From the Southeastern Gazette, 27 February 1866.

Conviction of Beerhouse Keepers.

At the Chatham Police Court, on Wednesday, Joseph Thomas Tomlin, of the “Royal Engineer” beerhouse, Manor-street, was charged with having his house open between the hours of eleven and twelve on Sunday morning for the sale of beer. On the police visiting the house at the time mentioned they found 32 persons in the house, 29 of the number, being soldiers. The defendant said he was out at the time or the offence would not have been committed. The magistrates fined the defendant £3, and the costs.

From the Southeastern Gazette, 5 June 1866.

Two Soldiers Flogged.

The whole of the officers and men of the 3rd Depot Battalion were drawn up in the square at St. Mary’s barracks, on Thursday last, for the purpose of hearing promulgated the proceedings and findings of two district courts-martial which assembled at the garrison a short time previously, for the trial of Private Jordan, 1st battalion 10th Foot, and Private Hayden, 102nd Fusiliers. The prisoner Jordan was arraigned before the court on a charge of having entered the “Duke of York” public-house, Brompton, with other soldiers, on the evening of the 20th May, and there created a disturbance by refusing to pay for six quarts of ale which they had ordered, and with doing damage to the amount of £2 10s. to certain property in the house, in addition to which he assaulted Sapper Kirwin and Pensioner Farrell at the “Royal Engineer” beerhouse, Brompton. The Court sentenced the prisoner to receive 50 lashes, to be imprisoned for 84 days, and to be placed under stoppages until the amount of the damage to the property injured bad been made good. Hayden, the other prisoner, was tried on a charge of fraudulently making away with his regimental necessaries. Although the prisoner has been only a comparatively short time in the service he has spent nearly the whole of that period in prison. He has been tried no fewer than sixteen times by court-martial for various military crimes, and has also been flogged seven times, in addition to which he is also branded. Altogether he is one of the most depraved characters in the British army. The Court now sentenced him to receive 50 lashes, and to undergo 168 days’ hard labour. Immediately after the sentences had been promulgated the prisoners were fastened to the halberds and the punishment inflicted. On being taken down they were removed to the military hospital, and will he sent hence to Fort Clarence, to undergo their term of imprisonment.

From the Southeastern Gazette, 10 July 1866 WKQS 7.bmp"

FRIDAY — FIRST COURT. (Before Sir William Yardley).

Alleged Housebreaking at Gillingham.

George Spoofs, 26, soldier, was indicted for housebreaking and stealing two paper bags, and 16s., the property and moneys of Jane Penyouick, at Gillingham, on the 1st April. Mr. Barrow prosecuted.

Prosecutor was keeper of the “Canteen” at Brompton barracks, and on the night of the robbery fastened up the bar and went to bed, leaving about 16s. in coppers in paper bags on the desk. Next morning it was gone.

Andrew Cary, labourer, deposed that shortly after seven on the 1st April, when he was going over Dock Field, in the rear of the barracks, he saw prisoner with a towel in his arms. Prisoner went a little way and the towel dropped, and he saw a number of coppers and some pieces of paper. He afterwards saw a paper bag picked up.

Edward McMassey, employed at the “Royal Engineer” beerhouse, Bromley, deposed that on the afternoon of the 1st April prisoner produced a quantity of coppers, and the mistress gave him silver for five shillings’ worth at the rate of thirteen pence for a shilling. He (witness) also purchased thirteen pence for a shilling.

Sergeant Mathews said he was pay sergeant of the company to which the prisoner belonged. During the month of March prisoner was paid 3s. 6d. He did not receive more because he did not work on the garrison works.

Prisoner’s defence was that the money was won by him in gambling, and he called the orderly-corporal, the corporal of the guard, and two other witnesses, to prove that (so far as they knew) he was not absent from his room on the night of the 31st March.

The jury acquitted him.