From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 7 May, 1853.

FLAGRANT CASE OF IMPOSITION

Never within the range of our experience have we witnessed a more awful instance of depravity - a more daring case of imposture, vice, and crime - shall we say of effrontery to the Omnipotent? - than the case this morning of:-

James Mason, aged about 35 years, who was charged with obtaining charity under the pretence that he was "deaf and dumb." For arresting such a villain in the prosecution of a scheme of infamy that almost staggers belief, the public are principally indebted to Mr. Wells, the landlord of the "Chance," and some few others whose names have not transpired. It appears that on Sunday evening, about 9 o'clock, the prisoner went into the "Chance," and putting down 1½d., wrote that he wanted a glass of sixpenny ale; with which he was supplied. A party in the house commiserating his apparent affliction, a subscription was forthwith commenced, and 10½d. was thus raised for the man, who in gestures attempted to express the gratitude his lips were supposed to be incapable of acknowledging. The landlord, who appears to be a man of some acuteness and penetration, narrowly scrutinized the physiognomy of the impostor, and a ray of suspicion darted across his mind that all was not right. After Mason left the house, Mr, Wells communicated his suspicions to the company, and told them he believed they had all been gulled. The matter however was not allowed to rest here; Mr. Wells started off to watch the movements of the prisoner, and soon observed him in close contact with two females in Last Lane. After Mason had moved on, the women were accosted by Wells, who asked them what the man (meaning the prisoner) wanted? They replied, "He asked us the way to the "Queen's Head." The imposition was at once apparent, and no time was lost in conveying intelligence to the police. Shortly afterwards, the prisoner was found at the "Antwerp Tap," and in a few minutes transferred to a cell at the police station; where his power of speech was developed in repeated threats to do for those who apprehended him. One would have supposed that the accumulated evidence of prisoner's possessing the faculty of utterance would have appalled him when before the Court, and rendered such a subterfuge of no avail. Such was not the case; with all the nonchalance of a consummate rogue he maintained a dogged silence for a while, attempting to give the lie by his mute lips to what his accusers advanced. On Mr. Wells being examined, Mason exhibited the most complete indifference, save when an observation from the Bench, touching his ear-holes threw him off his guard, his sudden lifting of a hand to his left ear sufficing to show to those who observed the movement that in "hearing" he was not deficient. - A married woman names Amos was next examined; this witness was one of the parties stopped in last lane by Mason, and she deposed - I saw the prisoner near the shop of Mr. Binfield, grocer. He asked me the way to the "Queen's Head." Not knowing exactly, I replied, through the lanes; and prisoner said "Thank you," and moved on. I am sure the prisoner is the same man. After the examination of each witness the usual privilege of cross-examination was allowed to Mason. He made no remark, but wished to converse by the dumb alphabet of fingers, when spoken to in reference to Mr. Wells; but at the close of his evidence the witness Amos, when asked if he had any question to put, he replied "No! nothing at all." The audience, though satisfied of the imposture, were startled by the speaking of the prisoner, and for the moment a murmur of execration burst forth; which was broken by the prisoner's exclaiming "I would not confess to such things as these, (pointing to the police,) but to gentlemen. Distress has led to the step I took. As may be expected, no further evidence was adduced. Mr. Wilkins, who passed sentence, pointed out by an exceedingly well-timed narrative the awful character of the offence, and that the fearful consequence in the case cited might be visited on Mason, and doubtless would, if the Supreme Being was actuated by the same feelings and passion as man. A more flagrant case had never come before Dover Bench; and the full penalty of the law would be inflicted  - three months' imprisonment as a rogue and vagabond. Wilkins, as he retired, said he believed that was the full extent of punishment the law allowed in such case.

On being searched by the police at the station, about 50 cards were found on the prisoner, stating what he pretended to be, &c. These were gathered by the Court to be destroyed. We give below a verbal copy of the production, by which the charitable have doubtless been often duped, not only by Mason, but we fear others of the vagrant class, who scruple at no means to live upon the industry of others, and destroy all sentiments of sympathy in the benevolent towards what appear to be (and probably are) really deserving objects of charity. We trust that the publicity given in this case, will be the means of preventing any from being tricked by such an infamous course. The following is the card alluded to:-

JAMES MASON

DEAF AND DUMB

Without TONGUE, or EAR-HOLES!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, - We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that the Bearer hereof, JAMES MASON, has been both DEAF and DUMB from his BIRTH, and was educated by me, Mr. CHARLES WATSON, at the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, in the Old Kent Road, London. He is by trade an ORNAMENTAL HAIR CUTTER, PLATTER, and PERFUMER; but being for a length of time out of employment, owing to the death of his late Master, Mr. PHILLIPS, of 97, Old Bond Street, he is now left in a truly distressed situation, and humbly solicits your kind aid, if you please.

