From the Kentish Chronicle, 6 February, 1864.

STEALING BARLEY, BEANS, &c.

At the Faversham Police Court, last week, Edward Coveney, Francis Gammon, and John Ford, were brought up in the custody of Superintendent White, charged with stealing some barley from Mr. Rigden's malthouse at Faversham. Mr. Henry Bathurst appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Johnson for the prisoner Coveney. The facts attending the apprehensions were deposed to, and the prisoners were all remanded. Much interest is attached to the case from the fact of Coveney being the landlord of the “George Inn,” Preston Street, and hitherto considered respectable.

Stephen Harris was charged with stealing a bushel of bran, one gallon of beans, and about a bushel of mangold wurtzel, from Mr. Kingsnorth’s stables at King's field.

Remanded.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 13 February, 1864.

A PUBLICAN AND OWNER Of PROPERTY COMMITTED FOR TRIAL ON A CHARGE OF FELONY.

Great interest was excited in Faversham, last week, by the examination, before the Borough Magistrates, of Edward Coveney, landlord of the “George Inn,” Preston-street, and Francis Gammon and George Ford, labourers, who have been lodging at Coveney's house, on a charge of stealing a quantity of barley from Mr. Rigden's malthouse, in Court-street. Mr. Henry Bathurst appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Johnson for the prisoner Coveney, who is said to be the owner of considerable freehold property.

It appeared from the evidence adduced that, on the 27th January, about 6 o'clock in the morning, a policeman saw the prisoner Gammon take an empty wheelbarrow down Court-street, and place it near the engine-house of the brewery. Sometime afterwards, another policeman saw a person whom he believed to be Coveney go from near the engine-house through the gate into the brewery yard. He afterwards came out with a cask on his back, which he carried away. The policeman then saw the wheelbarrow standing near the engine-house.

It then contained something like corn covered with a sack. In about twenty minutes afterwards Coveney returned and took the wheelbarrow, and, in reply to a question from the policeman as to what it contained, he said “pig's victuals.” In reply to a further question, he said it was some screened barley he bought of Mr. Rigden the day before, and that he was taking it home. He also said that the men were allowed a cask of stale beer a week at the brew-house, and they did not know what to do with it, and he took it from them; and as he was coming down to fetch some pig’s victuals he thought he would carry that home first; and if the officer thought there was anything wrong about it, he should be at home, so would the barrow and the corn too. The Superintendent of police was called and instituted inquiries, in consequence of which Coveney was followed and apprehended. On his house and premises being searched, fifteen sacks of good and five sacks of inferior barley were found. Some of the sacks containing the barley were marked “Rigden” and others “Kingsnorth.”

While the premises were being searched, the prisoner Ford was observed to leave with a sack on his back. He was apprehended, and the sack was found to contain barley, which he said Mrs. Coveney had asked him to take up the Ashford road and throw it over the hedge. Gammon was also apprehended, in consequence of a conversation, in which one of the policemen overheard him make some remarks tending to criminate himself, during the time the search was going on.

Mr. Rigden, who examined samples of the barley found on Coveney's premises, said he had no doubt that a portion of it was his property, but he could not swear positively to the rest. He also identified one of the sacks, which was produced in Court, as his property.

The Magistrates committed the prisoners for trial at the Sessions. An application to admit Coveney to bail was refused; but Gammon and Ford were allowed to give bail, themselves in £20 each, and two sureties in £10 each. Bail, however, was not forthcoming, and all the prisoners, were removed in custody.