From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 8 January, 1859.

REMANDED CHARGE OF BURGLARY

Edward Hoskins, James Jackson, William Bland, George Smith and Robert Wallace, Rifles, William Jarrett, licensed victualler, and Samuel Adams, stableman, were again placed at the bar, the first five charged with burglariously breaking open the premises of Miss Aaron, pawnbroker, Bench Street and Chapel Lane, and stealing there from certain articles of wearing apparel, and the other two with receiving some of the goods knowing them to have been stolen.

The following evidence, taken on the preceding Friday, was read over.

Edward Timpson, bootmaker, 1, Chapel Lane, examined - As I was entering the thoroughfare in which I live on Monday night, about five and twenty minutes to twelve o'clock, I observed four or five Rifle soldiers at the bottom of the lane, near to Miss Aaron's. I entered the lane from the Adrian street end, and immediately the soldiers observed me they separated, two or three going towards bench street, and to coming up the lane. Directly opposite the house I occupy there is a side-entrance, in the doorway of which these two placed themselves, one observing to the other, "I don't think they will see us here." I then went indoors and got a light, and on going to the front-door a little while afterwards, I saw them still standing in the doorway before spoken of. I then went to bed, but had not been there more than five minutes when I heard such a noise as would be produced by the wrenching of a shutter or the breaking of a door. Something fell upon the pavement, and in about two minutes afterwards I heard a noise resembling the breaking of a pane of glass, and then footsteps hastily passing up the lane. I should not be able to identify the soldiers.

Rosina Horneburgh, a woman living in Paradise Street - The prisoner Hoskins staid with me from Saturday till Tuesday last. We left the house together about twenty minutes to nine on that morning. I staid behind to lock the door, and he went across to the "Cooper's Arms," which is just opposite the house in which I live. On following him, I found him in the tap-room with four other Rifles. I identified the four other prisoners as those men. We drank a pint of beer at the bar, and I then advised him to go home. He said, however, that he would "double" it, and Bland at that moment called out, "Wait a bit, Teddy, I want you." Hoskins then returned to the tap-room with Bland, and afterwards called for half-a-gallon of beer, to treat the "boys" as he called them. That was "scored" to Hoskins account. I again wished him to go home, but he refused and said, "Do you wish me to go and lie in the guard-room all day?" I replied, Do as you like." After that, more beer was ordered, and I noticed that the landlord Jarrett had the black silk scarf and the spotted brown one in his hand. He said to me, "Rosy, the Riflemen have found these scarfs, and they want me to give them some beer on them." I looked at them and said, "This one (meaning the black one) is very well, but the other is of no use to you; it is fit for a gentleman." Jarrett then said, "What do you think they are worth?" I replied, "I don't know; but if you will wait till by and by, I will go and pawn them." Jarrett then said he would let the prisoners have beer to the value of 5s. on them. The prisoners afterwards continued drinking, and I occasionally drank with them. They had drink to the amount of 6s. 6d. Other Riflemen came in during the morning and were asked to drink by the prisoners; and Hoskins and Bland afterwards left the house together, and were absent about a quarter of an hour as nearly as I can recollect, but the truth is I was not very sober by that time and I do not clearly remember. When I first saw the prisoners Bland, Jackson, Smith and Wallis, they appeared cold and miserable, as if they had been up all night.

My the Mayor - The value of the brown scarf alone I should estimate at 7s. 6d.

Eliza Hammond, landlady of the "Londonderry Arms" - About half-past nine and asked for the landlord. I said he was not at home, and he then went out, but came back in two or three minutes and said he had some scarfs to sell. I said they were of no use to me. I am positive as to his identity.

Agnes, wife of Henry Podevin, Chapel Lane, said - On Monday night, about half-past eleven o'clock, as I was leaving my house, I saw five Rifle soldiers opposite. They went down the lane towards Messrs. Aaron's, and about half-past twelve I saw three Riflemen return. I could not identify any of the men, but I am sure they were Riflemen. On returning home at half-past three I saw that one of the shutters of Messrs. Aaron's shop had been broken.

