Kentish Gazette, 30 April, 1774.

To be let immediately.

A good accustomed public house, situate on the Dover Road, about a mile from Rochester, and commonly called the "Coach and Horses," on Strood Hill, together with two Gardens, Stables, Yard, Coach Lodge, &c.

For further Particulars, inquire at the above house, on Strood Hill.

From the Kentish Gazette, 4 May 1774.

TO BE LET IMMEDIATELY.

A Good accustomed PUBLIC-HOUSE situate on the Dover Road, about a Mile from Rochester, and commonly called the "Coach and Horses," on Strood Hill, together with two Gardens, Stables, Yard, Coach Lodge, &c.

For further Particulars, inquire at the above House, on Strood Hill.

12 July 1791.

Insured:- James, Richard and George Best, Kent Brewers.

Coach and Horses:- ROWE, victualler.

Kentish Gazette, 2 March 1847.

CONFESSION AND COMMITTAL OF AN INCENDIARY AT ROCHESTER.

On Wednesday, at the Guildhall of this city, an investigation, exciting intense interest, was gone into before Capt. Thos, Baker and several other borough justices, regarding a very respectably dressed man, about 36 years of age, who had surrendered himself at the station-house as the individual who set fire to a stack of wheat on Sunday evening last, the property of Mr. Thomas Mace, a farmer residing in Perry-street, Gravesend. The hall was densely crowded, and many influential gentlemen connected with this part of the county, and also county magistrates, occupied sittings near the bench. The prisoner, on being placed before the court, was dressed in mourning, and on being asked his name by Mr. Prall, the magistrates’ clerk, declined to give it, alleging, as a reason, that his friends were respectable, and that he did not wish them to know the dilemma in which he had placed himself.

Clerk:— Have you no other reason to offer?

Prisoner:— With due deference to the bench, I withhold the information of my name and connexions.

Mr. Tuff, the superintendent of the Rochester police, stated that the prisoner came to the station-house and voluntarily gave himself up as the person who fired the stack in question on the night of Sunday last, about ten o’clock, by a lucifer match.

A man named Wilson stated that about seven o’clock on Sunday evening, as he was walking along the path by the turnpike road leading from Gravesend to Rochester, he came up with the prisoner, whom he found standing in the path close to the hedge, and opposite to the stack which was on fire; and he said to the prisoner, "This is a bad job." The prisoner coolly and gentlemanly replied, "It is a great pity that corn should be burnt, as there are so many poor people starving for the want of it." From the gentlemanly appearance of the prisoner, he did not think that he was the incendiary. Witness left him at the fire, and walked home to Rochester.

William Wallis, landlord of the "Coach and Horses" at Strood-hill, identified the prisoner as the gentleman who came into his house on Sunday evening, about five o’clock, and in the bar he sat down and drank two pints of beer, and smoked a pipe, and left about seven o’clock; that he went to the door and bade him good night, and the gentleman walked up the road as if he was going to Gravesend; and shortly after he heard of the fire. The stack was about a quarter of a mile from his house.

Mr. Thos. Mace, the owner of the property, stated that the stack contained from 40 to 50 quarters of wheat.

Wm. McGeorge, policeman No. 6, stated that he was on duty on the night of Sunday last, and about 20 minutes to ten o’clock, as he was in the High-street of Rochester, he saw the prisoner walking on the pavement, and turn into the yard of the "Bull Inn, and on coming out be looked op at the house, and said to witness, "I believe this is not the station-house." Witness told him it was not, but that he would take him to it if he wished; that they then went to the station-house, and on being admitted Mr. Vine, the station keeper, inquired of the prisoner his business, and he replied by asking the station-keeper if he had heard of the fire; and being answered in the affirmative, the prisoner said, "I am the person who set the stack on fire." The Superintendent was then sent for, and to that officer the prisoner made a confession, which Mr. Tuff took down in writing, and read to the court. Mr. Tuff said that on searching tie prisoner he found on him one half-penny, a cotton pocket handkerchief, and part of a number of Punch. The Superintendent asked the prisoner his name, which he refused to give, and said that he was aware of the consequences of what he had done, and that he had a motive for it, and bought the lucifer box on the road of a pedlar woman; and after lighting the stack he threw the box with the lucifers into the hedge, about 100 yards from the stack.

On examining the prisoner's person, there are marks on his left arm M.C., and another letter A., and also an anchor and a dart. The prisoner states that those marks were done when he was at school. The lucifer-box was found about seven o’clock the following morning in the hedge, by Stephen Clark, as described by the prisoner.

The prisoner, on being informed by the bench that he stood committed for trial at the next assizes, and thut if he had anything to say it would he taken down and used at his trial, said he was as innocent of the charge as any gentleman in the room. When he left the "Coach and Horses" it was his intention to have gone to Gravesend; a thought came, across him that he would not be there till late, and not having any money, he determined upon returning back, and thought he must do something to get a bed for the night and a breakfast in the morning for nothing. The lucifer-box he pulled out of his pocket and threw into the hedge. He went to the station-house without thinking that any serious consequence would follow, and refused to sign his statement.

The prisoner was removed the same day to Maidstone gaol.