Southeastern Gazette, 13 September 1853.

Applications for Licenses.

The applications of Mr. Wenbourne, for a transfer of his license to a new house near the railway station, of Mr. Richard Ford, landlord of the "Queen’s Head," and of Mr. Edward Arkhurst, for a newly erected house, were granted. (I don't know which house the latter was yet. Paul Skelton.)

From the Kentish Gazette, 7 February 1865.

Petty Sessions, Tuesday. Before G. E. Saver, Esq., and Major Groves.

Felony.

George Pagett and John Brett were charged with staling a coat from the taproom of the "Queen’s Head," Ashford, the property of Edward Gilbert, the ostler. It appeared that on Thursday evening, the 25th of January, the two prisoners and another man, with whom they were in company, were drinking with several other persons at the "Queen’s Head," and the ostler's coat was lying in a chair. The prisoners wanted a woman who was present to sell it for them, but she refused to do so. All three of the men slept at the "Queen’s Head" that night, and the next morning they were seen to take the coat from out of a dung heap in the stable yard and go away with it. They afterwards sold it at Brabourne. The third man was not apprehended. The prisoner Pagett defended himself with some ingenuity; but both he and Brett were convicted, and sentenced to one month’s hard labour each.

From the Kentish Gazette, 9 May 1865.

Petty Sessions. Saturday. (Before G. E. Sayor, Esq., Captain Billington, Major Groves, and E. H. K. Hugessen, Esq., M. P.)

The Results of Intemperance.

A respectably dressed man, named Edward Hardener, a tin-plate worker at Brabourne, pleaded "not guilty" to a charge of stealing a pewter beer measure, valued 3s. 6d., from the "Duke of Marlborough Inn," Ashford.

Ellen Hopper, wife of Stephen Hopper, landlord of the "Duke of Marlborough," deposed that the prisoner come into her house on Wednesday evening, and called for a pint of beer, which she served him in the pewter measure produced. Shortly afterwards she was told by Mr. Rose, of the "Royal Oak Inn," that a man had gone up the street from her house with a pewter pot, and she then found that the prisoner had slipped out of the house without her noticing him.

Edwin Rose, landlord of the "Royal Oak," deposed that he was standing at his door, when he saw the prisoner on the opposite side of the road, drinking from a pewter pot. Prisoner threw the remainder under of the contents away, put the pot in his pocket, and walked off.

Police-constable Frank Quested deposed that from information he received he apprehended the prisoner in High Steet, and found the pot produced in his coat pocket. Prisoner said he had it from the "Queen’s Head."

The prisoner, in defence, said he was so tipsy he did not know what he was doing, he had no intention of stealing the pot.

In answer to the Bench, Mrs. Hopper said the prisoner was drunk; she did not desire to press the charge.

Mr. R. Rabson gave the prisoner a character. He was quite the reverse of dishonest; but had an unfortunate weakness for drink.

The Bench ordered the prisoner to be imprisoned until the rising of the Court, and cautioned Mrs. Hopper not to serve drunken men again.

From the Kentish Gazette, 9 May 1865.

Wild Sports Of Ashford.

A man named James Pilcher, formerly in the Cape Mounted Rifles, and who had his arm in a sling, was charged with assaulting a young man named John Head.

Complainant deposed that he came out of the "Queen's Head" public-house a little before 12 o’clock on the previous Saturday night, and there was a little hit of a "set to" outside. Some one gave him a bottle to hold, and when he gave the bottle back, the defendant suddenly struck him several violent blows on the head. He was also maltreated by a number of the defendant’s companions.

Defendant said he was persuading an old man, who was being ill-treated, to go home, when complainant swore at him, and asked him what he had to do with it. He admitted that he then struck the complainant.

Pilcher was further charged with assaulting John Breeds. Breeds deposed that he remonstrated with Pilcher for striking Head in the manner he was doing, when some of defendant's companions called out, "Let the ----- have it," and defendant struck him in the eye. He was knocked down, and kicked severely while on the ground by the other men, and dragged along by the hair of his head.

Pilcher said that Breeds pulled off his jacket to fight, and it seemed the complainant did do so, but he alleged it was after he was assaulted.

Superintendent Dewar, who was sent for by the landlord of the "Queen’s Head," it being feared that the man Breeds would be seriously injured by the savage violence of his assailants, stated that when he arrived the parties complained of had decamped, leaving Head and Breeds and his wile terribly knocked about. They were each of them sober. The man Breeds had been severely kicked on the head and arms, and it was stated he had been dragged along the ground by his hair. The defendant, and ten or a dozen more rough fellows with whom he was connected, made it a practice to kick up rows at public houses, and one of them would pick a quarrel with some one who was alone and then the whole of them would knock him about. There were several such cases against them, but the parties assaulted had not prosecuted.

Before the Bench adjudicated on the cases, a companion of the defendant on the night in question, was charged with assaulting the wife of Breeds. His name was John Hills, and he was a great, ill-looking fellow, displaying a severe black eve and cuts about his face. In answer to the Bench he said he had received these scars in "another affair," since the one for which he was brought up.

Hannah Breeds deposed that when her husband was knocked down several of the men kicked him. Hills was going to do so but she said he should not, and placed herself between him and her husband. Hills then struck her a blow with his fist, and also kicked her on the arm, and on other parts of her person.

