Above photo, date unknown. Kindly supplied by John Hopperton.

Gravesend & Northfleet Standard, Saturday 30 May 1903.

Gravesend Publican Convicted.

"In the interests of Justice."

Mr. Thomas Cooper, licensee of the "Watermans Arms," Church Street, was summonsed at the Gravesend Police Court, on Monday, for permitting drunkeness on his premises, on the 19th inst. The Justices present were Messrs C. Startup (in the chair), S. Penney, T. G. Sandford, and H. Sandford.

Mr. A. I. Tolhurst, who appeared on behalf of the defendant, applied for a remand. He had not been acquainted with the facts of the case until that morning, and there were three men, who were working at Tilbury docks, who he would like to call as witnesses.

At this stage Colonel Sankey came into Court in a hurry, and said he did not think they should study Mr. Tolhurst's convenience. The had come there himself at great inconvenience.

Mr. Tolhurst:- It is not for my convenience.

Colonel Sankey:- It is for your convenience.

Mr. Tolhurst:- It is not sir. It is in the interest of justice. I have not had any opportunity of seeing these men and bringing them here. I can say this is a very reasonable application.

Colonel Sankey:- You say it is for nobody's convenience.

Mr. Tolhurst:- I say it is in the interests of justice.

Mr Penney said the defendant had had an opportunity to consult Mr. Tolhurst and the other men since the summons was issued.

Mr. Tolhurst:- We heard nothing of it until this morning.

Mr. Penney:- My opinion is that ijn the interest of justice, the case ought to go on. We are the judges of the interests of justice.

The Bench agreed to this, and the case was proceeded with.

Detective Thompson was the first witness called, and he said that about 12 o'clock, noon on the 19th inst., he visited the "Watermans Arms." He saw their five men sitting in the bar, and of these three were drunk. Their names were Thomas Monk, Thomas Rawlings, and Samuel Smith. Monk could not sit properly in his chair, and this was also the case with Smith, while Rawlins was very drowsy. Witness said to Smith, "You have had enough," and he answered, "Yes." He then asked the landlord if he was their condition, and he said, "Yes, but they have not been served." During the time he was speaking, the defendant was drawing a glass of beer along the counter from where Monk sat. In reply to a question whose beer it was, defendant said, "They have only had one drink, sir." Witness said to Monk, "Get up and go to the lodging house where you live," and with difficulty he walked out of the house and down the street. He drew the attention of the deputy of the lodging house to Monk's condition, and then went back towards the "Waterman's Arms," and saw the other men leaving the house. Rawlings had hold of Smith's arm, and held his other hand in the air while they both staggered along the pavement. Witness said to them. "Just come here I moment. You disputed that these men were drunk just now." He answered, "Yes," and witness said, "That's a picture for you; the blind leading the blind." Defendant said he was very sorry, and he would not let it occur again. Witness afterwards drew his attention of a man named West to the condition of the two men. Rawlings and Smith then went into the "Orient" public house, and witness heard the landlady say, "I won't serve you. Drummer, you're drunk," meaning Smith. From there the two men went into the "Castle," but were refused drink. Then went to a lodging house.

By the Chief Constable:- He saw Smith and Rawlings about half-past 9 the save morning in the "Waterman's Arms," but they were than sober. He also saw Monk in the lodging house about that time but he was drunk. On his second visit to the "Waterman's Arms" he saw for glasses on the counter, and the two men were sitting in the same position.

Mr. Tolhurst: Didn't the landlady say, "They have not been served." and the landlord corrected her and said. "He had had one glass, meaning Monk?

Witness:- No; he said they have had one glass.

Mr. Tilehurst:- Did not you consider it was your duty to arrest these men if they were drunk?

Witness:- No. You know that as well as I do.

Mr. Tolehurst:- I don't want you to teach me the law. I know what you should have done.

By Mr. Penney:- He did not know whether these men had stopped in the house all the morning.

John Archibald West, 30, Clarence Street, Gravesend deposed that between 8 and half past in the morning he saw Smith and Rawlings go into the "Waterman's Arms." They were then a "little bit on," and "looked beery" (laughter.) He saw Thompson turn the men out at 12 o'clock, and they were then drunk.

Mr. Tolhurst:- You say the men were "beery" at 8 o'clock, and Thomson says they were sober at 9:30.

Witness:- I can't help what he says; it is what I say. (Laughter).

Minnie Willis, barmaid, at the "Castle," High Street, said that when the men came into her house she thought they had had sufficient to drink, and she therefore could not serve them.

The Chief Constable stated that if the Bench desired the evidence of the landlady of the "Orient" they would ask for and an adjournment.

Mr. Tolhurst then addressed the bench, and said that he represented Messrs Wood (brewers) as well as the defendant. The latter was 69 years of age, and had only occupied the house about 8 months. He should have quitted on the 19th, but another tenant could not be found. Cooper was an old old soldier, and had three medals, having served in the army for 22 years. For giving the facts, he said he thought that if these men had been as bad as he had said, they should have been taken into custody.

Defendant, put in the box, said he had been at the "Waterman's Arms" for 8 months, and had never had any trouble at all. Shortly after 9:30 Detective Thompson put his head in the door of the bar and said, "What, before breakfast, Tommy! and then went straight out again. The two men, Rawlings and Smith, only had three classes of ale during the morning. Monk had only just come in the bar before Detective Thompson came in. He sat down, and ordered a glass of ale, with which he was served. He said he had been out all night, and was very tired. Defendant did not think he was drunk. He considered that the three men were not drunk. Rawlings and Smith had nothing to do with Monk at all.

By Mr. T. G. Sandford:- He catered for the roughest class of people in the town.

Louisa Wootton, and assistant in the bar of the "Waterman's Arms," also gave evidence, saying that the men were not drunk. The house was a very rough one, and she wished she had never seen it (laughter).

After a short consultation in private, the Bench fined defendant 40s., and £1 6s. costs.