QSR1880/1/5/10

Depositions of Walter Rowley, pauper of the Biggleswade Union, Joseph Knott, pauper of the Biggleswade Union, Charles Palmer Stevens, surgeon of Biggleswade and Frederick Smith, Inspector of Police at Biggleswade. In the case of William Hills accused of malicious wounding with a knife.

5 November 1879

From: 1879 To: 1880

Walter Rowley: a 12 year old inmate of the Biggleswade Union. On the afternoon of 2 November, his brother Harry and William Hills were sitting close together. Harry got up to warm himself at the fire and on passing Hills, he touched Hills with his hand. Hills kicked him on the leg and his brother cried. He went up to Hill and asked what he was doing. Hills said “if you want a fight come into the yard”. He went into the yard and Hills followed. He did not go out to fight. Hills took the grating off the drain and threw it at him. It stuck him on the face and cut him. Hills then took a knife out of his pocket and struck him with it. He raised his hand to protect his face and the knife struck his hand. The cut was 2 and a half inches long. It bled for about half an hour. The doctor came and strapped it up. He had not hit Hills or done anything to him. Joseph Knott: an inmate of the Biggleswade workhouse. On 2 November William Hills was sat near the fire and Harry Rowley was going to the fire when he happened to touch Hills. Hills kicked Rowley. Walter Rowley asked what he was doing. William hills said to Rowley, you’ve been going on at me for 2 or 3 days come and have a round if you want one. They began to fight and then Walter Rowley went into the yard. Hills followed and picked up the grating of a drain. He threw it at Rowley, hitting in him in the eye and making him bleed. Walter Rowley went into the house and Hills followed him again. Hills took out his knife and struck at Rowley again, cutting his hand. Charles Palmer Stevens: Walter Rowley was firstly dressed by his assistant. Stevens had twice seen the wound. It was an incised wound to the back of the left hand and about an inch and ¾ long. The scar on the face appears to have been produced by a blunt instrument. Frederick Smith: produced the knife given to him by the Master of the Biggleswade Workhouse. Statement of the accused: nothing to say

6 pages

item

Hills, William,
Rowley, Walter,
Knott, Joseph,
Stevens, Charles Palmer,
Smith, Frederick

BIGGLESWADE, wounding, surgeon, Biggleswade Union