From the Kentish Gazette, 25 October 1836.

DEATH FROM DROWNING.

An inquest was held on Tuesday morning last, at eleven o'clock, at the "Waterloo Tavern," Northgate, before T. T. Delasaux and a respectable jury, touching the death of Sarah Bates, whose body was found at an early hour that morning, in the head water at the Old Barton Mill. The jury proceeded to view the body, which lay in an out-house near the fatal spot. There were no marks of violence discovered that would lead to a suspicion that the deceased had been ill-treated.

It appeared from the testimony of Richard Nash, a miller, that on going to work in the morning, his attention was called to the deceased by a boy on the premises. He proceeded to the spot pointed out, and with the assistance of a fellow-workman, succeeded in getting her ont of the water. The deceased was perfectly upright against the wooden grating which is erected for the protection of the mill-wheel. He further stated that about twelve o'clock the preceding night, a portion of the grating gave way, passed under the wheel, and damaged the floats. He thought it possible that the deceased in her straggles might have detached a piece from its fastening.

James Stewart, a tailor, a private in the 38th regiment of foot, identified the body. The deceased had followed him from Chatham, and had been living in the New Military Road. He had occasionally supplied her with money. From what he had heard her say, he believed she had been married, and had had four children, who, with her husband, were dead.

Rebecca Knott, residing in the New Military Road, deposed, that the deceased had lodged with her for a period of nine weeks. She last saw her between seven and eight o’clock on Monday evening. She left her for the purpose of "going down town." Latterly, the deceased had been unable to do any sowing work, in consequence of a severe inflammation of the eyes; and her poverty, in consequence, was so great, that she had been without food for days, with the exception of a little supplied by herself and neighbours. During the whole of Monday she wept bitterly, and said she did not know what to do for victuals.

This being the whole of the evidence, the jury unhesitatingly returned a verdict of "Found Drowned," at the same time observed upon the imperfect state of the railing intended for the protection of foot passengers, and expressed a hope that the proprietor would make such alteration as would ensure safety.

The deceased was a remarkably fine made woman. It was stated by Stewart that she was well known at Rochester, in which neighbourhood her friends reside. On her person were found eighteen duplicates, four halfpence, and sixpence, and a gold wedding ring.

Kentish Gazette, 21 October 1851.

Stealing a Horse and Cart.

William Mark Anthony, 17, carver and guilder's apprentice, for stealing a gelding and cart, value £9, the property of William Toop, on the 19th September, at Minster, in Thanet.

Mr. Burrow prosecuted. The prisoner was undefended.

The prosecutor deposed that on the day named in the indictment the prisoner called at his house, and said he wished to stop for three days, upon the recommendation of his (prosecutor's) sister. He had dinner, and then enquired if there was any conveyance to have an hour’s ride round the village. I lent him my pony and cart for that purpose. He left about four, and did not return. I then made enquiry, and traced him to Canterbury, where I found my horse and cart at the "Waterloo" public-house, having previously ascertained that the prisoner had passed through Chatham. My name was scratched off the cart.

The landlord of the "Waterloo Tavern," Canterbury, said the prisoner came to his house with a pony and cart about six on the 19th September. After having his tea and engaging a bed for the night, he said he had a nice pony, and asked what it was worth. I said about £4. He then said, will you sell it for me. I said I would not. He then stated that he had two hunters, and some luggage with his servants coming from Ramsgate; and that he would stop with me six months. Afterwards, he inquired for a person to lake the cart back to Ramsgate, and said that he would give me the pony for my trouble. He left about 10, and I did not see him again.

Cross-examined by prisoner:- You asked for a boy to take the cart back to Ramsgate, and that you would make me a present of the pony.

John Piper deposed to the name being scratched from the cart, and the prisoner saying he thought he should part with the pony.

The constable took the prisoner into custody at a Priest's house at Minster. He told the prisoner what he was charged with. He said the constable was mistaken, and that he (prisoner) was a gentleman, and if he persisted in taking him into custody, he should bring an action against him.

