From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 25 January, 1867.

IMPUDENT FELONY

George Clements, a labourer, was charged with stealing from the shop of Mr. R. H. Forster, chemist, of Castle Street, two boxes of cigars, value 21s., and two "refreshers," value 1s. 4d.

The prosecutor said that on the previous day the prisoner came into his shop for a pennyworth of blue stone. He served him; but prisoner shortly after leaving the shop returned and said prosecutor had given him too much. He (prosecutor) therefore gave him a smaller piece, and retired to his desk, where he had been writing. He went on with his writing, and did not see the going of the prisoner; but shortly afterwards he missed two boxes of cigars, which were previously standing on the counter behind the shop door. He gave information to the police, who in the course of an hour brought back the cigars, with the refreshers or "vapourisers," which he identified as his property.

Ann Darton, the landlady of the "Lord Clyde" public-house, Priory Street, said the prisoner had lodged at her house for the past two days. On the day previous, shortly after two o'clock, the prisoner brought her a parcel to take care of. It was wrapped in brown paper, and she did not know what it contained, but placed it at the back of the bar. Shortly afterwards a police-constable came to her and asked he if she knew anything of a couple of boxes of cigars. She said she did not, but that a lodger of hers had a short time before left with her a parcel, and the policeman was welcome to look at it. On the constable opening the parcel she saw that it contained two boxes of cigars. On the policeman asking her if she could point out the young man who had left the parcel with her, she replied that she could, and took the constable into the taproom, where the prisoner was seated. On the constable asking the prisoner how he had become possessed of the cigars, the prisoner said he had bought them. The policeman then took him into custody.

Police-sergeant Stevens: About a quarter past three o'clock yesterday afternoon I went to the "Lord Clyde" public-house, and received from the landlady a parcel containing the boxes of cigars produced. The landlady pointed out the prisoner as the man who had left them with her, and I took the prisoner into custody. On asking him where he had got the cigars, he said he had bought them from a man in the Market, and had given 12s. 6d. for them. On searching him at the station-house, I found on him the piece of bluestone produced, and the box containing the "refreshers." On asking him where he had got the box, he said he bought it with the cigars. The charge having been taken by the Superintendent and read over to the prisoner, he repeated that he had bought the articles.

The prisoner, who had nothing to say in his defence, was committed for trial at the next quarter sessions.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 25 January, 1867.

BURGLARY

John Hickey and George Wilson, the first a private in the 70th Regiment, and the other a man who has been more than once previously convicted, were charged with burglarously entering the premises of Henry Moody's, St. James's Lane, and stealing therefrom four pairs of boots and one odd boot, his property.

From the evidence of Sergeant Barton it appeared that at half past six o'clock on the previous morning he was in Mill Lane, when his attention was attracted to the back of Mr. Moody's house by observing a shop shutter lying on the street. He passed through a narrow passage leading into St. James's Lane where the prosecutor lives, and he there saw just a shutter was down from Mr. Moody's shop that a square of glass was broken in the shop window, and that there were no shoes near that part of the window which had been broken. It seemed as if the show board had been cleared of all it contained within reach of a person's arm. He called up Mr. Moody, who, after the sergeant had been knocking about twenty minutes, came down stairs. He let the sergeant in and they examined the shop together. The shutters overlapped each other, and were not fastened by a bar upon the outside, but by bolts in both the end shutters. About ten o'clock Barton went to the "Lord Clyde" public house (late the "Anglesey Arms"), in Priory Street, accompanied by police-constable Geddes, and he there saw the two prisoners. He told them he had come to take them in charge for burglariously entering the premises of Mr. Moody, and stealing some shoes. Wilson said he knew nothing about it  and that he was in the barracks of the 44th Regiment all night. The prisoner Hickey said that he was in the barracks of his regiment (the 70th) all night. Barton then took them to the station house where the charge was entered. Wilson then said "I am not guilty." Hickey said, "I gave the shoes to the girl" (a witness to be examined). After the men were in custody, and before the charge was read to them at the station house Barton went back to the "Lord Clyde," where he saw the girl (Mary Ann Smith), who gave one pair of the boots which had been stolen from Moody's to police-constable Geddes. The girl was conveyed to the station-house, and the prisoner made the statements above recorded. Barton also said that between 12 and 1 o'clock on the same morning he was on duty in Townwall Street, when he saw the two prisoners in the neighbourhood of St. James's Lane, and going towards Moody's house.

By Hickey; I am certain I saw you. You had the collar of your coat turned up and a handkerchief tied round your neck.

In reply to Wilson he said he was quite sure of his identity - he had taken him twice for felony before. (A laugh.) He could pick him out of a thousand.

Mary Ann Smith, a woman of the town; I was at the "Lord Clyde," in bed, yesterday morning at eight o'clock when the prisoners came to the house. I came down stairs about ten minutes past eight. I then saw both the prisoners. They were sitting in the tap-room, and Wilson asked me whether I would have a glass of beer. I accepted the beer. I sat by the fire a few minutes, and the soldier put the pair of boots in my lap, and asked me if I would take care of them till the evening. Wilson was present at the time. I said, "The boots look as if they had been mended," and Hickey then said "Yes, I am a snob." (A laugh.) The men continued to sit there; and about half an hour afterwards the police came in, and saying something about boots they took the prisoners into custody. The police shortly afterwards returned for the boots, and I gave them up, and went with the constables to the police station.

By Hickey: I am a prostitute, that is true; but I speak the truth. Other girls were in the room when you gave me the boots - Lizzie and Polly; and they can say the same.

Police-constable Bailey; On Friday morning, between one and two o'clock, I saw both the prisoners in a stable at Ladywell belonging to Mr. Finnis. I took the lamp off my belt and put it in the soldier's face. I am quite certain as to the identity of both the men.

Henry Moody, a shoe maker carrying on business in St. James's Lane: My shop has not been opened since last Saturday - on account of the snow. I put up the shutters when they were last closed, and put in "pinners" at both ends. The shutters were old; and could easily be prized open. On Sergeant Barton calling me up yesterday morning, I went down and found that one of the panes of glass in the window of my shop was broken, and one of the shutters down. Amongst the boots I missed where three pairs of side springs, one pair of buttoned boots, and one woman's shoe. They were all standing near the broken window. The pair of boots now produced are one of the pairs with elastic sides. They are worth about 4s. The value of the rest is about 24s. I looked at the shutters after the sergeant called me, and saw they had been prized open. My shop was safe the night before last when I went to bed.

Superintendent Coram here asked for a remand of the prisoners.

The prisoners, who now declared that they were drinking at the "Rose and Crown" the whole of the night in question, were then remanded, and the witness Smith was bound over to appear.