From the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, 24 April, 1869. 1d.

PETTY THEFT

Henry Clayson, labourer, of Ringwould, was brought up by P.C. Eaterman, charged with having, on the 16th inst., stolen a wooden spitoon, value eighteen-pence, from the "Boot Inn," Sutton, the property of Mr. T. Ratcliff.

Thomas Ratcliff deposed: I am landlord of the Boot Inn, Sutton. About nine o'clock on Friday night last the prisoner came into my house in company with several others and went into the tap-room. At the time they entered the room there were six spittoons there; but after the prisoner and his companions had left I missed one, and suspected the prisoner of stealing it. I therefore sent word to Ringwould for him to bring it back, and also informed him that if he did not do so I should take proceedings against him. I gave him till last night to return the spittoon. I said if he came and acknowledged the theft I would forgive him, I have not seen the prisoner from Friday till this morning. I don't know whether the message that I sent reached him or not. I do not wish to press the charge further than you gentleman like. I only want a stop put to this practise. The value of the spittoon is 1s. 6d.

P.C. Waterman said: I am one of the K.C.C., and am stationed at Great Mongeham. Yesterday, between ten and eleven o'clock I received information from Mr. Ratcliff, the last witness, that he had had a spittoon stolen from his tap-room, and that he suspected the prisoner of stealing it, and that he intended to prosecute it if he did not bring it back. I then went to Ringwould and made enquiries for the prisoner. I went to his house, and his mother came to the door. She said her son was upstairs abed, and at my request called him down. I asked him if he was at the "Boot," at Sutton, on Friday last, and he said, "Yes, I was." I then asked him if he saw anything taken from there, and he replied, "I took a spittoon from there." I said, "You acknowledge it then?" and he said, "Yes, I do." I told him that I must apprehend him and take him into custody, and he then offered to pay for the spittoon and said he would pay anything. That was about half-past seven o'clock in the evening. Prisoner also said he was very sorry for what he had done, and that he should not have taken the spittoon if he had been sober. I found that the prisoner had offered the spittoon for sale for a pot of beer at both of the public-houses in Ringwould, ("Lord Nelson" & "Five Bells") and that it had been ultimately broken up in the tap-room of the "Lord Nelson," and afterwards put on the fire.

The prisoner was remanded to Dover Petty Sessions, the Magistrates offering to accept bail.

The mother of the prisoner, in answer to Mr. Clarke, said her husband was minding sheep in the Marshes, and at the suggestion of the Bench left the court for the purpose of securing his attendance to enter into recognizance's of £5 for his sons appearance at Dover on the 20th of May next.