From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 9 August, 1862.

AN UNLAWFUL WEAPON

An Irish labourer names Patrick Doughtney, who lives at Durham Hill, and has formerly been in the army, was brought up by police-constable Russell for having threatened to stab two or three artillerymen on the previous evening.

It appeared that the soldiers were at the "Two Brothers" public house in Snargate Street, on the preceding evening, about eight o'clock, when the prisoner entered the bar, and made some offensive remarks upon the artillery service generally, for the sake, apparently, of picking a quarrel. His remarks were not responded to, and he then pulled from under his coat a long-bladed knife, similar to the weapons used by the hill tribes of India for the purpose of warfare, and brandishing it declared he would stab the first artilleryman he came near. He then left the public-house, when two or three of the soldiers he had insulted followed him, and one of their number succeeded in getting the knife away from him. The weapon was produced. It was about two feet long, and about two inches in breadth at the haft, from which it gradually narrowed to a point. Altogether it was a most formidable looking instrument and on its being produced an exclamation of horror escaped from several persons in the court.

The prisoner entreated the Magistrates to deal leniently with him, assuring them that his threats were uttered while he was under the influence of drink, and that he had no intention whatever of carrying them out.

One of the artillerymen who was put under examination was asked if he went in fear of the prisoner. He replied, with profound contempt, that he should not fear a dozen men who could carry about with them so cowardly a weapon as the knife produced. He had thought it right to take it away from him, least he might do mischief with it, fearing him was out of the question.

The prisoner said that he was quite willing that the knife should be taken away by the police and destroyed. He had had it for seven years, having purchased it at Trinidad, previous to coming home from the West Indies. What induced him to take it out with him the previous day, he did not know; but he supposed he was drunk and was unconscious of what he was about.

On the police being asked if anything was known of the prisoner, Sergeant Geddes replied that he knew the prisoner to have been previously engaged in a row in which fatal consequences were narrowly escaped, the prisoner having broken a soldier's head with a poker. The man who was injured lay ill for some time, and it was once thought that he would not recover. The prisoner was not charged then, as the regiment to which the man who was hurt belonged was just on the point of leaving Dover.

After a consultation between the Magistrates, the Mayor said the excuse offered by the prisoner, that he was drunk, could not be regarded by the Bench as any excuse whatsoever. He had been found in the possession of an unlawful weapon, and it was fortunate perhaps that it was taken away from him before he did any serious mischief with it. He would not be permitted to have it again. The Magistrates would direct it to be impounded, and in addition the prisoner must enter into his own recognizance's of twenty pounds to keep the peace.

Doughtney at once entered into the required bond, and paid the expenses, apparently very happy to get out of an awkward scrape on terms so easy.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 16 April, 1869.

INFRINGEMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSE LICENSES

John George Dane, the landlord of the "Two Brothers," another public-house in Snargate Street, was charged with having his house open contrary to the statute on Sunday last, and also with harbouring prostitutes in his house.

Police-sergeant Johnson said he was on duty in Snargate Street, at twenty minutes to one o'clock on Monday morning, when he saw that the "Two Brothers" was lighted up. He found the constable on the beat and in his company visited the house. After some difficulty they obtained admission, and witness then found a party of four men and three prostitutes drinking in the tap-room. On drawing the landlords attention to the fact, he said the people were lodgers with exception of one, who then rose and left the house. he visited the house a second time in ten minutes afterwards and found two of the men still there; but the women had gone to bed in the house.

Police-constable Pilcher corroborated the statement of Johnson.

The defendant, in reply to the charge said that his house was a lodging-house, and that the beds in the house being full he and some of the lodgers were sitting up. The beer seen on the table was supplied before the prohibited hour.  He (defendant) had not been in the town long, and did not know prostitutes from "substitutes".

He called, Henry Fox, who said he was at the "Two Brothers" early on Monday morning. He gave evidence substantiating the defendant's statement, and accounted for his own presence in the house by stating that he was a friend of the defendant's waiter, and was staying to accompany him home, as he frequently did. Witness had never seen the women in the house before, and, as to the beer, it was brought into the room before eleven o'clock. Nobody was supplied with drink after eleven.

By the Bench: I am occasionally employed in the house.

the defendant said he had no other witnesses, but they could only "spin the same yarn."

The magistrates dismissed the charge of drawing beer, but convicted the defendant ion the second charge , and fined him 10s.  and 10s. 6d. costs.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 16 September, 1870. Price 1d.

THE ANNUAL LICENSING DAY

FRESH APPLICATIONS

The applications of Henry Amos, for the “Two Brothers” was refused.