QSR1839/1/5/40

Depositions and examination - George Robarts of Biggleswade, labourer, charged with feloniously stabbing, cutting and wounding Charles John Stebbings at Biggleswade, in and upon the left side of the neck with intent to do him grievious bodily harm.

7 November 1838

From: 1838 To: 1838

Charles John Stebbings of Biggleswade, tailor - he is 15 years old next February and is apprenticed to Mr Luck of Biggleswade. On October 25 at about 8pm he was going by Mr Ryland's shop in Biggleswade and met Robarts, who is a little younger than himself. Robarts called him "old snuffy doan" as they passed. He turned and asked what he meant by it. Robarts then said "Come along", took a knife from his butcher frock pocket, opened it, and stabbed at him two or three times. He tried to escape into Mr Rylands shop. As he was running backwards and trying to keep off his blows, he ran against the door post and Robarts cut him on the left side of his neck, then ran away. Stebbings ran into Mr Rylands shop, and soon after went home. Mr Ingle and Mr Maibon came and dressed the wound. Robarts cut his arm with a broken knife two or three months before. John Ryland of Biggleswade, draper - heard a scuffling, ran out to see what was the matter and saw the two boys sparring in the street. He heard one of them cry out "he has cut my throat" and the other ran away. He pursued and caught him and said "it is a pretty thing you have done - you have cut this boy's throat". He replied, "he should not have kicked me then". He took Robarts home to his father. Stebbings came into his shop. The wound in his neck was bleeding upon the floor, but not very fast. Stebbings was in the shop about 5 minutes, and he estimated there might be a tablespoon of blood on the floor. William Adam Maiben of Biggleswade, surgeon - he is assistant to Mr Cater the surgeon of Biggleswade. He was sent for to Mr Luck's and found Stebbings there with an incised wound about 3 1/2 inches long, extending from the back of the left side of the neck downwards toward the jaw. The wound got gradually deeper from the back side of the neck. In the deepest part it was not quite half and inch deep. The blood had stopped flowing when he got there. Mr Ingle the surgeon was there before he got here, and he hlped him dress the wound. George Robarts - as he was coming home from Langford Lane, Stebbings caught hold of him and said "what the Devil do you mean by calling me" and began to beat him. Robarts then kicked him. Stebbings said "I can kick as well as you" and kicked him on the shin. Then he drew his knife and said "you had better keep off or else I shall perhaps bust you". Then Stebbings came running up to him, he cut him, and he ran into Mr Ryland's shop.

item

Stebbings, Charles John,
Robarts, George,
Ryland, John,
Maiben, William Adam

BIGGLESWADE, Biggleswade Langford Lane, wounding, tailor, draper, surgeon