From the Kent and Sussex Courier, Friday 3 April 1874.

A Quarrelsome Couple.

James piper and Edward Coomber, labourers, of Rusthall, was summoned for being quarrelsome and disorderly upon licensed premises, at Rusthall, on the 21st inst., and refusing to leave the same premises when requested to do so.

Piper, who had a black eye, pleaded guilty, and Coomber pleaded not guilty. Mrs. Harriet Young Rebeck, landlady of the "Morning Star," Rusthall, said that the defendants called at her house, and after remaining there a short time they commenced fighting. She requested them to leave, and as they refused she sent for a policeman. In answer to Coomber, she said she did not see Piper strike him on the head. She believe both came in together.

Annie Rebeck, daughter of the complainant, said Piper called at the house first, and the misunderstanding arose about who should pay for the beer. Coomber was very insolent to witness, and refused to leave the premises. She could not say who struck the first blow, but she knew they fought. She caught hold of Coomber, and held him until her mother came. When the policeman arrived, Piper went away quietly. Coomber, however, after leaving the house for a short time, returned and wanted to fight the best man in the room.

P.C. Tilehurst, K.C.C., said that at about half past 6 o'clock he went to the "Morning Star," and found a great crowd there. Piper and Coomber were there, and the taproom was in great confusion. He, at the request of the landlady, ordered them out, and when he told Coomber to go he said he should leave when he liked - he knew as much about police duty as witness did, because he had been a policeman. He then got Piper up off the floor, where he was lying covered with blood, and sent him off home. Coomber afterwards left, but was very insolent, saying he meant to give Jim Powell a good thrashing before he went home. Witness saw Powell and persuaded him to keep out of the way, and that was all he knew of the circumstance.

Sergeant Fry said Coomber was a very quarrelsome man. He have been a short time in the Metropolitan Police force, and since his return he tried to dictate to the constables and so gave the police a great deal of trouble, besides misleading others.

Mr. Simpson:- A little learning is a dangerous thing.

The Bench find Piper 1s. and 5s. 9d. costs, or 7 days imprisonment, and Coomber, whose conduct seemed to be very bad and of whom they had heard not at all a satisfactory character, they fined 10s. and 9s. 9d costs, or 10 days' imprisonment. Piper paid, and Coomber was allowed a day for payment.

From the Kent and Sussex Courier, 21 October, 1874.

Publicans' Extensions.

Mrs. Rebeck landlady of the "Morning Star," New Town, Rusthall, which is just outside the Local Act District, applied for an extra hour (until 11 o'clock), on the occasion of a Shoe Club Supper, to be held at her house, but the Bench at once refused to grant the application.

From the Kent and Sussex Courier, Friday 11 January 1878.

Rusthall. Assaulting the Landlady.

At the same sitting, a powerfully built young fellow, named Alfred Cornwall who received not the best of characters from the police pleaded guilty to assaulting Mrs. Harriet Rebeck, of the "Morning Star" beer house, Rusthall, on New Year's Day.

Mrs. Rebeck, who is a game old lady, said that she had a "piece of work" with another man who was in her house, when the defendant interfered. She told them to be off, and she had had no rumpus all the Christmas she did not mean to have any then. The defendant then pushed her roughly on one side, and struck at the other man. She, however, went up to him, when he took hold of her, forced to outside, and held her. She holload out, and kicked him, until he released her. She next sent for a policeman, when the party's decamped.

The Bench find the defendant 10s. and 8s. costs, which he paid.

From the Kent and Sussex Courier, 20 February, 1880.

RUSTALL FOUND DROWNED.

An inquest was held on Tuesday afternoon last at the “Morning Star Inn,” by J Rogers Esq., one of the Coroner’s for Kent, on the body of Harriett Robeck, a married woman, aged 61, who was found drowned under the circumstances detailed in the evidence. The Jury having been sworn, they elected Mr. Henry Luxford Lewis as their foreman, and then produced to view the body, after which the following evidence was taken:- Harriett Ann Young, aged 11, the granddaughter of the deceased, deposed to last seeing her alive on Monday morning at breakfast time. After having breakfast, the deceased went downstairs leading from their breakfast room into the bar. When deceased then left the room there was a seven quart bottle in it, and afterwards found at the brink of the well, it was surmised that the deceased took it there to rinse out. She (witness) did not notice whether deceased took the bottle with her there.

