Burglary at Cannon Heath (1846)

Post date: Apr 08, 2012 9:35:50 PM

Extract from Northern Star, 12th September 1846:

APPREHENSION OF A GANG OF BURGLARs.-During the hopping season, depredations on the property of' the cottagers employed in that occupation are of frequent occurrence ; and a case of this kind has led to the apprehension, at Gravesend, of a gang of depredators of this description. It appears that on Tuesday the cottage of George Martin, of West Malling was broken open whilst he and his wife were engaged in a hop garden only a few yards from their dwelling. An entrance was effected by breaking the window, from which a knife was taken, and with it the door was forced open. The thieves, having first regalled themselves with a meat pie which was standing on the table, proceeded to ransack the house, from which they stole a silver watch, eight dresses, seven shawls, and a variety of other articles, and amongst them a round frock. The robbery having been made known to Everist, the constable of Northfleet, he resolved to watch the steam-boats on their departure for London, and on Wednesday afternoon, just as the four o'clock boat came alongside the Terrace-pier, two men and a woman were observed, each carryimg a bundle. The constable stopped them, and it so happened that Martin at the moment made his appearance, and lie immediately recognised a gaberdine which was visible from one of the bundles. The prisoners , who gave the names of John Burgess, Charles Dugan, and Elizabeth Smith, from Rose- mary-lane, London were taken to tie Pier-house, Where the whole of Martin's property was found upon them. After they had been removed to the station-house, the pier-master found a duplicate for a watch, which is supposed to have been, stolen from a cottage, broken open at Canonheath, Wateringbury, on Monday last, for which a reward of £10 has been offered by Alderman Lucas for the apprehension of the parties concerned in it. On the examination of the prisoners on Friday, at Rochester, an officer recognised Burgess as having been concerned in burglaries in East Sussex, and he, it appears, has told the constable that if he will take him to a certain wood he will point out to him where some plate had been hidden, he having been concerned in robbing a church with another man, who has since been transported for fifteen, years, and as he supposes he shall share the same fate, it will be of no use to him. The prisoners were committed to Maidstone gaol, to be brought up again on Friday.

Extract from London Daily News, 14th September 1846

THE LATE BURGLARIES IN WEST KENT.-On Friday, Burgess, Duggan, and Smith, were brought before the county magistrates at Rochester, for final examination, on which occasion Alderman Lucas attended to watch the proceedings on behalf of one of his labourers, whose cottage had been broken open and robbed, at Canon-heath,Wateringbury, where the thieves used a gate as a ladder to reach the window by which they entered, and where a dog, left to guard the premises, seems to have been drugged, as when found he was in a state of stupor and appeared to be dying. After a lengthened investigation Duggan having proved an alibi, he was discharged, and Burgess and the female Smith were committed on two charges of burglary for trial at the next Quarter Sessions at Maidstone. Burgess was then arraigned on another charge, that of having broken open the church at Sevenoaks, on the 5th of August last, and stolen two salvers, a table cloth, and napkin The prisoner, when apprehended at Gravesend, confessed having committed this robbery, in company with a man who had since been transported, and as he considered himself in a fair way of sharing the same fate he undertook to point out to the officers where the salvers were concealed. For this purpose he was taken to the spot, and on the road between Shoreham and Otford he dragged them out from their place of concealment under a thick hedge by the road- side. For this offence he stands committed for trial at the assizes.