The said JAMES MASON has undergone two operations for the use of his Speech and Hearing; but painful to say without effect. He has two Sisters also Deaf and Dumb, each of whom was educated in the above Asylum, in the Old Kent Road, London.

The Bearer makes all sorts of Hair Work, such as Wigs, Ladies' Fronts, Necklaces, Bracelets, Watch-guards, and Finger-rings, out of your own or any of your Friend's Hair, and will work your name in equal to print, if required. All Orders thankfully received and carefully attended to on the most reasonable terms by your afflicted Servant, James Mason.

Recommended by Mr. William Brown and Mr. Charles Cooper, Magistrates; Mr. Alfred Davis, Secretary; the Rev. George Gordon, Chaplain; and by me, Charles Watson, Teacher and Governor to the above asylum, in the Old Kent Road, Borough, London.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 11 September, 1868.

THE ANNUAL LICENSING DAY

Monday last was the annual licensing day, and the Sessions House, in which the Magistrates sat, was filled with licensed victuallers who were desirous of renewing their respective licenses. Twelve o'clock was the time appointed for the commencement of the proceedings, but more than half an hour elapsed before the Magistrates entered the Court House. The assembly Bonifaces manifested considerable impatience at this delay, and as the time wore on they stamped with vehemence and gave utterance to observations anything but complimentary to their worships in the inner chamber. At length, however, the Magistrates made their appearance, and the storm was hushed.

The Magistrates' Clerk then proceeded to call out the names of the various persons making application for the renewal of their licenses, and as they answered they were informed that they might leave the Court.

THE CHANCE

The renewal of the license of the "Chance Inn," Adrian Street, to the present landlord, Henry Baker, was opposed.

Mr. Fox said he appeared on behalf of Mr. Swoffer, Mr. L. Adams, Mr. Haynes, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Allchin, Mr. P. Penn, Mr. G. Kennett, Mr. G. Carrier, and Mr. Crosoer, all residents in the neighbourhood, - to oppose the application. The grounds of this opposition were that the house was badly conducted and was a source of great annoyance. Woman of bad character were harboured in the house; and there had been a case before the Bench that day arising  out of the irregular proceedings in the house in which a conviction had taken place, three soldiers having left the "Chance" not by the usual means, but by scaling the back premises and making their way through the shop of Mr. Reeves, one of the gentleman who now complained, much to the annoyance of himself and family. He should call before the Bench the provost-marshal, who would prove that the house was conducted in a disorderly manner, and he should produce other evidence in support of the complaint; and he had no doubt in the end he should succeed in convincing the Magistrates that this was a case in which the license ought not to be renewed.

Alfred Swoffer; I am a green-grocer and live at the corner of Five Post Lane. The "Chance" is next door, and some of the rooms of that house are over my living-room. Since the house has been conducted by Mr. Baker, I have been continually annoyed. The "Chance" is frequented by soldiers and woman, and there is occasionally dancing over-head. Soldiers occasionally lock themselves up in another room. On Thursday night, all day on Friday, and part of Saturday the annoyance was very objectionable. I have continually seen prostitutes go in and out of the house, and I know that they live there. Occasionally we overhear language of the most horrible and disgusting nature. I should think it impossible for a house to be conducted in a more disorderly manner.

In Cross-examination by Mr. Baker the witness said the noise he complained of were perpetual - from morning till night. He knew that men and women were locked in one of the rooms because he could hear their voices and hear the key turned in the lock after they had entered. He had seen girls of improper character about the premises early in the morning, and had seen them enter the house late at night. Last Friday morning when he got up, at four o'clock, a terrible row was raging.

In answer to the Bench Mr. Swoffer said that of course he could not swear that the men who locked themselves up with the women were soldiers, but he knew the house was frequented by soldiers and loose women, and he therefore concluded this to be the fact.

