WHOLESALE THEFT OF WATERCRESS

SMART CAPTURE BY P. C. HANDFORD

A CHASE AND STRUGGLE IN THE MARSHES

Deal, Walmer and Sandwich Mercury 29th April 1905

At the County Police court on Saturday, before the Mayor and Alderman Solomon, Noah Gatehouse, Henry Gatehouse, and Edward Herring, all belonging to Folkestone, were charged with unlawfully damaging, with intent to steal, a quantity of cultivated watercress, used for the food of man, growing upon certain lands in the occupation of Henry Wyborn, junr. doing damage to the amount of £2, at the Parish of Northbourne, on the 20th April.

Prisoners pleaded guilty.

Prosecutor said he was a farmer residing at Finglesham. In a stream at the bottom of How Close field he cultivated watercress for market. On Thursday night, about 8 o'clock, he went by the stream, and the watercress was then all right. The next morning, about 6 o'clock, he went there, and noticed that a quantity of the watercress had gone, and that damage had been done, apparently through four or five persons stamping on it. He estimated the damage, including the cress taken, at £2. More was damaged than was taken. The cress had been pulled out by the roots. He would have to level the bottom and relay the roots. He had had to do that three times during the last six or seven weeks, and during that time £9 or £10 worth of damage had been done to his watercress, including what had been stolen.

P.C. Handford deposed that about 10 p.m. on Thursday, April 20th, he was on duty in Northbourne marshes, keeping observation on the cultivated watercress. He came across the marshes to the bed referred to by the last witness, where he saw the three prisoners and another man not in custody. All four were in the stream, tearing up watercress. Witness came to the edge of the stream before they saw him. He asked them what they were doing there, and jumped into the stream after them, it being too wide to get across. The all four got up the bank and ran away. One ran round by the wood and the other three across the fields. Witness chased the three men about a mile. They had then got into Drove-lane, leading from Finglesham to Northbourne Mill, commonly called Broad Spot, when they stopped, out of wind. He overtook them and told them he should charge them with stealing a quantity of watercress, and that he should take them to Deal Police-station. He got hold of Henry Gatehouse, and was about to put one handcuff on him, and tell one of the others to put his hand in with him, when Henry Gatehouse said, "You ain't going to lock us up. You know me. Summon me." While witness was struggling with him, the other two "rounded up" and Herring said," What are you going to do?" Witness let go of Henry Gatehouse and "jumped into" the other two prisoners and got hold of them. He managed to get one handcuff on Noah Gatehouse. Herring broke away. Herring and Henry Gatehouse then ran away, and he was unable to catch them. He took Noah Gatehouse back to the watercress bed, and found a quantity of watercress (a sample of which was produced) lying on the bank, and four sacks (produced). He took him to Mr. Wyborn and afterwards to Deal Police-station. The previous morning, about 9.30, he proceeded to Folkestone and received the other two prisoners in custody from the Fokestone Police. They made no reply when charged.

In reply to Ald. Solomon, witness said he was in uniform. All the prisoners belonged to Folkestone.

The Mayor: There was a struggle when you tried to put the handcuffs on, we gather from your evidence?

Witness: I had got Henry on the bank and was trying to get one of the handcuffs on him so as to get one of the others handcuffed to him, thinking that if I had two secured I might manage the other without handcuffs, but I was unable to get them on, and the other two "rounded up." They didn't strike me, but I thought that was what they were coming for, and I let go of Henry and jumped into the other two, to make sure of securing someone.

Henry Gatehouse: Didn't I say I would go as I ought to do if you didn't handcuff me, and you said "No?" Then I said "I shan't be handcuffed" - when you lay on top of me on the bank. You wouldn't do that.

Witness: Certainly not.

Witness further stated that he had ascertained that prisoners had a horse and cart concealed in Willow Woods, so as to take the watercress away if they had not been caught.

The Mayor said it seemed a very gross case indeed all through. They seemed to have come a great distance, comparatively, for the express purpose of stealing this.

Henry Gatehouse: We should not have been there if we hadn't been brought by this man who had not been caught. This Hamilton told us there was some cress in Deal marshes.

Ald. Solomon: That's always the excuse. Trying to let the dead man bear the blame.

Henry Gatehouse: But he isn't dead. We never knew it was wrong.

Ald. Solomon: It appears you made good preparations, coming with a horse and cart and sacks.

Henry Gatehouse: We asked not once, but a dozen times, if there was anything wrong in it.

The Mayor said there was no excuse. They came with a horse and cart undoubtedly for the express purpose of stealing this watercress, which farmers had a perfect right to cultivate. Farmers in these days wanted as much protection as they could have. The times were bad enough without their being subjected to these abominable organised plunderings - not petty pilferings, but planned thefts. They considered it a bad case, and each prisoner would be sentenced to 21 days hard labour without the option of a fine.

The following week, 6th May 1905, the Deal Walmer and Sandwich Mercury reported:

The fourth delinquent in the watercress stealing case, reported in our last issue, was arrested and yesterday (Friday), brought before Mr. E. Dawes and Ald. Solomon, sitting as County Magistrates. He proved to be Frank Hamilton, of no fixed abode, but not unknown in Deal. The evidence previously reported was repeated, and evidence of arrest given. Prisoner pleaded that it was the first time, and laid the blame on the other three men, just as they, when in Court, had blamed him. The Bench sentenced him to 21 days hard labour, to which the others had been condemned.