Mary Prescott, single woman, living at 18, Albion Place, examined - On Tuesday evening about seven o'clock I was at my mother's house, 20 Limekiln Street, when I heard that a soldier had a shawl for sale. My mother told me to go and see who he was and bring him in at the front door, which I did. On his coming in, my mother asked him where the shawl was, and he said he would go and get it. He then left the house and was gone, as nearly as I can recollect, about two minutes. I watched him and saw that he went to three or four other Riflemen, and returned with the shawl in his left hand under the shirt of his tunic. He asked my mother to buy it, but she refused. On examining the shawl we found a ticket on it; whereby my mother said, "Why, here's a ticket on it; it's a new shawl." he then pulled the ticket off, remarking that it was of no consequence. He ticket dropped in the room, and was picked up about nine o'clock the same evening by police-constable Barton. My mother asked the soldiers where he had got the shawl from, and he could give her no satisfactory answer. She then asked him what he wanted for it, and he said he would sell it for 4s. My mother then said she did not think it had been honestly come by, and that she would not have i in the house for fifty pounds. The man, after that, left, taking the shawl with him. I again followed him and saw him join the others near Page's brewery, and stand there talking for a little time. They all then went down Limekiln Street as far as the lane near the "Two Brewers" public-house, down which they turned, and I lost sight of them. I identify Smith as the man who came to my mother's .I made enquiry of a young woman named June Carter, who was in the room at the time, and she said his name was Smith, and that he belonged to No. 5. company.

On cross-examination by Smith, the witness said that she fully believed he was the man, but would not like to swear to him.

The woman Carter was then called, and said - I was at the "Plume of Feathers," Limekiln Street, about seven o'clock on Tuesday evening. He prisoner Wallis asked me to come downstairs. Smith was standing at the bottom. They asked me if I would buy a shawl, but I said I could not, as I had not sufficient money by me. They then asked me if I would go and pledge it for them, but I refused. I asked Wallis how he came by it, as a soldier he would never honestly come by a shawl, and he replied that he came by it honestly enough, and that it was his own. I then went to the house of the last witness's mother, Mrs. Tolney. I told her a soldier had a shawl for sale, and the last witness then went out and returned with the prisoner Smith.

William Robinson, sergeant in the 4th battalion 60th Rifles, examined - The prisoners Hoskins, Bland, Smith, Jackson, and Wallis, were absent from barracks at tattoo on the 27th, and did not return until 8 or 9 on the evening of the 28th, when they were brought in one by one by the picket.

It was at this stage of the proceedings that the prisoners were further remanded till Monday, and the following additional evidence was now added:-

Edmund Boulding, the assistant, whose evidence was taken at the first examination, identified four scarf's and two shawls produced by police-constable King, as the property of Miss Aaron, and said they were in the window on the evening of the 27th, close to the pane that was subsequently broken.

My the Mayor - The value of the spotted scarf and the black silk handkerchief (purchased by Jarrett) is 5s. 6d.

Eliza Hambrook re-examined - Another soldier was with the prisoner Hoskins when he came to me the first time. They both wore the Rifle uniform. The second time Hoskins came alone. I should not know the second man again.

Boulden - The value of the whole of the articles now produced I make to be £4. The ticket produced by police-constable Barton (taken off the shawl offered for sale at the house of Mrs. Tolney by the prisoner Smith) was upon one of the scarf's that are missing. The shawl has not yet been recovered.

Police-constable Thomas Stokes Barton examined - On Tuesday evening last, 28th Dec., from information I received I proceeded, accompanied by police-constable Bayley, to No. 20, Limekiln Street, a coffee shop, kept by Mrs. Tolney (the mother of the witness Prescott). I there learned that a soldier had been there to offer a shawl for sale, and on searching the room I found the ticket I now produce. On the following day I proceeded to the Western Heights, in company with sergeant Geddes an police-constable Bayley, to apprehend the five prisoners - Hoskins, Jackson, Smith, Bland, and Wallis. Owing to information I received, I went, accompanied by police-constable Bayley, to a cell adjoining the guardroom, on searching with I found, rolled up in some rugs and great coats, the two Guernsey frocks I produced. I also saw police-constable Bayley find two others in the same room.

