From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 5 January, 1867. Price 1d.

Edward George Beacon, Henry Swan, and James Swan, were indicted for having, on the 11th of December, 1866, stolen two live tame rabbits, the property of Alfred Godden.

James and Henry Swan pleaded guilty; and Beacon not guilty.

Mr. Rosher (barrister), instructed by Mr. Bathurst, appeared for the prosecution, and having opened the case, called Alfred Godden, who said he was the prosecutor, and kept the “Bull” public-house, in Tanner-street. On the evening of Saturday, Dec. 15, between 5 and 6 o'clock, he had two rabbits safe in a hutch in a garden at the back of his house. The garden was walled-in, and the gate kept locked, and any one entering the garden must have got over the wall, as the gate was not forced open. On the following morning the police asked him if he had lost two rabbits. He went to the hutch, and found that the two rabbits he had seen there on the previous evening were gone. The constable showed him two rabbits, and he identified them as his property. The skins produced were those of the two rabbits belonging to him.

P.C. Creed said that on the night of the 15th Dec., at 12 o'clock, he saw the three prisoners leave the “Bull” together. At one o'clock he met James Swan, took him into custody, and found upon him a rabbit. In consequence of that he went to where the prisoners Swan lived, and there found Beacon and Henry Swan in bed together. He then searched the premises, and found another rabbit in a cupboard in the front room. Both rabbits were dead, but quite warm. The skins were those produced.

Supt. White deposed that when the prisoners were taken into custody he took possession of their boots. On Sunday morning, Dec. 16, he took the boots to the prosecutor's garden, and found that those belonging to Beacon, especially that belonging to the right foot, corresponded with marks in the soil, and to the best of his belief that was the boot which had made the impressions. The boots had nails in them, but they were covered with mould, and could not, therefore, make impressions, but the boots corresponded with the marks exactly in size and shape. Sergeant Fowler and the prosecutor were present when he made the comparison.

Sergt. Fowler and the prosecutor gave corroborative evidence.

The prisoner Beacon, on being called upon for his defence, produced one of his boots, and asked the jury if they thought such a boot as that, specked and nailed as it was, could possibly make an impression without showing the nails and specks. He believed they would almost make an impression on the Market Place. (Laughter.) The impression in the soil only corresponded with his boot in size, but there might be, and no doubt were, plenty of other boots in Faversham the same size as his.

The Recorder then proceeded to sum up the evidence, after which the Jury consulted, but being unable to arrive at a verdict they retired. After about a quarter of an hour's absence, they returned into Court with a verdict of acquittal.

The three prisoners were then indicted for having on the 16th December, stolen two fowls, the property of Thomas Hudson, of Fielding Street.

Mr. Rosher prosecuted.

All three prisoners pleaded “Not Guilty.”

Thomas Hudson, the prosecutor, said he resided in Fielding Street. He kept fowls in a house in his back garden; on the night of Dec. 15th, there were six safe there, and on the following morning two of them - a cock and a hen - were gone. He attended before the magistrates, when two dead fowls were produced, which were his property, and the two he had lost. The heads and feet now produced were those of the same fowls.

By the Recorder:- When he missed the fowls he saw foot marks on the garden as if some one had jumped over the wall from the orchard adjoining. His back premises and those of the “Bull” were separated only by the orchard.

P.C. Creed deposed that at one o'clock on the morning of December 16th, he met prisoner James Swan. He noticed something bulky about him, and asked him what he had got: he said, “Nothing.” Witness put his hand under his coat and took the cock fowl from him. He afterwards went to the house where prisoner resided, and on searching found the hen fowl in the privy, in the yard, which belongs to that house and another. He also found Beacon and Henry Swan in bed together.

Superintendent White deposed that on the morning of Sunday, December 16th, he compared James Swan's boots with some foot marks in the prosecutor's garden, close to the fowl house. In the right shoe there were two or three nails missing, and the marks exactly corresponded. He afterwards told James Swan about it, and he said, “It is all right; we were all there; we were all in it.”

P.S. Fowler proved comparing Henry Swan's boots with other marks. The boots were old and without nails, bat they corresponded in size and shape with the marks.

