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From the Dover Telegraph, 3 January 1863.
THE BURGLARY AT CHARLTON.
John Henry Woodhouse, 26, an artilleryman, pleaded "Not Guilty" to a charge of
stealing one gold pin, the property of Mr. Wm. Brewster, in his dwelling-house
at Charlton, on the 25th October; there was a second indictment charging
prisoner with dealing with stolen property.
Mr. Addison for the prosecution.
The evidence of Mr. and Mrs. Brewster proved the discovery of the robbery at the
house in Charlton, and the loss of a considerable portion of jewellery. The
following week prisoner offered her pin in question for sale at Mr. Brewster's
shop in Snargate Street, stating that it had been given to him by one
Christopher Rawlinson, of the 90th Foot, some rive months since. Upon being
asked his name he said it was William Tayler of the 2nd battery, 5th brigade;
and upon Mr. Brewster endeavouring to detain him, he ran away, but was
ultimately captured by Sergeant Back.
Prisoner cross-examined the witnesses upon what "sign or token" they could
identify the property produced, and to show that similar pins could he procured
at any jeweller's shop in the town — Mr. Brewster knew the pin from its peculiar
make — it was manufactured by Mears of Birmingham.
Prisoner:- I wish the first witness to be called back, and the gentleman there
who wrote down what she said before the Mayor
Mrs. Brewster re-called.
Prisoner:- Did she not say they had not lost any pins at first?
Mrs. Brewster:- I did when the question was first asked — I thought they meant
hair-pins, and do not wear any. I did not know at that time how much jewellery
there was in the drawer.
Mrs. Mary Chetwynd did not think the Artilleryman she saw near Mr. Brewster's
house in the Charlton Back-road was quite so tall as the prisoner.
Thomas Cattermole, landlord of the "Recruiting Sergeant," Buckland Road, when
the prisoner offered to sell him a gold pin, on the 1st November, refused to buy
anything of a soldier.
Charles Williams p.c., deposed that an entrance had been effected by the
breaking of a kitchen window at the residence.
Prisoner in defence called two of his comrades to prove an alibi, and further
stated that another soldier named Taylor had given him the pin to sell.
Gunners Thompson and Hopper were closely cross examined by the Recorder and Mr.
Addison, but there was no discrepancy in either statement that they had left the
Castle at five o'clock, visited the "Anglesey Arms" in Priory Street, and left
it for the "Ale Shades" in Snargate Street, returned to the "Anglesey Arms," and
started at 8.40 for their barracks. Prisoner was with them the whole time. They
had not had curiosity enough to ascertain how far the house where the robbery
was committed was from the "Anglesey Arms."
Gunner Taylor denied all knowledge of the pin; he had never given it to the
prisoner.
Prisoner:- Ask him whether he did not state that he gave it to me, before the
Superintendent, Sergeant Back, and the policeman Williams.
Recorder:- I cannot consistently — you called him to prove that he gave you the
pin and he has failed to do so.
Lieut. James Jenkins stated that prisoner had been in his battery about three
years, and up to the present time nothing was against him — his character had
been generally good.
Mr. Addison then addressed the jury upon the second count - admitting the
possibility that the prisoner’s comrades had given truthful evidence, and that
being in their company about the time the robbery had been committed, it would
have been impossible for the prisoner to have perpetrated it; still there was
the fact that he had been found most improperly dealing with it, and his acts
were such as exhibited a knowledge that it had been improperly come by.
The Recorder summed up at length, and with concise remarks thought it would be
better for the jury to dismiss the first count of the indictment from their
minds, and to find upon the second one. The misrepresentations of the prisoner,
and the failure of his own witness to prove the statement they had heard him
make that the pin was given to him by Taylor were certainly not in his favour.
The jury having returned a verdict of Guilty, the Recorder called upon Sergeant
Back and Superintendent Coram, the latter of whom had heard Taylor say to the
prisoner "I'll get you out of it!" but nothing about his ownership of the pin,
or he would have ordered him into custody.
The Recorder in passing sentence, said the prisoner had been convicted upon very
clear evidence, although the circumstances connected with this robbery were
under suspicious and it was certainly a most audacious robber under the most
atrocious circumstance; and he felt it his duty to sentence him to a period of
18 calendar months.
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