QSR1841/4/5/46

Depositions and examination - George Gough charged with cutting and doing grievous bodily harm to John Town

16 October 1841

From: 1841 To: 1841

John Town of Steventon, labourer - on Tuesday 5 October he was hooking beans in a field occupied by Robert Hulatt at Oakley. George Gough had been at work with him and he was helping Gough finish off his work. Gough sat down. He called him "a lazy devil". Gough got up and struck the fleshy part of his left hand with a sickle, cutting it deeply. When he called Gough a lazy devil he said he would cut him down - he said Gough dare not, then Gough struck him. He did and said nothing but what he has stated to provoke him. Gough struck at his head but he held up his hand to prevent him. Gough had had 3 allowances of beer and was rather fresh. He was not drunk. Gough had rather more than 3 half pints the last allowance. He was fresh himself. When Gough cut his hand he said "you have almost cut my hand off and I have a great mind to chop you down". He threw his bean hook out of his hand and struck him with his fist. When they got up after the scrummage Gough told him he would chop him down again. William Brown caught hold of him, turned him round and turned him out of the field. They had no quarrel before. William Brown of Oakley, labourer - John Town and three other men, William Wood, William Hill and John Breed were reaping beans the prisoner had engaged to cut for Mr Hulatt. They were all agreed to get the beans down as quick as they could and then go home. He was 20 yards off but could see and hear Gough. He heard Gough say to Town "if you come nigh me again I'll chop you down". He did not hear or see anything before that. When he looked round he saw Town's hand was all covered with blood. He saw Gough holding a sickle as if preparing to strike Town. He laid hold of Gough and turned him round and told him to go home or there would be something happen. He then tied up Town's hand. It was a very bad cut and appeared to be cut all the way down from the bottom of the little finger to the wrist. George Gough of Bromham, labourer - they were reaping "up the lands". John Breed went first, he followed. Just before they got to the end Breed cut his own thumb. Clark bound it up for Breed with his handkerchief off his neck. Breed went and sat down on the sheaf. Towns caught hold of Breed and said he should get up. Breed said he would not, and would hit Towns if he did not leave him alone. Towns said "if you do I'll hit you". He [Gough] told Towns to leave Breed alone. Towns asked if he had anything to do with it. He said no. Towns said "because if you have I'll have a turn with you". He said he would not fight. Towns said "none of your grumbling now". He replied "I never knew a Towns in my life that was not always grumbling about something". Towns laid down his sickle, came to him and doubled his fists at him in a fighting manner. He said "I shan't fight, but if you come to hit me I'll chop you down with a sickle. You go about your work and I'll go about mine". He held his sickle down by his side. Towns smacked up at him, clasped his hands round him and said "now you bugger will you strike me?". Towns held him about 1/2 a minute. Towns said "damn you", smacked him down and fell on top of him. He rolled from underneath and got on top of Towns. Towns put two fingers of his right hand in his [Gough's] mouth. He cried out that Towns was tearing his mouth and called for one of the others to come and take Towns' fingers out of his mouth. Clark came and took them out and lifted him off Towns. He went and stood a couple of yards away and spat the blood out of his mouth. Towns got up and said he [Gough] had struck him on the wrist. Towns said "I have got only one hand and now I'll finish the bugger's head".Towns came and struck him on the side of his head. He saw blood come down from his nose from the blow struck by the side of his ear. Towns kicked him on his backside and thigh. He took up his sickle and said he would go home. He went down to the other men. Towns said "you aren't going away are you because if you are we won't stop and finish it". Thomas Clark of Bromham, labourer - [repeats Gough's evidence to point where Gough rolled from underneath Towns] He was not fresh. He had had only 2 1/2 pints of beer. He is sure Gough never struck Towns. Gough held up his sickle when Towns came up to him double fisted and wanted to fight him. He saw a cut in Towns' hand and the blood as soon as Towns got up. He is sure it was done while they were down. He is sure that Gough did not do it - it was done by Gough's sickle while they were down. Towns put two of his fingers in Gough's mouth. Gough called for him to take them out which he did. He lifted Gough up and Gough started spitting blood about 2 yards away.

item

Gough, George,
Town, John,
Hulatt, Robert,
Brown, William,
Wood, William,
Hill, William,
Breed, John,
Clark, Thomas

OAKLEY, STEVINGTON, BROMHAM, wounding, agricultural worker, farming practice, agricultural implements, beans