Hoskins - Were we five the only prisoners in the guard-room when those things were found?

Witness - No, there were others.

The Mayor - Do you know how many others were there?

Witness -  did not count them, your worship; but I should think there were four or five others.

Police-constable Bayley said he accompanied the last witness to No. 20, Limekiln Street, and to the guard-room at the Western Heights, and corroborated his evidence both with reference to finding the ticket torn off the shawl, and the discovery of the Guernsey frocks at the cell adjoining the guard-room.

Corporal James Cawte, of the 4th battalion 60th Rifles - I was on duty at the guard-room, Western Heights, on the morning of the 29th December. I marched the prisoners Smith, Bland and Jackson out to wash themselves about nine o'clock. I observed that Smith wore a blue Guernsey under his tunic. I subsequently went to the three policemen inside and asked them what they had lost. They replied, "Some clothes," and I then admitted them into the cell of the guard-room. I had previously seen a dark plaid shawl in the guard-room on the same morning. That has not been found. The police searched for it about a quarter of an hour afterwards, but without success.

The prisoner Jackson - Was it not your duty to take that shawl way when you saw it in the guard-room?

Witness - No, not before reporting it to the sergeant major, which I did.

Jackson - Are soldiers allowed shawls in the guard-room?

Witness - No, that is the reason I reported it.

Heskins - Did you leave the door of the guard-room open from the time of seeing the shawl till you reported it?

Witness - No.

Hoskins - Did any one leave the guard-room after you saw it and before the room was searched?

Witness - Yes; two or three, with their great coats on their arms. - I reported it first to the policemen who were outside, and they then went for the sergeant-major and asked for leave to search the place.

Police-constable King - On Monday night, the 27th December, I was on duty in Bench Street. I tried the shutters of Miss Aaron's premises about ten o'clock and found them fastened. I passed several times during the night, but did not see anything to attract my attention till about four o'clock on the following morning, when I noticed that a panel had been taken from one of the shutters and a pane of glass broken immediately opposite. The panel seems to have been taken out by means of a chisel. The aperture was sufficiently large for a man to get his arm through. I immediately knocked up the inmates of the house, and went in and searched. Boulden, the assistant, was sent for, and on examining the window found that some shawls and other things were missing. Yesterday afternoon I was on duty, and on consequence of information I received I went to the chalk caves, at the back of the military hospital and near the road leading to the Western Heights, where I found the five scarf-shawls I produce, tied up in a bundle.

David Martin, greengrocer, Snargate Street, examined - I was in Oxenden Lane, at the back of the "Cooper's Arms" public-house, about six o'clock on the evening of the 25th. I saw a basket of shawls standing in the lane close to the back door of the public-house. The basked produced, with some string upon it, I recognised as the same. I took it up, and seeing a woman open a door close by I asked her if the basket belonged to her. She said, "No." The prisoner Adams then came along and said that the basket was his. I would not let him have it for two or three minutes, telling him to let it alone, and that I would give it to the police; but he repeated that it was his. Two Rifle soldiers then came up, and as they looked very black to me, I let Adams have the basket. He thereupon threw it into his own house and I locked the door. I told the police what had transpired, and afterwards went with them and saw them find the basket in Adams's house.

Emily, wife of Andrew William Samuelson, labourer - I live in Round Tower Lane. I have seen the basked, produced by the witness Geddes in the hands of the prisoner Jarrett's grandchild as she has been taking clothes to the bench to dry. I identified it by the string near the handle.

The usual caution having been read over, Hoskins said - I have nothing to say, only that I am not guilty.

Jackson, Smith, Wallis, and Bland, made the same statement.

Jarrett said - I have only to say that I know nothing of any of the good except the scarf and handkerchief, which I acknowledge having bought when Geddes first came to my house.

Adams made no reply.

The Mayor then committed the prisoners to take their trial at the next Maidstone assizes.

Jarrett made application to be admitted to bail; and the Magistrates said he must give four-and-twenty hours' notice of the names of those who would become his sureties. He would want two in £25 each, and must be bound himself in £50.