Sunday morning drinking (1870)

Post date: Nov 01, 2013 4:13:51 PM

Extract from Maidstone Telgraph 12 November 1870

LOCATED IN BEERHOUSE SUNDAY MORNING.

Thomas Carter and Thomas Hodge, both of Wateringbury, were charged with being unlawfully present in the Sportsman, West Malling, on Sunday morning, Sept. 26th. The landlord of the house had been previously convicted. Both prisoners pleaded guilty. Hodge said that he had been working all night at hop-drying and did not think was doing any harm. Carter said that he had been to take the breakfast of the men. Fined 1s and 8s costs each.

" WHO STOLE THE INGUNS."

Mrs James Bassett was summoned for assaulting James Cloutt, at Wateringbury, on the 2nd Oct. Complainant deposed that he was accused of having stolen "inguns" by defendant on the 30th September. On the 1st of October he went with his basket to sell sweets in a hop ground where the defendant was. While there the people kept calling out to him to know whether had got any "inguns" in his basket. He wanted to know what they meant, as "inguns" didn't "correspond" with sweets. The people told him go and ask Mrs Bassett. He then went up to her and asked her what they meant by calling out "inguns" to him. The defendant then said that she saw him take "inguns" out of her garden at half-past four in the morning. He then asked her why she did not come to him and accuse him. In the evening he went home with Tom Shepherd who had gallon of beer with him. He had only pint. He then left Tom Shepherd to go up his steps but "no sooner" had he got up than had he got up than defendant "handled" hold of him. He did not touch her. Defendant said that she would rip him up. In the struggle they both fell to the ground; defendant falling on the top of him. While on the ground she bit his cheek. She then got up and threw two "keelers" of water over him. A "keeler" held about a gallon. After that defendant threw pail full of water over his brother.

Mary Sales was called as a witness but she only spoke to hearing threats uttered by defendant.

Mary Ann Crayford likewise was called for the complainant but she also saw nothing of the commencement of the dispute.

Defendant, in reply to the charge, asserted that she saw the complainant in her garden about half-past five on the Wednesday morning previous to the quarrel. On the night of the 1st October complainant seized hold of her and said he would like to serve her the same way as he should like to serve the master of the union. He then kicked her and pulled her down. After that she ran indoors and remained there till her husband came home.

Flora Bassett, aged eleven years, daughter of defendant, said she was coming up the steps to her house when she saw complainant kick her mother. She was so frightened at their quarrelling that she ran for her father.

The Bench after brief consultation found the defendant guilty and sentenced her to pay a fine of 2s 6d and 11s costs; in default 14 days. Allowed a month to pay.