Sydenham Times, 18 November 1862.

STEALING A WATCH.

Nathaniel Axtell, 3, Wells-terrace, Upper Sydenham, labourer, was charged at Greenwich police-court, on Wednesday, with stealing a silver watch from the person of Robert Beecham, a miner, living at Rose-cottage, Upper Sydenham.

It appeared that on the previous night, the prosecutor was drunk and asleep in the tap room at the "Hanover Arms" beer house, Wells-road, and the prisoner was the only other person in the room during the time the prosecutor was asleep, and was seen to leave the house in great haste. When the prosecutor awoke he missed his watch, the outer case of which was afterwards found on the floor of the room. On the following morning, the matter was placed in the hands of P.C. Greary, 58 R, who on meeting the prisoner accused him of stealing the watch, when he denied all knowledge of it, but afterwards said he had found it in the tap room on the previous night. The constable accompanied the prisoner to his lodgings and saw him take the watch from a cupboard in the kitchen. The prisoner still denied having stolen the watch, and as the prosecutor desired that the prisoner should be leniently dealt with, Mr. Maude sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment with hard labour for the unlawful possession.