The prisoner made a rambling statement in defence, the only points in which were, that the landlord pressed him to have the pony and cart without naming any specific time, and that it was his intention to send the property back to the prosecutor, but was prevented from not being able to net a person to go to Minster for that purpose.

The Chairman told the jury that the only point for their consideration was whether the prisoner borrowed the horse and cart with the intention of appropriating them to his own purposes.

The jury found the prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced to six mouths' imprisonment, with hard labour.

The Court then adjourned.

Kentish Gazette, 12 October 1852.

Coroner's Inquest.

An inquest was held on Tuesday evening last, at the "Waterloo Tavern," Northgate-street, by Mr. T. T. Delasaux on the body of Thomasine Walker, widow, aged 70 years, which had been taken out of the River Stour in the eel traps at Harton Mill early that morning. By the evidence before the coroner and jury, t appeared that deceased resided with her son-in-law in North lane, and that on the evening of Monday, between seven and eight o'clock, she left the house to fetch some potatoes, which had been taken to a hop oast in St. Radigund's-street to roast, the nearest road to which, from her residence, is over the "causeway" between Deane's and Abbott's Mills. She arrived safe to the oast, and remarked to the hop-drier the difficulty she had in crossing the causeway from the blustering state of the weather, at which time it rained hard, and the wind was very high. She procured part of the potatoes, the remainder not being quite done, and left on her return home, from which time she wan not seen alive. Her long absence creating surprise to her son and daughter, the former, a labourer in the employ of Mr. Cannon, repaired to the oast, and having ascertained the above facts, information was given to the police, and every exertion was set on foot to discover her, or to ascertain if she had fallen into the river, as the sequel proved too fully to be the fact. Further evidence was given by the female, who attended the body after it was taken out of the river, showing that it bore no marks of violence, and a verdict, justified by the above evidence, of "Accidental death by drowning" was returned.

Deceased had been twice married; her first husband, J. Steel, or the parish of Sturry, died some years since a violent death through the instrumentality of a scythe.

Kentish Gazette, 25 April 1854.

A SUPERINTENDENT CONSTABLE CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER.

In the early part of the past week a report was generally circulated in the vicinity of Northgate and the adjoining village of Sturry, that a woman of the name of Eliza Holness, the wife of a labouring man residing about a mile from the railway station, on the Sturry-road, had met with her death through fright, occasioned by the conduct pursued towards her by William Walker, superintendent-constable of the Home Division of St. Augustine’s.

Accordingly, an inquest was held on the body of the deceased, on Tuesday, at the "Waterloo Tavern," North-gate, in this city, before T. T. Delasaux, Esq., coroner for the district, and the following jury:—James Crow (foreman), J. F. Sandy's, J. Ratcliff, Abraham Abrahams, C. Muir, Thos. Acres, G. Adams, G. Roberts, C. Leman, J. Graham, W. Cullen, W. Ledbitter, and E. Gurney.

The usual preliminaries having been completed, the following evidence was taken:—

William Holness, labourer, deposed that the deceased was his wife, and that she was 24 years of age. Towards the end of last month William Walker, superintendent of the county constabulary, came to his house between ten and eleven o’clock at night; and on knocking at his back door, witness asked him what he wanted, to which he replied that he wanted to see his wife. She, in consequence, got up and went down stairs—when Walker called her out to speak to her, and she remained there about half-an-hour, without stockings and only partly dressed. Walker told her that he wanted her brother, for stealing a box from the Sturry railway station, and he subsequently took him into custody; and from that time she was first taken ill. After the superintendent left, witness and his wife went to bed again, when she was taken with cold chiils. On the 7th of April, she attended the Quarter Sessions as witness against her brother, and the day after was taken in labour, and delivered of a male child. Witness obtained a certificate (now produced) from Mr. Thornton. It was put in and read, and was to the following effect:—

"The wife of William Holness has been ill several days, and is near her confinement. I do not think it safe for her to leave home.

"John Thornton, Momb. Roy. Coll. Surg."