The prisoners were then called on for their defence. Beacon, addressing the jury in a systematic and bold manner, said the only evidence against him was that he was seen to leave the “Bull” in company with the other prisoners and that he was found in bed with one of them. With regard to the first point, it happened to be Saturday night, and a number of others left the “Bull” at the same time, for it being twelve o'clock they were all turned oat. Then with regard to his being in bed with Henry Swan, that could be easily explained. When he went to his lodgings he found they all had gone to bed and not wishing to disturb them he went to Swan's and turned in with him.

Henry Swan said he was not near the prosecutor's house on the night in question within ten rods.

James Swan said he was not over the wall nor near the fowl house.

The Recorder carefully summed up, and the jury, after a brief deliberation, returned a verdict of guilty against all the prisoners.

In reply to the Court Superintendent White said Beacon had once been convicted of an assault on the police, and James Swan, when a boy, was convicted of being on premises for an unlawful purpose. This was all he knew against the prisoners.

The Recorder, in passing sentence, said he should not take into consideration the convictions just mentioned by the Superintendent, but only the offence with which the prisoners were now charged. There was no doubt the jury had come to a very proper conclusion, and there was no doubt also that after the prisoners left the public house on the night in question the prisoners stayed out for the purpose of plundering and getting what they could, which was a most serious matter. It was grievous indeed to see young men like the prisoners occupying such a position as that in which they then stood, but he sincerely hoped they would now take warning and when they came out of prison they would endeavour to get honest livings. The sentence he should pass upon them would be comparatively light, namely, that Jas. and Henry Swan for stealing the rabbits, be imprisoned with hard labour for 14 days, and that for stealing the fowls all three prisoners be imprisoned with hard labour for 3 months, the two sentences in the case of the prisoners Swan to commence at the same time.

The proceedings then terminated and the Court rose.

From the Whitstable Times, 2 February 1867. Price 1d.

(Before the Mayor and H. Fielding, Esq.)

ROBBERY AT THE BULL PUBLIC HOUSE

Two woman, named Elizabeth Clark and Jeanette Hilton, wore charged with having stolen a sheet, the property of Alfred Godden, landlord of the “Bull” in Tanner Street.

Emma Jane Godden, daughter of the prosecutor, said that the prisoners were lodging at her father's house on Friday the 25th January. She missed a sheet from one of the rooms on the evening of that day. It was safe m the room at half-past two in the afternoon. The sheet was not in the bed room in which prisoners slept, but the door was unlocked and the room accessible. The sheet produced was the one she missed.

Mary Ann Allison deposed that on Saturday the prisoner Hilton came to her house and ordered the sheet produced for sale. She said she would take 2s. for it. Prisoner Clarke subsequently came in and said she would take 2s. for it, and afterwards 1s. 6d. Witness refused to purchase it, and then prisoner offered it to a neighbour for 1s. 3d.

Sarah Gutheridge said she lived at No. 7, West-street. On Saturday the prisoners Clarke came to her shop and asked her to buy a sheet for 1s. 6d. She at first refused, but prisoner appealed very hard, saying her children were starving for want of food. Witness at last gave prisoner 1s. 2d. for the sheet, and about six o'clock the same she handed it to P.C. Beale.

P.C. Beale proved that the sheet produced was the one he received from the last witness. The prisoners was in custody previous to his finding the sheet.

Remanded to the Petty Sessions on Wednesday next.

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 11 June 1870.

(Before E. Twopeny, Esq.)

James Allen, from Brentford, Middlesex, was charged, on remand from Friday, with stealing a quantity of articles, including a pistol, powder flask, and some other things, value 5s., the property of John Mitchell, master of the barge "Maria and Eliza," of Rochester, at Sittingbourne, on the 30th May.

Prosecutor stated that he left the vessel high and dry on the mud on the 30th May, and next morning, on returning to it, he found the cabin door prized open, and the articles in question missing.

Robert Rossiter said that he was at work in Mr. Chambers's brickfield at Teynham, on the 31st of May, when the prisoner came up and begged of him to buy the articles, first asking 2s. 6d., and afterwards 2s., for them. Witness bought them for 2s.

I.C. Kewell deposed that he apprehended the prisoner at the "Bull," at Faversham. He had had a little beer to drink.

He was committed for trial.