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The Western Gazette Friday 10 Jan 1873
Page 6 Column 6
ILMINSTER
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PETTY SESSIONS, Friday. - Before R. T. COMBE, Esq.
CHARGE OF STABBING AT BARRINGTON. - Walter WATTS, labourer, of Barrington, on remand, was brought up in custody, charged with maliciously wounding James MALE. Mr. PAULL appeared for the prisoner. Prosecutor, a youth aged 16 years, who appeared to be in a weak state, remained seated during the hearing of the case. He said:- On Tuesday night, the 24th of December, I went to the Royal Oak Inn, Barrington. I saw the prisoner there, but did not speak to him. When he left the inn, I and two other boys followed him to the corner of Copshoot-lane. It was about ten o'clock at night. I had no stick, but the other boys had. When I overtook the prisoner at the corner of the lane, he took hold of me by the right arm and struck a knife into my side. He then threw me down, and hit the knife into my back, then into the upper part of my left thigh, and then into my left elbow. I tried to take away the knife from him, and in doing so I received a cut on my right thumb. When I was on the ground I called out to a man named Vincent WOODLAND. I said, “He's stabbing me,” but WOODLAND did not take any notice of me. He stood and looked at me. I never had any quarrel with the prisoner. After the prisoner stabbed me, he ran away, and I then got up as well as I could and went into my aunt's house, and fell down. When the prisoner ran away, he went up the lane towards his home. I was attended by Dr. HARVEY on the following morning, and have been confined to my house until this morning. I am quite certain that the prisoner is the man who stabbed me. - Cross-examined by Mr. PAULL: When I went into the inn, the house was full. I sat down near Edwin MALE. Robert WINTER was there; he offered two boys who were dressed up in disguise some ale to get them to dance, but he did not offer me any ale or three half-pence to buy some if I would beat Walter WATTS going home. I did not strike Walter WATTS with a stick; the other boys had a stick but I had not. I did not say, when WATTS came out of the inn, “Now let's put into him.” I did not follow the prisoner. We were going home. Vincent WOODLAND came out of the inn and accompanied the prisoner all the way. - Vincent WOODLAND deposed: I live at Stocklinch. On the night of the 24th of December, I went to the Royal Oak after a gallon of cider. The prisoner was there amongst the company, and the house was full. There was a quarrel going on between a man named Edward MALE and the prisoner. I asked the latter if he was going home, and he said “Yes.” The prisoner then went to light his pipe, and I saw him with his knife in his hand. It was a white-handled one. I could not see whether it was open or shut, as I could only see the end of the handle. I cannot say whether the prosecutor was at the inn. Prisoner and myself left the inn and went towards our homes. When we got outside the inn, I saw a boy named John PAULL and others with sticks. The boys followed the prisoner, and some of them struck him on the back with the sticks. Prisoner ran away, and the boys ran after him. I stayed behind carrying my cider. When I turned the corner of Copshoot-lane, I saw the prisoner and the prosecutor on the ground. I did not hear the prosecutor call out. I afterwards heard the prisoner shout back, as he was running up the lane, and say, “I have hit the knife into one of them.” Directly the prisoner got outside the inn the boys began striking him with the sticks, saying, “Now put the sticks striking him with the sticks, saying, “Now put the sticks into him!” I do not know which of the boys said this. When I turned round the corner of Copshoot-lane the prisoner and the prosecutor were on the ground, and there was a woman beating the prisoner with a stick. I went up with my stick to protect the prisoner, and received a blow on my thumb; the woman struck me. I am quite sure that there were three or four other boys. When WATTS came out of the inn he did not say or do anything to the boys, but they struck him with the sticks. I advised him to run, and he did so. - Elizabeth MALE, aunt of the prosecutor, said: On the night in question I was standing at the step of the door of my house at Barrington, when I heard a noise about 50 yards down the street. I went in the direction of the noise. When I turned the corner of Copshoot-lane I saw the prosecutor on the ground, and the prisoner on the top of him. Prosecutor said, “Oh, aunt, he's cutting me.” I took a stick from a boy who was near and struck the prisoner. He then got up and ran away. - Dr. HARVEY, of South Petherton, who has been attending prosecutor since the 25th ult., described the five wounds he had received. - P.C. LYE said he apprehended prisoner at his house at Winsmore Hill, Stocklinch. When he charged him with stabbing prosecutor, he said, “I don't care a ----. What was I to do when they were all on me?” He afterwards made a similar statement. - P.C. SMITH produced the slop, waistcoat, trousers, and shirt worn by prosecutor when he was stabbed – They were all saturated with blood, and there were cuts in the shirt, showing where the knife passed through. - Prisoner, who declined to make any statement, was committed for trial.
TUESDAY. - Before J. Lee LEE, Esq.
DRUNK AND RIOTOUS. - John POOLE, labourer, residing at Cross, Ilminster, was brought up in custody by P.C. CARVER, charged with being drunk and riotous, on the previous night. Discharged, and ordered to be summoned to appear at the January Petty Sessions.