Mr. Haynes said he lived in Snargate Street, and that his back premises abutted on the rear of the "Chance." He had frequently seen women leaning from the window of one of the rooms the last witness had referred to and had heard noises proceeding from the same room. He had also observed women on the housetop, throwing pegs at the passers-by. On Saturday he observed two or three women at the window of one of the rooms referred to by the last witness, looking after the soldiers as they were making their way through the back premises into Mr. Reeves. The garrison police were after the soldiers, who tried to escape by scaling the walls dividing the "Chance" from Mr. Reeves's and witness's own premises. Witness ran through the house and intercepted the men, who were then taken in charge of by the police. He could not say that he had experienced the same annoyance from the house as Mr. Swoffer had deposed to, as witness lived further off; at the same time the frequency with which loose women were to be observed hanging their heads out of the window was a source of annoyance to him, besides which their language was not by any means select.

By Mr. Baker: I know your daughter, and I have not mistaken her for any of the women I have described.

Mr. G. H. Carrier said he lived in Adrian Street, opposite the "Chance." The windows of his house overlooked the rooms of the public-house, and he had frequently observed disorderly practices going on there; in fact the house had not been respectably conducted since it had been in the hands of Mr. Baker. He had seen soldiers and prostitutes assembled. These proceedings had been nearly of daily occurrence, and altogether the house had been kept in a very disorderly way.

Mr. Baker expressed his surprise that this witness, if the conduct of the house had been such as he had described it, had not spoken to the police; but Mr. Carrier said he had drawn the attention of the police to the subject once or twice.

Baker, in his cross-examination of Mr. Carrier, made allegations of a serious nature touching proceedings he said he had witnessed in the house of Mr. Carrier; but the Mayor stopped him, remarking that such observations were most unjustifiable, and that Baker was converting into license that free privilege of speech to which, in the position he was placed, he was entitled.

Edward Robins, garrison provost-marshal, was also examined. He said his attention had been directed to the "Chance" numbers of times by the residence in the neighbourhood, and that in his official capacity he had frequently directed pickets to remove soldiers who were found drunk in the house. In his judgment the house was conducted in a disorderly manner. He had seen prostitutes in the house. Whether they slept there ha did not know, as it was not his duty to go into the private apartments. On Friday night he saw a soldier very drunk coming up Snargate Street in company with another more sober. The man who was drunk was very disorderly indeed. He saw both go into the "Chance," and he did not take his eyes off the door, but when he called the picket, who were a short distance up Adrian Street, and entered the house in search of the men, they could not be found. Where they were put to he could not say; but he knew they did not come out of the front door, and it was not witness's business to go into the private rooms. He had had occasion to report the house twice to the brigade-major.

The young man in the employ of Mr. Reeves, named Walter, examined in the assault case already referred to by Mr. Fox, was called and deposed to the facts already before the Magistrates with respect to the incursion of soldiers to his master's premises on Saturday morning. He also spoke in general terms as to the disorderly character of the house.

Sergeant Barton was also examined. He said he knew that the "Chance" was frequented by prostitutes and soldiers from his own observations. He had seen five or six prostitutes in the house at one time.

The Mayor enquired how it was, then, that the house had not been reported?

Sergeant Barton said that he had never visited the house officially. None of the residents in the neighbourhood had complained to him.

Superintendent Coram, in reply to the Magistrates, said he could not add anything to his testimony already given. The house had been recently visited by the police in consequence of complaints by the inhabitants. baker had been convicted of harbouring disorderly characters in his house under a previous license.

Baker denied that this was the fact. He had kept a public-house for ten years, and had never been fined a shilling. In this case the neighbours had felt annoyed from the soldiers endeavouring to escape the picket by going through their premises, and for this he was not responsible.  But for that occurrence, however, he believed the Bench would have heard nothing of this complaint.

The Magistrates said that after the evidence which had been given they must decline to renew the license.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 11 September, 1868.

ASSAULT BY A SOLDIER

A private in the King's Own Regiment, named Jamed Whelan, was charged by Alfred Walter, in the employ of Mr. Reeves, boot-maker, Snargate Street, with assaulting him.

Mr. Fox appeared in support of the complainant.

The complainant stated that behind the premises occupied by his employer was a public-house called the "Chance." On Saturday morning last between ten and eleven o'clock, three soldiers, of whom the defendant was one, tried to force their way from the back of the "Chance" into Mr. Reeves's premises. He (Walter) endeavoured to prevent them, but Whelan pushed him violently to one side, and went through the house. In order to get into the premises, they had to get over a wall. This was not the first case of the kind. The evidence of the complainant was corroborated by Frederick Humphreys, shop-boy to Mr. Reeves, who witnessed what took place and identified Whelan as one of the soldiers who forced their way through the house.

The statement of the defendant was that whilst he was drinking at the "Chance" the picket came there, and he tried to escape by passing through Mr. Reeves's place.

