QSR1840/3/5/9-10

Depositions and examinations - Samuel Childs and Thomas Goodman

30 April 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

William Burns of Toddington, police constable - last Saturday night Shepherd who keeps the Griffin Public House at Toddington asked him to look in as had had a lot he wanted to get rid of as it was time to close. He found many people there and asked them to go - they went immediately. Thomas Goodman was among them and said he wanted a bed in the house. He was very tipsey - it was fair night. Shepherd had no bed for him so he took Goodman to the Bell. Baker the landlord said he could have a bed. Goodman was about to go in when someone called him and said he was wanted down the road. He followed Goodman towards Mr Lewis's house and caught him. Goodman said he was so tipsey he could not go home and he would give him [Burns] 5s to go with him. He [Burns] said he could not leave the town. As he was leaving he saw Samuel Childs sitting by the Bank with a woman on each side of him and a man he didn't know sitting a little distance away. He told Childs he must go and not sit there at that time in the morning (about 1am). Childs said he would go when he liked. He threatened to lock him in the cage. Childs got up from the Bank and when he [Burns] was speaking to Thomas Goodman Childs knocked him down. When he was on the ground Childs fell upon him and seized him by the jaw. He asked Childs if he knew who he was - he said "a bloody policeman and I will give you the lock up". They struggled. He was getting the best of Childs when Goodman struck him just above the hip and knocked him down again. When he was on the ground they both struck him. He said "don't go and murder me". They ran away. He got up and followed them towards Mr Cooper's entrance gate at the turn of the road. Childs took up a stone and said "you bugger if you follow me any farther I will murder you". He [Burns] said "murder away I will follow you off this ground". Goodman was with Childs. He followed them to near Mr Cooper's gate. Childs turned and said "go back or I will murder you" and threw the stone, which struck him on the forehead and knocked him senseless. When he recovered he went to Mr Cooper's house. Mr Cooper came to his assistance. The hat produced is what he had on - it is broken through by the stone. He bled very much, fainted when he returned home, and still feels the blow above his hip. Charles Thomas Wagstaff of Toddington, surgeon - on Sunday morning he was called to go to William Burns and found he had a wound on the forehead. He found it a dangerous one and inferred there was a fissure in the skull. There were symptoms of concussion on the brain and he was fearful of extravasated blood on the brain coming ao he bled him. The next morning he was somewhat better. At about 2pm he was considerably worse and was in a state of collapse. He adminstered a stimulus which appeared to have a good effect. He does not consider Burns is yet out of danger although he is better. Thomas Goodman - "I neither kicked nor struck him" Samuel Childs - was sitting down waiting for Thomas Goodman and saw the policeman and Thomas Goodman coming together. Goodman asked if he was ready to go home. He got up to leave with him. He policeman said "I will have you" and pushed him on the Bank, had his knees in his stomach, broke the glass of his watch and said he would put him in the cage. He let him get up and they had a skirmish. Burns hit him several times and they ran away. He never threw a stone at Burns nor picked one up.

item

Childs, Samuel,
Goodman, Thomas,
Burns, William,
Wagstaff, Charles Thomas,
Shepherd,
Baker

TODDINGTON, assault, police constable, surgeon, treatment methods, blood letting, drunkenness, Toddington Bell, Toddington Griffin