Henry Kewell, a carpenter lodging at the house, deposed that he breakfasted with the deceased on the morning in question, as was his custom. They had breakfasted at about 8.30. The last witness was in and out of the room the whole of the time they were breakfasting. Deceased left the room before he did. He last saw the deceased when he went down into the bar where she was wiping up some rain-water that had blown in under the front door. He said to her, “Mrs. Robeck can we alter that by putting a piece of board under.” Deceased replied to the effect that then it would only run down into the cellar.

By the foreman: The deceased suffered in her head.

The last witness wanted change, and that was how he first knew deceased was missing.

By the Coroner: The deceased had not complained to him that morning about her head.

The last witness recalled, said her grandmother had remarked that she felt queer, just as if she was drunk.

Thomas Poynter, a labourer living at Lower Green, deposed that he had known the deceased about 18 years. On the Monday morning he returned from his work, as it was too wet for him to continue. He went in the Inn and had some beer. Deceased served him, and after that he saw no more of her. Several persons came in and enquired for the deceased a search was made, and he went down with another man into the cellar. He was asked to do so by Kewell. He took a lamp with him as it was dark. In the cellar was a well, or spring, which was nearly six feet deep, and was quite full of water. The jug here mentioned was standing on the edge of the well, and there he saw deceased. She had fallen in it seemed head first. The water was very clear, and he could see the body was that of deceased. While one man ran for medical aid, he and another got deceased out, and endeavoured to restore animation, but could not. Deceased was quite dead. Information was given to the police. That was between ten and eleven.

Kewell, recalled, that it was shortly after nine when he saw deceased at the front door. The water could be got from a pump in the house without going down to the well in the cellar.

Poynter, continuing, said he should think deceased was missing about three quarters of an hour. When they got her out they endeavoured to restore animation. When they searched the well in the afternoon they found it in a brown pitcher. Some questions were asked relative to the pump, which it was elicited was in working order.

Charles Webster, one of the County Constabulary stationed at Rustall, deposed that he was summoned to the spot about eleven o’clock. He found the deceased in the cellar, out of the well. When he searched her, he found several bills, one for a large amount, having requested for immediate payment. He gave the usual information, &c.

Kewell, in answer to some questions, said deceased was in the habit of rinsing out bottles there. She would have had the bill on the Sunday.

Mr. Rogers briefly summed up the evidence, remarking that he thought they could not come to any other conclusion but an open verdict. After a short deliberation, a verdict was brought in to the effect that the deceased was found dead in a well, but how she came there was not known.

From the Kent and Sussex Courier, 25 February, 1880.

LICENSING.

Mr W C Cripps, solicitor, applied to the Bench for authority to carry on the “Star Inn,” Rusthall, under the following circumstances. He said that about a week ago Mrs. Robeck, who was the landlady, unfortunately either fell into or jumped down a well. The jury came to no satisfactory conclusion about the matter. The question was how the house could carry on. Mr. Dainton, who represented Messrs. Kenward and Court, brewers, the principle creditors, had decided to take out letters of administration, and the difficulty arose until those were produced who the license would be transferred to. He proposed to call Mr. Burton, who could be put in to manage the house, and then, should the Bench be satisfied with him, the Excise would not raise any objection. Mr. Dainton would be responsible for the good conduct of the house.

Burton was called, and the Bench expressed their satisfaction with him.

Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 16 November 1962.

BOY 11 MAKES 5 FALSE FIRE CALLS.

The Licensee of the MORNING STAR, RUSTHALL, MR. A. TAYLER was complemented at TUNBRIDGE WELLS JUVENILE COURT on Wednesday for his part in helping to find a boy who had been raising malicious fire alarms. The boy, aged 11, admitted three offences on October 6, 9 & 10, and was fined £1 for each.

Chief Inspector, L. Gurney said Mr. Tayler saw the boy go into the telephone box near the MORNING STAR and press the emergency button. He went over to the kiosk and saw him there with the receiver to his ear.

The boy admitted sending the brigade to a "fire" in Langton Road. He later admitted calling out the Brigade on 4 other occasions.