QSR1840/4/5/38

Depositions and examination - Stephen Emmerton, John Emmerton and Edward Emmerton

6 August 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

Daniel Hazard, police constable - on 27 July he was on duty at Pulloxhill, the day of the Feast. A fight took place in the Cross Keys Public House about 11.30pm. The landlord asked him and the parish constable Charles Cain to go in. Cain went in and he stood outside. He saw Cain take hold of a man who was fighting as if to get him out. A man named Bonner Downing took hold of Cain. He took Downing out and told him to go away quietly but he refused. Stephen Emmerton came and took him by the collar, another man took him round the waist, and he was thrown into the ditch. Stephen Emmerton held him down and struck him on the head, as did some others. A man named Flint helped him to his staff and he struck Stephen Emmerton with it. Emmerton let go. John Emmerton then came up and said "where's that bloody policeman", took him by the neck and got him down again. Many threatening words were used. Flint helped him to get rid of John Emmerton. Cain helped him to get clear of the others and he got out his handcuffs. Edward Emmerton was one of the men upon him the last time he was down. As he was giving his handcuffs to Cain Edward Emmerton got hold of them and ran off with them. The disturbance lasted some time. Edward Emmerton came back and said he wished he had his gun - he would have shot him. He then took him and John Emmerton and got them into the house, but the mob continued outside until daylight. He was very much bruised and could not do his duty the next day. Charles Cain, parish constable of Pulloxhill - he was with Hazard when he was asked to clear the Cross Keys public house. He went in and Edward Emmerton was in a "fighting attitude". He told him to go away but he refused. He got him out and saw several of the men fall on the policeman. He saw Edward Emmerton and Stephen Emmerton among them. He did not see John Emmerton attack the policeman but he was there. The policeman did not do anything to aggravate them. The mob was very violent. Charles Flint of Shillington, labourer - he was at Pulloxhill the night of the Feast. He saw John Emmerton run across the road saying "where's that bloody policeman" and seize the policeman round the neck. He took him away - the policeman called him to help. He heard Edward Emmerton say if he had a gun he would shoot the policeman. There was a great row with many men about the policeman. He saw all three of the defendants there. Stephen Emmerton - he is very sorry he got into this row. John Emmerton - he is very sorry. He was tipsy and did not know what he was about. Edward Emmerton - it is the first row he ever got in in his life. He was very tipsy and was off his guard.

item

Emmerton, Stephen,
Emmerton, John,
Emmerton, Edward,
Hazard, Daniel,
Cain, Charles,
Flint, Charles,
Downing, Bonner

PULLOXHILL, SHILLINGTON, assault, police constable, parish constables, Pulloxhill Cross Keys, drunkenness, feasts