He showed the certificate to Walker, who said it was of no use — she must go—if she could not walk, he must get a fly and take her in that to the Sessions-house. Witness informed deceased of this, and she said she should prefer walking, as she was in a sinking state, and thought that might carry the pains off. He accompanied her to the sessions, where she remained about three hours, and, after being examined as a witness, returned home. Walker had told him that, unless his wife attended the sessions, he would be liable to a fine of £100—which was the cause of his permitting her to go.

Ann, the wife of George Taylor, labourer, of Sturry, deposed — that she was sent for on Saturday, the 8th April (the day after the trial), between two and three o'clock in the morning, to attend the deceased, whom she found in labour; and on her arrival Mr. Thornton, surgeon, was sent for, who attended immediately, and deceased was delivered of a male child between eight and nine o’clock of the same morning. Deceased, in a conversation with her, stated that she had not been warm since Mr. Walker called her out of bed. On Sunday, the 9th, the said William Walker, and a police constable, came to the house of deceased, and asked witness if she was confined, to which she replied in the affirmative. Walker then asked if Holness was at home, and, replying "Yes," she sent her daughter for him. The deceased was very much excited and delirious the next morning (Monday), which was two days after her confinement. She called, in her delirium, to witness, saying, "Here is Walker—put him away—knock him down," at the same time apparently fighting at him with both her hands.

John Thornton, surgeon, of Canterbury, deposed:— That he was sent for, and did attend the deceased about four o’clock on the morning of Saturday, the 8th—he found her in labour, and she was delivered of a boy, between the hours of eight and nine o'clock; profuse flooding came on immediately after the birth of the child, but which was eventually stopped. He remained with her about two hours, when he considered her out of danger. He saw her again twice that day, when she was tolerably comfortable. On the Monday following, in consequence of being sent for, he attended again, and found her exceedingly low, with much fever, but there was then not any return of flooding. He was clearly of opinion that fright caused the fever, which in a measure produced death. She continued as well as he could expect, except suffering from fever and extreme debility, until Saturday last, when she seized with inflammation of the covering of the bowels with flooding. When he Saw her again in the evening of the same day, she was in a dying state. She was in the same condition when he saw her again on Sunday last, and she died on Monday morning, from exhaustion and fever, the former of which was produced by reason of the birth of the child, and the latter partly from the conscience of the former and partly from great anxiety; and he was of opinion that premature labour was brought on by over exertion.

The Coroner, in summing up, addressed the jury at some length, explaining the law and pointing out that although the name of William Walker had been mentioned by two of the witnesses, there was not the slightest evidence to affect him, nor could any charge be instituted against him with respect to the death of the deceased; and he submitted that the only verdict justified by the testimony adduced was "Natural death."

The jury consulted together for about 10 minutes, and then returned a verdict of "Manslaughter" against Superintendent Walker.

The Coroner made out his warrant, and the Superintendent was shortly after taken into custody and removed to Maidstone to await his trial at the next assizes for the county.

Subsequently, an application was made to Mr. Justice Coleridge, and the usual affidavits put in, when he granted an order for the admission of the accused to bail, and he was released on Friday.

Kentish Gazette, 9 May 1854.

An inquest was held on Wednesday last, at the "Cambridge Arms," Northgate, before T. T. Delasaux, Esq., on Wm. Seath, formerly sheriff's bailiff of this city, who was found drowned that morning in the River Stour, between Cold Harbour and Barton Mill.

Henry May, stated that about half past five on Wednesday morning, he saw deceased in the River Stour, near to Barton Mill; that he pulled him to the edge of the river and found him quite dead. Deceased was taken to the "Waterloo Tavern."

John Joslyn, corroborated May's evidence.

Henry Cullen saw deceased on Monday at the "Comet" public-house; was with him for two hours. Left together at a quarter before eleven. Had known him for 10 or 12 years; never saw anything strange in him. He was rather fresh when he left.

Edward Rabine knew the deceased, who had lodged at his house the last 2 years; saw him in the morning at his house.

Charles Hollaway, policeman, deposed to having seen the body on the bank of the river quite dead.

Verdict "Found drowned."