From Kentish Gazette 16 September 1769.

To be LETT and Enter'd on the 29th of September Instant:

A Large and Commodious PUBLIC HOUSE, known by the Sign of the CROSS-KEYS, on the DOVER ROAD, adjoining to the City of CANTERBURY; now in the Occupation of Mr. JOHN HUMPHRY.

For further Particulars enquire of JOHN PARKER, near the said House.

From Kentish Gazette 27 September 1769.

JOHN GILLMAN, Takes this Opportunity of acquainting his Friends and the Public in general, That he has taken the CROSS-KEYS on the Dover-Road, adjoining to the City of Canterbury, where he has laid in a Stock of exceeding good Liquors, and every necessary Accommodation.

An ORDINARY will be provided every Day at Twelve o'Clock. - The Favours of the Public will be gratefully acknowledged.

N.B. He also continues his Business as a WHEELWRIGHT at his Shop near the same Place.

South Eastern Gazette, Tuesday 4 October 1836.

Coopers Electuary for Piles.

Sold in pots at 2s. 6d. each.

To Mr. Cooper, Medical Hall.

Sir, - From the great benefit I have received from taking your Electuary for Piles, I feel it my duty to give my certificate for the public good. Having been afflicted for several years with the piles in a very distressing manner, I had recourse to many different kinds of medicine with no benefit until I took your Electuary; the first pot raised me from the grave, and by the time I had taken the second, the disorder left me; upon every return I applied to it with the same benefit, and by taking your Stomach Pills for the purpose of keeping it off, have had no return of that distressing disorder for nearly 12 months.

I am, Sir, yours, &c.

James Smithson.

Landlord of the "Cross Keys," Canterbury.

From the Kentish Gazette, 19 December 1843.

Robbery.

On Saturday evening last, a cart going from the "Cross Keys," Oaten Hill, Canterbury, belonging to Mr. Filmer, of Lower Hardres, was robbed by three men in the Old Dover-road, not far from the "Ivy House." The property stolen was a market basket, containing provisions, &c. value 20s. The robbery was effected by the men reaching over the back of the cart. The thieves, we are sorry to say, escaped.

Kentish Gazette, 5 October 1852.

Inquest.

On Thursday morning Mr. Delasaux held on inquest at the "Cross Keys," in this city, on the body of James Olive, a person upwards of 80 years of age, who retired to rest early overnight, after eating a hearty supper, but in the morning was found a corpse by his housekeeper.

Kentish Gazette, 1 March 1853.

ATTEMPT AT MURDER AND SUICIDE.

We have to record a most melancholy event which occurred in our city yesterday morning. George Worsley, a steady industrious man, aged 37 years, formerly a gardener, but of late occupied as a labouring blacksmith, residing in Nunnery Cottages, abutting on the Old Dover Road, attempted the life of his wife and afterwards destroyed himself, by cutting his throat with a razor.

A coroner's inquest was held on the body, at the "Cross Keys," before T. T. Delasaux, Esq., coroner for the district, when the following evidence was adduced:—

Catherine Knott, residing in an adjoining house, stated that she was disturbed in the morning by the screams of a woman and knocking at the wall, which she discovered to proceed from Mary Ann Worsley; and that on going into the house and proceeding up stairs, saw the wife on the landing — who said that her husband had cut her neck — she was bleeding much when seen by the witness. Witness sent for a surgeon, who, on his arrival, assisted the woman, and in the room adjoining found the husband in bed dead, with his throat cut. Witness had known deceased for nine years.

W. H. Bean, residing at No. 4 Nunnery Cottages, deposed to his having seen the deceased as described by the last witness. — Saw him on Sunday evening. — Had noticed, as well as the neighbours, the strangeness of his conduct for the last month; recommended him to have medical advice, which he did; knew him to be on the best terms with his wife — none more so — that he lived very happy with her and was much attached to his children.

Richard Penny, a smith, had known the deceased and worked with him for the last 18 months. Had noticed him in a desponding state. The deceased had told witness three weeks since that he felt very strange with faintness on the chest, and that he did not know what would become of him.

T. Saakey Cooper, Esq., surgeon, was called in to attend on the deceased and his wife at about a quarter to five on Monday morning. Saw the deceased in bed with his throat cut — the whole of the vessels were divided, which had produced instant death. Attended to the wife, upon whose person he found an incised wound four inches in length, extending along the upper edge of the clavicle on the left side. The deceased was taken into an adjoining room, and on the bed clothes being removed from the bed on which Worsley lay, a razor was found covered with blood, evidently the instrument by which the act was committed. He had no doubt but that the wounds were inflicted by the husband.

