South Eastern Gazette, 14 August, 1860.

TO PUBLICANS AND OTHERS.

TO BE DISPOSED OF, THE "PARK TAVERN," DEAL. Satisfactory reasons given for leaving. Immediate possession can be had, if required.

For particulars apply in the premises.

South Eastern Gazette, 16 October, 1860.

Offences by the Military.

Robberies by soldier have recently become matters of almost every day occurrence in this town, the Royal Irish, in particular, having earned an unenviable notoriety by their plundering propensities. On Saturday night, about eight o'clock, 16 sovereigns, two shirts, and a pair of trowsers were stolen from "Park Tavern," in Park street, the property of the new landlord, Mr. Prior. While the landlord was engaged at the bar, with several customers, a soldier made his way up stairs, and speedily decamped with a box, containing the clothes, and a leather purse with the sovereigns enclosed. He was seen to leave the house by Mr. Bingham, an opposite neighbour, who communicated with the landlord, and a speedy search for the thief by the police and a picquet, aided by several of the inhabitants, took place, but with no other result than the recovery of the shirts and trousers, found in a field near the Railway bridge; three soldiers, however, were taken into custody on suspicion.

South Eastern Gazette, 23 October, 1860.

Robbery by Soldiers.

At the petty sessions on Monday Thomas Horrigan, Hamman Gardside, Charles Brett, and James Finnissey, soldiers in the 2nd battalion of the 7th Fusiliers, were charged with stealing a cash box, containing £16 in gold, from the "Park Tavern," in Park-street, the property of Mr. Charles Pryor.

Ann Longman Smith deposed:— I am a widow. I was at the "Park Tavern," in Deal, on Saturday, as housekeeper to Mr. Pryor during his wife’s absence. I had been there the whole day. Soon after eight o’clock in the evening, a neighbour (Mr. Bingham) came in and asked if I had missed anything, as he had seen a soldier leave the back of the house who had something under his arm. I consequently went upstairs directly to look, and then discovered that a great many things had been removed from the upper rooms down on to the landing. I searched further, and found that a small trunk covered with paper was also gone, and a brooch, with a miniature in it, had been taken from a table in Mr. Pryor’s room. I saw the four prisoners in the house during the evening. I saw Gardside at the bar several times in a few minutes, apparently for the purpose of engaging our attention. This was just before Mr. Bingham came in. Anybody might go up stairs, either from the tap-room or from the passage in front, without being seen.

Charles Pryor deposed:— I am the landlord of the "Park Tavern." The four prisoners were in the house in the evening. About eight o’clock Mr. Bingham told us about a soldier going out of the back way, with a box. I then missed a small trunk, containing a pair of cloth trousers, two shirts, a waistcoat, a necktie, and a leather purse containing sixteen sovereigns. The pieces of trunk and wearing apparel, now produced, I identify as my property. I last saw the trunk about five o’clock on Saturday evening. It was kept in my bed-room. I do not usually leave my bed-room door unfastened, but on the present occasion, it was so. I saw one of the four prisoners in the house after eight o’clock; but I don’t recollect which.

James Wilkinson deposed:— I am a private in the 1st battalion of the 12th Regt. On Saturday night I came to Deal to post a letter, and hearing some beer was being given away at the "Park Tavern," I went up there about a quarter to six and went into the tap-room, where I saw the four prisoners. They asked me if I would have a game of cards, and I did so. On coming out I saw the four prisoners in the passage. Finnissey came near where I was and asked for some beer. I stopped in the same room for some time, and on coming out again I saw the prisoner Horrigan coming down the stairs with a box, now produced, under his arm. I then saw the prisoner Brett coming down the stairs after him. I then went into the tap-room to tell the master of the house what I had seen. I could not see him, when Finnissey came to me and asked what I was looking for. I said for the master. He then said "I know what you are looking for him for, and if you tell you will get your head broken." I then went to the bar and told the master.

Gardside was dismissed. The other prisoners were committed for trial at the sessions.

From the Kentish Gazette, 23 October, 1860.

DEAL. STEALING A CASH BOX AT THE PARK TEVERN.

At the police court yesterday (Monday) week (before Charles Chaplin, Mayor, John Iggulden, Esq., E. Brown, Esq., Wm. Nethersole, Esq., and H. W. Harvey, Esq.), four soldiers of the 2nd Battalion 7th Fusiliers, named Thomas Horrigan, 20, Hammond Gardside, 21, Charles Brett, 20, and James Finnisaey, 20, were brought up charged with assisting in stealing a cash box containing £16 in gold, from the "Park Tavern," in Park street, Deal, the property of Mr. Charles Pryor.

