QSR1843/2/5/16

Depositions and examination - James Bates

16 March 1843

From: 1843 To: 1843

Robert Goddard of St Paul Bedford - on Wednesday March 15 he was standing in St Paul's Square outside the Iron Gate leading into the Sessions House when Mr Bates collared some man, a stranger to him. He said to Bates "you have got the wrong man". He had his hands in his pocket and never lifted them out, but as soon as he said this Bates struck him in his face with his right fist and drew blood. He thanked Bates and told him he would summon him. He offered Bates no provocation whatever. He only said he had got the wrong man. [Response to defendant] - there might be 20 persons or more round the gate. He did not hear Bates call for assistance. Bates had a person in custody at the time. There was no particular disturbance that he knows of. There were some words. He did not know what Bates had the man in custody for. There were not many persons round Bates because he rushed out of the premises and caught hold of the man immediately. He was in front of Bates, but did not place himself there purposely. [Response to the Bench] - he did know that Bates was a police officer. He said Bates had got the wrong person because he heard other people say so and he ran after another man previously. He did see another officer assist Bates in taking hold of the person at the same time that he was struck by Bates. Esau Keep of the Barn Yard, St Pauls, Bedford, smith - on Wednesday he was about 3 yards from the Sessions House Gate, just after the clock struck 2. He saw Mr Bates take hold of a man with his left hand. Robert Goddard said "you have got the wrong man" and Mr Bates then struck Robert Goddard with his right hand. Goddard said he would pull him up for it. [Response to defendant] - there were scores of persons about the gate. He did not notice any drunken man about at all. There was not a hollowing noise just then but there was just before. There was no one around Bates near enough to touch him when he got hold of the man. There was no one before him so that he could not get in at the gate. Goddard was not before Bates or hindering him when Bates struck him. The person Bates collared did rather resist. He did not hear Bates ask for assistance, though another man did come and assist him. He did not see a superintendent of police run after another person. [Response to the Bench] - he did see the blow struck. It was a violent one. He heard no provoking language from Goddard. If Goddard had used any he would have heard. Bates had got the other man in hold getting him into the gate with his left hand when he struck Goddard. He saw no one try to stop Bates from getting the man in at the gate. William Kemp of Well Street, St Paul, Bedford, shoemaker - when he was coming back from dinner the day before yesterday the policemen were pulling a man into the Sessions House side gate. The man's name was Smith, brother to his landlord. Robert Goddard stood by and as Bates was shoving the man with his left hand he struck Robert Goddard on the mouth with his right hand. He heard no words pass. He did not see Goddard do anything. [Response to defendant] - Smith is a bricklayer. He thinks there were between 20 and 30 persons about, perhaps 40. There were more than that in the street. He did not see any other superintendent about. He saw a policeman run up the street but was not near enough to tell who it was. He saw that policeman bring back a man in custody and meet another policeman who took charge of the man. Bates had a man in custody. He did not hear Bates ask for assistance. He did not hear Goddard say anything. He thinks he was 3 yards from Goddard. [Response to the Bench] - some policeman was taking Smith in the gate when Bates shoved Smith. James Bates - the proceedings of the Court at the Assizes here were stopped and he was placed on duty to prevent any disturbance. The noise was so great outside that the judge rose and directed the under-sheriff to go and pay attention to it. He went round and there was a man in a very drunken state making a very great noise and trying to make a speech. Those round the gate were encouraging him and the man he took hold of said "it's an open court and I have as much right there as you have, we pay for your coats that you have on your back", and many around huzzahed and made a great noise - loud enough to be heard in Court. He told the man he had better take himself off. The man continued his abuse and told him he would not go away but would stop as long as he thought proper. He then took hold of him. The man resisted and he called upon Mr Goode the Inspector of the Hertfordshire Rural Police to aid and assist him. Goddard thrust himself before him and said "you have the wrong man - you shan't take him". He knocked Goddard off him and told him he would have him next. He then brought the man he had hold of into Court with the assistance of Mr Goode.

item

Bates, James,
Goddard, Robert,
Keep, Esau,
Kemp, William,
Smith,
Goude

Bedford St.Paul, Bedford Saint Paul's Square, Bedford Well Street, assault, police superintendent, smith, shoemaker, bricklayer