman, held an inquest at the "Castle Inn," in this city, touching the death of Mr. John Mathar, a sub-contractor on the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway.

The circumstances which caused the death of Mr. Mathar will be best understood from the evidence, which we give in extenso. Mr. T. W. Hall attended to watch the proceedings on behalf of T. R. Crampton, Esq., contractor; and several other officials connected with the railway were present.

The first witness called was William Hardres, bricklayer, who resides in Rosemary-lane. On being sworn he deposed:- To-day, about half-past eleven o'clock, I was at work on the new brickfield bridge, over the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, in the parish of St. Paul. The deceased was also there and was engaged removing some earth from behind one of the abutments of the bridge. By some means the earth, about a waggon load, slipped from the rear of the abutment, knocked the deceased off and completely covered him up. Assistance was promptly obtained, and in about six minutes he was extricated. I ran for a doctor while this was being done, and on my return I saw the deceased, who was then quite dead The occurrence was purely accidental, and I do not think there were any means that could have prevented it. I have worked in many such places, but I never saw anything come down so quickly.

In reply to questions from the jury this witness said:—The earth was about nine or ten feet higher than the line, but there were no bricks stacked on the top of it. No doubt the wet weather had something to do with the earth slipping. The deceased might have been at work about half an hour when the accident took place. I am foreman of that part of the work.

James Clements, bricklayer, also residing in this city deposed:— I was at work with the previous witness when the accident happened, and what he has suited is quiet true. I assisted in getting the body out. At first I removed the earth with a spade, but on approaching the deceased's head I scraped it away with my hands. Just as we were getting the earth from the body I observed a slight movement, but there were no sign's of life afterwards. It was very dangerous to leave the earth in the state in which it was at the time. Brick earth, like that of which the sides of the cutting are composed is very insecure. The earth was cut nearly perpendicularly, but not quite, and it did not look safe. I did not tell anyone that I thought it was dangerous, but some of the men said it was not safe. Perhaps the remark would have been made if the deceased had not been killed.

The Coroner:— If you had considered it dangerous would you have continued at the work?

Witness:— Not if I had noticed it particularly. The other side was quite as perpendicular, and that is standing now, so there does not appear to be any accounting for the accident.

My the Jury:— The earth was not leaning or undermined at all. No attempt had been made to shore up the earth, although it was newly cut out. It was about 10 feet deep from the top to the bottom where the bricks were laid.

Mr. T. S. Cooper, surgeon, deposed that he was sent for to see the deceased between eleven and twelve o’clock, he found the body near the station of the Loudon, Chatham, and Dover Railway, on a truck on the line of rails. The deceased was quite dead, having evidently been suffocated. From the appearance of the body and the evidence adduced, he believed death was caused by suffocation. No doubt he had received sufficient injuries to cause death even if he had not been suffocated.

The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death."

We understand that the deceased has left a widow and seven children, but fortunately he had insured his life, only five days previous to the melancholy occurrence, for £250. He had also effected two other insurances amounting to £500.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 29 June, 1861.

INQUEST.

Mr. Delasaux held an inquiry on Monday evening, in the “Castle” public-house, Canterbury, on the body or Caroline Lucas, an aged woman, who was discovered dead in her bed. Mr. T. S. Cooper said that he had seen the deceased, whose body presented no appearance of external injury; and that the cause of her death, in his opinion, was disease of the heart.

The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the evidence.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 29 March, 1862.

CANTERBURY POLICE COURT. Monday.

Richard Glover, a servant in the employ of William Beck, landlord of the “Castle Inn,” Castle-street, was charged with stealing half a pint of rum, value 1s., 4d, the properly of his master. The prisoner pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 10 May, 1862.

THE TRAP-BAT CLUB.

These favourite resorts of the Canterbury citizens on summer evening have commenced their meetings. And in each case seem to augur well for successful seasons. The most ancient of them, the “Beverley,” held its first meeting at the “Beverley Arms,” St. Stephen's, on Monday evening, the 28th of April. The St. Thomas Hill Club, held at the “City of Canterbury Tavern,” opened the campaign on May-day. The “Castle Inn” Club commenced its meetings in the beautiful orchard of the “Castle Inn,” on Monday evening last, the 5th inst.; and the next evening (Tuesday) a good muster of the members of the “Harbledown Club” assembled on the tap-green of the “Coach and Horses Inn,” which with the pretty gardens attached, have been got into very nice order by the new landlord, Mr. R. Eldridge.