South Eastern Gazette, 19 June, 1860.

John Jones was next charged with having interfered with the picquet of which Sergeant Boswell had the charge, on the picket visiting the "Plasterers’ Arms," to search for men of the militia. One of them said he would not go without having a fight for it, and he took off his waist belt. The defendant then took off another man’s belt, and said, "Yes,. I’m ----- if I don’t help," and then deliberately put out the gas, leaving the place entirely in darkness.

Fined 10s. and costs, or fourteen days.

South Eastern Gazette, 1 January 1861.

Robbery by a Soldier.

At the Thursday's sitting of the city justices, Joseph Freeman, a soldier, was charged with stealing a tea-caddy, containing £1 in silver, from the "Plasterer's Arms," Northgate-street, on Wednesday evening. From the evidence of the landlord (James Burrows) and the barmaid (Martha Baker) it appeared that the caddy was used as a cash-box, and that it contained the produce of the two days' takings (upwards of £1), when it was missed from its usual place, a small table near the spirits in the bar, at about 8 o’clock on Wednesday evening. About two minutes previously the caddy was safe, and the prisoner was standing by the side of the bar door, and within reach of it. The barmaid went into the taproom with some beer, and on her return she found the caddy with its contents gone, and the prisoner too. She told the parties in the house, and a search was made for the prisoner, but he could not be seen. A private of the 70th then handed her prisoners belt, to keep till the prisoner returned. About two hours later, P.C. Holloway was on his beat, in Union-street, when a man named Cheeseman gave him a tea-caddy, which had been thrown over his wall. It hid been forcibly opened, and the contents abstracted. Enquiry in the neighbourhood led to the discovery of the owner of the caddy. Holloway then went to the barracks and found the prisoner drunk in the guard-room, after having traced him to several public-houses, where he had been spending money very freely. When charged with robbery, the accused stoutly denied his guilt, and was like a madman. An attempt was made to search him, but he put some silver coin in his mouth, and succeeded in swallowing it; he also managed to give a fellow prisoner a half-crown. The next morning, by order of the colonel, he was handed over to the civil power, and one of the officers attended before the justices, and gave the prisoner a very bad character. As, however, the legal evidence of his guilt was not deemed to be conclusive, he was remanded till Monday.

South Eastern Gazette, 1 January 1861.

Robbery By A Soldier.

At the city petty sessions, yesterday, Joseph Freeman, a private in the 70th Regt., was charged on remand with having stolen a tea-caddy, containing upwards of £1 in silver, from the "Plasterers' Arms," in Northgate-street. Some additional evidence was adduced, but the prisoner was again remanded till Thursday, in consequence of the absence of a material witness.

Kentish Gazette, 15 March, 1870.

Burglary at Dover.

Chas Gower, 16 labourer, was indicted for burglary and stealing £3 14s. 4d., the money of William Swain, at Canterbury on the 15th January, and Damson Gower, his mother, for receiving a part of the money with a felonious knowledge. George Fowler, licensed victualler, at Canterbury, (Plasterer's Arms) said on the morning of January 15, he heard a noise in his back garden at twenty to three He called out and the male prisoner answered. Witness went out and met him coming out of a water closet. The boy had a cup of coffee in the house, and paid for it with 6d, which he took from a bag.

This farther communicated to the police as soon as he heard of the robbery. P.C. Holder said he went to prisoner’s house on the same morning; looked through the window and heard the prisoners laughing and rattling some money in a bag. he went in and asked for the money when the boy said he had not brought any and his mother said the had not received any. Witness saw a bag by the side of the female and took it from her.

Prosecutor, a baker, said he fastened up his house safely on the 14th January, and was awakened by the police to find that his house had been broken into. The bag produced was safe in a desk the night before with another bag containing two sovereigns, which was also missed.

The male prisoner said he had found the money in the street, and his mother supported his statement.

“Guilty.” The boy received a bad character from the police, and was sentenced to 15 months’ hard labour; his mother to 3 month’s hard labour.