One of the non-commissioned officers of the 4th Regiment gave Whelan an excellent character, and Mr. Reeves, through Mr. Fox, said that he did not wish to press the charge harshly, but rather to prevent the recurrence of what to him was a great source of annoyance, as men before had escaped from the "Chance" into his yard.

The Magistrates took a lenient view of the case, and fined the defendant 2s. 6d. and costs, amounting in all to 13s., which was paid.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 25 January, 1862.

TRANSFERS

The "Chance Inn," Adrian Street, was transferred from Mr. Wells to Mr. William Smith Banks. It appeared that the new landlord had never kept a public house before, and he was therefore recommended by Mr. Elsted to peruse his licence carefully so that he might guard himself against many of the offences peculiar to the keepers of licensed houses. It was common, when such persons were proved to had infringed their licenses, for them to plead they they had never read it; but this was an excuse the Magistrates could not receive, and it was well, therefore, that those who were receiving a licence for the first time should be made aware of that fact and the necessity there was for them to inform themselves of what they might do, and what they might not do, which their licence fully set forth.

From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 31 December, 1869.

Stephen Fisher, the landlord of the "Chance" public-house, was, on the information of Police-sergeant Barton, summoned for harbouring prostitutes in his house on the 17th instant, and was fined 11s. 6d., including costs.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 31 August, 1877. Price 1d.

DOVER LICENSING MEETING

The landlord of this house, in Adrian Street, was called forward, and told that there were reports against the house, and cautioned that if the house were not better conducted, the license might be withdrawn.

The landlord declared that there had been nothing worse in the house than a drunken soldier.

The Chairman said they were satisfied with the report of the police, and hoped the caution would be observed.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 10 January, 1879. Price 1d.

TRANSFER OF LICENSES

Application was made for transfer of the "Chance."

Mr. Worsfold Mowll defended.

Superintendent Sanders said: This house has been very badly kept. On Boxing Day my attention was called to the house, as there had been fighting with some soldiers. I went at once to the house, and found many soldiers there. One was bleeding very much from the face, and another very drunk in the bar. I cautioned the landlord, but he said "I could not help it, I must serve the people that come in." I told him he would get into trouble if he did not conduct his house better, I got rid of the soldiers, and I had one that was drunk taken to the guard room by piquet.

By Mr. Mowll: I found several redcoats there but was not informed that one regiment had been fighting against another. The house is at the top of Five Post Lane, where all the soldiers have to pass to go to the Barracks.

Police-sergeant Johnstone said: My attention having been called to the "Chance" on the 26th Dec. last. I visited the house with another police-constable. It was about nine o'clock, I went and found seven prostitutes at the bar, three of which I had seen in the house earlier. About 9.55 the same evening I visited the house again, and found five prostitutes and a number of soldiers. I cautioned the landlord several times about the conduct of the house. I watched the house from nine o'clock till 9.55, and I only saw two prostitutes leave the house. On the second visit I went into a side door and found the landlord and some navvies drinking. The landlord was drunk. I cautioned him again, but he would not take any notice.

By Mr. Mowll: I visited the house three times during the evening. It has been a very bad house with the present and last landlords, and is frequented very much by prostitutes and soldiers. I have had a great many complaints about it.

George Church said: I am a garrison sergeant-major. My attention was first called to this house, the "Chance," on the 8th or 9th December last. On going there in the evening I found a great number of soldiers, navvies, and five or six prostitutes. They were creating a great disturbance, so I ordered all the soldiers out and put a Garrison Military Police outside, to see that no soldiers came in the house that evening. I have reported it to the General, who sent a letter of caution to the landlord. I have cautioned the landlord several times.

By Mr. Mowll: The house has not been put out of bounds.

The transfer was not granted.

From the Dover Express. February 1881.

Fire in Adrian Street.

On Saturday evening at about nine o’clock information was received at the Police Station that a fire had broken out at the Chance public house situate in Adrian Street occupied by William Eversfield. The superintendent of police (Mr. T. O. Sanders) Sergeant Barton, and Constables Bowles, Steven’s, Pilcher, Baker, Knott, and Bath were quickly on the spot with the hose and reel. A standpipe was fixed and a good supply of water being obtained the fire was extinguished after the room in which it broke out together with the furniture and the adjoining landing had been destroyed. The origin of the fire is unknown but very considerable excitement prevailed during the time it raged, from the fact that the house is situated in a narrow thoroughfare and adjoining a large furnishing warehouse in which is stored immense quantities of furniture. It is understood that the loss is covered by insurance.

Information kindly supplied by Joyce Banks.

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