Mr. C. deposed to his having had an interview the evening previous to the event with the deceased, who complained of general debility and lowness of spirits, and that he felt incapable of performing his work.

As there was no doubt existing in the minds of the jury that the deceased was of unsound mind, the following verdict was returned:— "That the deceased destroyed himself while in a state of mental derangement."

By this sad event, six children have been deprived of their father, and the poor widow left in a pitiable state of physical suffering, distress of mind, and straightened circumstances.

From the Faversham Gazette, 25 October 1856.

Garrotting.

Richard Elliot and J, Rackaby, two privates of the 11th Hussars, were on Tuesday brought before the sitting magistrates, charged with having robbed Mr. Potter, butcher, on the highway, and used personal violence towards him; also with having stopped Mr. Norley, of the "Bricklayer's Arms," Stour-street, in this city, with intent to commit a like felony on him. Mr. Potter stated, that he was passing through the upper part of Chantry-lane, leading from Oaten-hill to St. George's-place, shortly after twelve o'clock that morning, when, as he was passing by the side of Paddock House, two soldiers came up to him; they did not speak — one seized him by the throat, and nearly strangled him; the other rifled his pockets, but he had only a few half-pence about him, which, together with some other trifling things, the robbers forcibly took from him. He (the prosecutor) then got from his assailants, and hastened away in the direction of St. George's Place, and the robbers went towards the "Cross Keys."

Mr. J. Norley deposed, that shortly after the time named by Mr. Potter, he was passing down Old Dover Road, and when near the "Cross Keys" he was stopped by two soldiers who attempted to rifle his pockets, and in doing so tore his trousers. He resisted the attack and struck them with violence, knocking one down, and having got released from them hastily made his way towards Riding-gate on his way home.

The police officers, on being made acquainted with the above outrages, were quickly on the alert, and in the morning, by the aid of the officers of the regiment, apprehended the men now charged on suspicion of having committed the offences. Elliott was sufficiently identified to warrant his committal to the assizes on both charges, but there being a want of sufficient evidence against Rackaby, he was discharged.

South Eastern Gazette, 7 August, 1860.

MURDER OF AN INFANT.

An infant only a few weeks old has been brutally murdered, it is supposed by its mother, in the neighbourhood of the New Dover-road, a short distance out of the city. The discovery took place under the following circumstances:—

Shortly after three o’clock on Friday morning last, as Robert Davison and another watercress seller were passing the hop-garden of Mr. Collard, near the New-road turnpike, they heard a peculiar noise proceeding from the drain, like the whining of a dog, but not attaching much importance to it, they went on to the place where they gather their water-cresses, and filled their baskets. On returning, at about six o’clock, their attention was again drawn to the drain, from which the noise emanated — as they imagined, from some unfortunate dog. They resolved, if possible, to release the animal, but to their surprise, upon removing the stone from the top of the drain (which is used to convey the water from the road into the field) they found a child, about six or seven weeks old, wrapped in a piece of old Cobourg, but having no clothing whatever on it. The poor little thing was taken to the police station, where it was found upon examination that a piece of broad tape was tied tightly round its neck. This was removed, and the child placed in a warm bath, under the direction of Mr. T. Andrews, surgeon. In a little time signs of reviving showed themselves, and the child was ultimately removed to the union-house, where it died in the course of the afternoon.

Steps were at once instituted, under the direction of Superintendent Davis, of the city police force, with the view of discovering the whereabouts of the supposed author of this brutal crime.

On Saturday evening, T. T. Delasaux, Esq., formally opened an enquiry as to the cause of death, before a respectable jury, at the "Cross Keys," St. Mary Bredin, Mr. H. Gillman being the foreman. The following was the only witness examined:-

Jane Harris deposed:- I live in Stour-street, Canterbury. Yesterday morning, about half-past eight, I went to the assistance of the deceased child, at the police station. It was in the arms of a man, who thought it was dead. I took it, found it was not dead, and put it into a warm bath. It partially recovered, and it was taken by me to the union-house, by direction of the relieving officer. This was about half-past ten. The child died between three and four o’clock in the afternoon. I don’t know to whom the child belonged. There was a mark at the side of the child’s head, and it had been very badly neglected. When I received the child, I found a piece of broad tape round its neck, and which, crossing the chest, was tied behind the waist. The tape went twice round the child’s neck.

The Coroner then asked the jury if they would like the surgeon (Mr. T. S. Cooper), who was present, to make a post mortem examination of the body, as the inquiry might turn out very serious, and imperil the life of some one. He (the coroner) would therefore suggest that the surgeon should be in a position to give them the cause of death, without the slightest hesitation. If he could do so without making a post mortem examination, why there was no necessity for him to trouble himself; but if he could not, then the sooner such an examination was made the better.

