From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 13 April, 1867. Price 1d.

LARKING IN TEYNHAM.

Richard Yates, Isaac Belsey, and John Hoad, farm labours, were indicted for stealing a quantity of jewellery and trinkets, the property of William Berry, at Teynham, on the 29th of March.

Mr. Biron defended and Mr. Marsham prosecuted.

William Bennett said he was a licensed hawker, of Sussex. On the 29th March last he was travelling through the parish of Teynham. He went to the “Plough” public house at about 8 o'clock in the evening, and got rather “freshy.” He was ordered out of the house because he created a great disturbance there, at about a quarter past nine. His “missus” went in the public house with him and left with him. She went on the high road about quarter of a mile in front of him, and when he came up to where she was, she was lying down by the side of the road, with two men standing close by. He asked one of the men what he had been doing, and he knocked him down, and stunned him. He laid down in the road for some time, and when he came to, he asked his wife were his bundle and boxes were. She said that some gardener had taken them. He recognised the box produced as his property. He could swear to it because there was a brooch in it he had got to repair. There was one pencil case gone from it.

Examined by Mr. Biron:- I stayed at the public house till about half-past nine. Some persons came in and wanted to sing, and said I made too much noise, so I was turned out.

James Jeffery:- I am a labourer. I was in the public-house at Teynham on the night in question. I saw prosecutor there with several other men. After Berry was put out I did not see what became of his bundle. I went home soon after. As I was going I saw Berry waiting in the road, and Belsey beside him. It was about a quarter of a mile from the “Plough” where they were waiting. I heard Berry ask Belsey to mind his boxes while he went after his wife. Belsey said he would mind them. Directly after prosecutor had left him in charge of the boxes, Belsey said to me “this is my ____ lot” Another person named Rogers was with me. We then went along the road, and heard a blow struck, and when we got up to where prosecutor was, we found him lying on the ground. We then went back and looked after the prisoner's bundle and boxes but could not find them.

Thomas Rogers said the prisoner Yates worked with him at Mr. Creed's, at Teynham. On the 29th of March he saw Yates in the "Plough" public-house at 8 o'clock. He afterwards saw him at about a quarter to ten going to the stables. Belsey was with him. At about four o'clock the next day, he found some trinkets in a pool of water in the middle of Mr. Creed's yard, about two rods from where the prisoner worked. Those produced were the same that he picked up and took to a policeman.

Elixa Snoad said she was the wife of John Snoad, and lived at Teynham. On the 29th of March, late in the evening, she heard some person in her house and on going down stairs she saw three men there, among whom was her husband. They had got some trinkets which they put in a red handkerchief. They had also a basket which they offered to her, but she would not accept it. They then left the house, and took the trinkets with them.

Henry Nye said he was a police-constable. He remembered Supt Green apprehending Belsey at Norton. Belsey said:- "Lake's chap got me into this scrape. If it had not been for Jeffery I should not have been in it. He told me to “slip off” with one of the bundles, but I thought I should get into a row and so I threw them into Mr. Creed's yard.” The Constable said he apprehended Snoad on 30th of March, and when he apprehended him he said, "Belsey called me out of the “Plough” and he had got a game on. Belsey also told me that Yates had been apprehended, and that Yates had thrown some of the stolen articles in a yard at Stuppington.”

P.C. Simpson said he went to the farm at Stuppington, and Snoad showed him the trinkets.

The jury acquitted the prisoners.