Hills said that the complainant was worse than her husband, and "egged" him on to fight.

The Bench fined Pilcher 30s. for the two assaults, and Hills 20s., or in default 14 days hard labour. The fines were paid.

From the Southeastern Gazette, 6 February 1866.

Magisterial Business, Monday. (Before W. P. Burra,  Esq.)

A respectably-dressed young man, named Jacobs, by trade a blacksmith, was brought up on a charge of robbing a gentleman staying at Ashford of a gold chain and locket, a purse containing about 15s., and other articles. The complainant, Theophilus John Holes, by his own evidence, was very drunk on the evening of Friday, and met the prisoner in the street while in that state. He knew he had chain, locket, and purse safe about five o’clock, but he did not appear to know much further what took place until the next morning, when he found himself in bed at the “Queen’s Head Inn,” and all his property gone. It appeared from other evidence that the prisoner brought Mr. Holes to the “Queen's Head,” about eleven o'clock, and engaged a bed for them both, and that he took the complainant upstairs, and came down in twenty minutes and went out, saying he would return in a short time. He did not come back, but it was shown that he went to the “Fountain,” and treated a prostitute, named Harriet Watson, with brandy, flourishing a purse of, money, and displaying a gold chain. He was drinking afterwards with the same woman at the “British Flag,” and appeared to be intoxicated. He wanted the landlord to buy the chain and locket, but this was declined. Afterwards he went to the house of Watson, and she, with another notorious character called “Blackey Top,” it seemed, plundered him of all he had about him, and then threw him out of doors. The locket and chain had not been found.

The prisoner, in defense, said Mr. Holes gave him the articles to take care of.

The magistrate dismissed the ease, observing that no jury would convict upon the evidence, and that the affair was most discreditable to Mr. Holes.

Kentish Gazette, 29 March, 1870.

Inquest.

On Thursday Afternoon an inquest was held at the "Queen's Head Inn," Mill Bridge, before Walter Furley, Esq., deputy coroner for East Kent, on the body of James Moss Hobday, a man aged sixty, who was found dead in bed under the following circumstances:-

William Dodd, landlord of the "Queen's Head," denoted:- The deceased came to lodge at my house on Saturday evening last. I have known him for twenty years past. He formerly lived at Boughton Lees, and was mailman to his father, who was a brewer there. He was then in a comfortable position in life; but for some time he has been in bad circumstances. Two other men occupied the same bedroom in my house as the deceased. I have not heard of any squabbling having occurred between them. The deceased was not cheerful; the first night he came he complained of being very unwell, but did not say in what way he was unwell. He had no meals in my house; he generally came home early in the evening; had a pint of beer and a biscuit, and went to bed he told me he had been employed at the "Duke of Marlborough Inn," but had been paid off from there the week before. On Tuesday evening he had his pint of beer and biscuit as usual, and I saw no more of him. I called the other two men up at halt-past five o'clock the next morning, and they went to their work. Not seeing anything of the deceased, I went to the room about half-past nine o’clock, and found him lying in bed quite dead. One arm was out of the bed, and he seemed to have died without pain or struggle, us the clothes were not in any disorder. I found the phial bottle produced under his bolster. It was empty and corked. There was no label on it.

Dr. George Wilks deposed:- From instructions received, I made a post mortem examination of the body this morning. There were no marks of violence on it. I suspected the cause of death, but I deferred forming an opinion till I examined the bottle produced. I found it contained minute crystals of oxalic acid, and I have no doubt death resulted from taking that poison. It is never used as a medicine, and could not have been taken for the purpose of curing disease or alleviating pain. I am of opinion that a very large quantity was taken, from the quiet mode in which death had occurred. When taken in a very large quantity the person usually faints; but when in a small quantity intent pain is suffered. Oxalic acid can only be sold under the usual restrictions for the sale of poisons; and it is usually bought in a crystallized form.

Mr. Beken, one of the jury, stated it was frequently bought in that way and mixed with water to clean brass, harnesses, and boot lops.
William Fisher, labourer, deposed:- I and another man slept in the same bedroom as the deceased. On Monday evening, about nine o'clock, as the deceased was undressing to get into bed he suddenly put his hand to his right side and exclaimed "Bless me what a pain I have here." I said "Sit down, my good man, on the bed," He did so, and attempted to get his trousers off but could not. I advised him to wait till he felt better, and he did so. In a few minutes he undressed and got into bed. I asked him how he felt, and he replied, "All right; good night." On Tuesday night about half-past eight o'clock he said he did not feel quite right and should go to bed. I came up into the room about half-past nine, and I asked him how he was. He replied, "Pretty middling," and began complaining of the hardness of the times; he said he could not get work, and he did not like to beg. I wanted to go to sleep, and bade him good night. During the night I was awakened by a loud gurgling noise which the deceased was making. I told my fellow lodger that it was hardly like snoring, and that if it continued I should go and wake the deceased up. ln a minute or two all was quiet, and I went to sleep again. In the morning I went out without noticing the deceased.

William Crump, labourer, the other lodger, gave similar evidence; and added he did not think much of the noise in the night, as the deceased was in the habit of snoring loudly.

P.O. Hollands said that no money was found on the deceased; he had two pawn tickets for clothes pledged by him.

The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased killed himself by taking oxalic acid when in an unsound state of mind.