Jesse Chantler

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Maureen Withey on 15th January 2024

HOME CIRCUIT. KENT WINTER ASSlZES.— Maidstone, Dec 18 Before Mr. Justice Bat ley. Jesse Chantler, Samuel Chantler, Richard Harris, and William Spearman, were indicted for having, on the 20tb November, feloniously eniered the house of Nathaniel Pankhurst at Slaplehurst, and stolen therefrom two 10/. notes, one 51. note, three lt. notes, old gold coin to the value of 121. four silver tea spoons, and three sovereigns, his properly. Mr. Holland detailed the case to the Jury on the part of the prosecution. Nathaniel Pankhurst, an old man, between 70 and 80 years of age, renting a small farm near Staplehurst, in this county, stated, that on the 20th November, at about seven o'clock, in the evening, it being then dark, he heard a knocking at the door ; he asked who was there, somebody answered, Nobody that will hurt you ; we want some more of your cider, and have brought you a little spirits ; witness knowing the voice of Jesse Chantler, to whom on the Sunday before he had given some cider, opened the door, having previously had the precaution to take a loaded pistol from off the mantle piece ; the moment he opened the door, four persons rushed into the house and knocked him down ; the prisoner, Jesse C. then tied the prosecutor's wrists, and sat upon bis chest, which be continued to do until they left the house, and one of the other prisoners stood with the pistol and threatened to shoot him if he made the least noise ; the other two went up stairs, where they broke open a chest. Hannah Crassingham, wbo lived in the house, then ran out at the back door, but was pursued and brought back by tbe man wbo was standing over witness; a short time afterwards one of the men came downstairs, and said he had found a pocket pistol, and that if the Prosecutor's wife moved he would blow her brains out ; be then asked her to give him the keys, but witness told her not to do so, and she did not : the man then opened the dresser drawer, and took an iron rasp out of it, wilh which he forced several locks ; after remaining in the house about half an hour, the men said they could not find any thing and should therefore go ; one of them then untied the witness, and told him that if be at- tempted to go out of the house in less than an hour he would be a dead man as there would be two men stationed at the door with pistols. As soon as they were gone, witness searched the house and found the prisoners had taken away two ten pound bank notes, one five pound note, three one pound notes, an old gold coin to the value of twelve pounds, one sovereign, and four silver tea-spoons ; witness was sure Jesse Chanller was one of the men who were at bis house, and to whom he gave some cider on the preceding Sunday ; he thinks Spearman was the other, but cannot say positively ; Jesse Chantier and Samuel Chantier, were two of the men that committed the robbery: thinks Harris was also with them, but does not recollect Spearman. It was Samuel Chantier who stood over witness with the pistol ; and Harris who opened the dresser drawer and demanded the keys of his wife ; but witness after- wards but witness after- wards stated, that he had known the Cbantlers for some time, and was therefore enabled to identify them with a greater degree of certainty than he could either Harris or Spearman, whom be had never seen before the robbery. Sarah Pankhurst, the wife of the Prosecutor, an infirm old woman, upwards of eighty years of age, corroborated the evidence of her husband ; but on being told to look at the Prisoners with a view to their being Identified, she was too agitated to do so ; and it was stated that she was so much frightened at the time of the robbery, that she could not speak with any degree of confidence to the persons of the Prisoners. Hannah Crassingham merely deposed to the entrance of several men into the Prosecutor s house on the night in question. The Learned Judge summed up the evidence, and the Jury shortly afterwards returned a Verdict against Samuel and Jesse Chantler of Guilty — Death. Spearman and Harris were acquitted, but the latter was detained upon a charge of highway robbery. Morning Post, 20 Dec 1822.

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AaronRichard on 23rd July 2015

Native place "Staples" in Kent. Conditional pardon 31 August 1836. At least one child (son James) born in Van Diemen's Land in 1830, to a wife called Hannah (or Anna). Conduct record mentions a wife and child at native place also.