Mr. Cooper:— I think the exposure of the child would have been sufficient to cause its death, without the injury to its neck, which may have assisted it. There is no suspicion of any poisoning, likely to be detected by a post mortem examination. I would rather the jury would decide than myself, as to having the post mortem examination.

After some consideration, the jury expressed a desire to have a post mortem examination, and Mr. Cooper promised to make it at once.

The inquest was then adjourned until Tuesday (to-day), at four o’clock.

South Eastern Gazette, 14 August, 1860.

THE MURDER OF AN INFANT.

Adjourned Inquiry on the Body.

On Tuesday last, T. T. Delasaux, Esq., the city coroner, resumed an inquiry into the circumstances connected with the death of the infant found in the drain in the New-road, under the circumstances recorded in our last. The inquiry was again held at the "Cross Keys," St. Mary, Bredin, under the foremanship of Mr. H. Gillman. The following evidence was adduced:—

Robert Davison, of Grove-lane, Canterbury, labourer, deposed:— On Friday morning last, at about half-past two o’clock, I was going from Canterbury to Bridge in company with Samuel Carter. When we had reached Mr. Collard's hop garden, near the New-road, we heard a noise in a drain alongside the turnpike road, and believed it to be a dog. As we returned to the spot at about eight o’clock, Carter looked into the drain and said he could see that it was a dog. I then looked and saw that it was a child, apparently a few weeks old. We thought it was dead, and took if to the police station, but it was then found to be alive. We gave the child to a constable and then left. In going to Bridge we only met a policeman, and could not tell how the child came in the drain.

By the Jury:— The child was 3ft. in the drain. It would have been easy to push the child in the drain with a stick. The child was wrapped in a piece of black cobourg, and a piece of tape was tied tightly round its neck; the latter I untied immediately the child was taken from the drain. The child could not have been placed in the drain by a person’s hand.

Samuel Carker corroborated this testimony.

Charlotte Blackman, residing in St. Dunstan's, deposed:— My father keeps the "Star" coffee-house. Last Saturday week a woman, whom I should know again if I were to see her, came to my father’s house about ten o’clock at night with the deceased, whom I recognise by a mark on the left side of the head. The woman appeared about 30 years of age, of about middle stature, and had a respectable appearance. I conversed with her for some time. When the woman came to my father’s house the child had a white night dress on. She slept at my father's house that night, and left the next morning about six o’clock. She partook of supper, and had some milk for the child. She paid for all she had, changing a sovereign for that purpose. She went to bed about half-past ten. I did not see her again.

Mr. T. S. Cooper, surgeon, deposed:— About half-past ten on Friday morning last, the deceased was brought to my surgery by the relieving officer and Mrs. Jane Harris. I examined the child and found it warm and comfortable, and had it removed to the lying-in ward at the union. I saw it again soon after one, and it was still alive. A great change had then taken place, and the child wan evidently sinking. The nurse, by my instructions attempted to give it some milk, but it was unable to swallow and died shortly afterwards. On the afternoon of Saturday last, I made & post mortem examination of the body. I first opened the chest and examined the lungs and heart and found them perfectly healthy. I then took the stomach out and examined the small intestines, and there was nothing unusual in them. The stomach contained nothing but milk. I opened the head and examined the brain, but found no disease, nor had it received any external injury sufficient to cause death. There was an abrasion of the skin on the neck, which might have been caused by the piece of tape now produced. I am of opinion that death was caused by long exposure to the air and cold, to which it had bee» subject. There were neither internal nor external marks of violence that would produce death, or even hasten it.

Superintendent Davies, of the Canterbury police force, deposed:- From information I received with reference to the death of the deceased child, I proceeded to Ashford, and thence to, London, and made every possible inquiry, for the purpose of discovering the woman in whose charge the deceased had been. I left a description of her at all the police courts in London, but could gain no intelligence of her whereabouts. The superintendent mentioned other particulars, but the Coroner held that they had reference more to the woman supposed to have had possession of the child prior to its death, than to the death of the deceased.

itself, which was the object of the present inquiry. Under these circumstances, the coroner did not receive as evidence the detail in question.

The Coroner, in summing up, observed that when this inquest, was adjourned on the previous Saturday he anticipated a longer inquiry than had taken place, because it was then hinted that some clue had been obtained likely to lead to the discovery of the inhuman woman who had the custody of the deceased child, and who it was therefore assumed had placed it in the position in which it was found. No such evidence, however, had been adduced, and the jury had now only to consider the evidence that related to the death of the child. It was quite clear that no person, under present circumstances, could be implicated by their verdict, which could only be that of murdered by some person or persons unknown.

The jury assenting, returned a verdict of "Murder by some person or persons unknown."