Charles Pryor deposed:- I am the landlord of the "Park Tavern," and was there on Saturday last. There were several soldiers passing out and in the house all the evening. I am sure that the four prisoners were some of them; but I cannot say whether they were together or not. About eight or a little after, Mr. Bingham came to the house and gave information about a soldier going out by the back way with a box. On searching, I missed a small trunk containing a pair of cloth trousers, two shirts, a waistcoat, a necktie, and a leather purse containing sixteen sovereigns. The pieces of trunk and wearing apparel now produced I identify as my property. I last saw the trunk about five o’clock on Saturday evening. It was kept in my bed-room. I do not usually leave my bed-room door unfastened, but on the present occasion it was so. I saw one of the four prisoners in the house after 8 o’clock, but I don't recollect which.

Benjamin Richard Eastes, sworn, deposed:- On Saturday evening last I saw three of the prisoners. Thomas Horrigan, Charles Brett, and James Finnissey were together in the tap room; they were sitting down playing cards together about eight o'clock. They had been out and in several times between seven and eight. I saw them go from the tap-room into the long room—they were in company. Soon after I missed Horrigan, but did not see him go. I afterwards saw Brett standing against the passage door post, which is about a yard and a half from the foot of the stairs. I think he was there five or ten minutes when I missed him, but did not see him go. I then saw Finnissey occupy the same spot. Shortly after Mr Bingham came in, when Finniasey was still there. Gardside came in and made a disturbance about some beer, and he was still in the house when Mr. Bingham came in. Soon after the other three went into the long room, Gardside came and made the disturbance Brett was aware that the passage door led upstairs, as I employed him a short time since to hang a bell there. As soon as I found a robbery had been committed I gave information to the military and civil police, and afterwards went to the barracks, where Horrigan was, after saome resistance, hand-cuffed and taken into custody. After Horrigan was in custody, I heard prisoner Finnissey say to a witness, Wilkinson, "you know nothing about it, but I know all about it."

After some other evidence had been taken Hammond Gardside was discharged.

Horrigan, Brett, and Finnissey were committed for trial at the sessions.

South Eastern Gazette, 23 October, 1860.

DEAL. Quarter Sessions. These sessions were held at the Guildhall, before J. Deedes, Esq., Recorder, on Friday last.

Thomas Horrigan, Charles Brett, and Thomas Finnesey, soldiers, were charged with stealing a box containing wearing apparel and money, to the amount of £16 in gold, from the bed-room of Mr. Pryor, landlord of the "Park Tavern;" also a brooch, the property of Mr. E. Easts, value 7s. 6d. The evidence bearing on this case is given in another paragraph.

The learned Recorder with great clearness pointed out, in his charge to the jury, the most salient parts of the evidence, and particularly drew their attention to that of the witness Wilkinson, who deposed that he saw Harris coming down stairs, with a box on the night in question followed by Brett, while Finnesley was standing in the passage; and also to the evidence of Mr. Eastes, who stated that Horrigan said to Wilkinson, in his hearing, "You know nothing about the matter, but I know all about it."

The jury, after a brief deliberation, returned a verdict of guilty against all the prisoners.

Horrigan four years' penal servitude; Brett and Finnesey, twelve months' hard labour.

We are glad to learn that £12 9s, 2d. of the stolen money has been found buried in a meadow in South Sandy-lane, by Superintendent Parker, to whose exertions, and the vigilant activity of the police in general, much credit is due.

Kentish Gazette, Tuesday 15 July 1862.

Deal Borough Petty Sessions.

Mr. Atkins called the attention of the Magistrates to the annoyance himself and others in the neighbourhood was subject from the proximity of "Park Tavern" to their houses of business. Mr. Atkins said he could not complain of the landlord, as what occurred was after his customers left the tavern, and therefore he could not control it; hence he considered that a house of that nature should not be permitted to exist so near the centre of the main thoroughfare of the town, and considered the licence should be transferred to some other more appropriate neighbourhood.

The Bench recommended that Mr. Atkins should attend the calls on the next transfer day, and then state the nature of his complaints, in the presence of the landlord, and it should have the serious consideration of the bench.