QSR1881/4/5/1

Depositions of George Edmunds, police constable of Eaton Bray, David Carter, labourer of Eaton Bray, Richard Clarke, labourer of Eaton Bray and Frederick Fountaine, labourer of Eaton Bray. In the case of Joseph Pollard accused of maliciously wounding David Carter.

9 August 1881

From: 1881 To: 1881

David Carter: on 31 July, about 10pm he was at the bottom of Bedford Square in Eaton Bray. The prisoner was there with others. They were talking about ploughing. He told the prisoner he could do a days work as well as he. The prisoner said that the master said Carter was idle and could never do a days work, a days work would kill him. Pollard came up against him and Carter pushed him back. Pollard stabbed him in the arm with a knife. He had not seen him draw the knife. He got Pollard against the gate post and tried to get the knife from him. The people nearby said to let pollard get up so he got off him. Pollard came at him again and stabbed him in the head, twice. Richard Clarke: a 14 year old living in Eaton Bray. On 1 August, near a gate post in Bedford Square, he found a knife blade, which had been broken off. He gave it to David Carter’s mother. He knew it to be the blade of the prisoner’s knife. Frederick Fountaine: on 31 July, about 10 o’clock, he was at Bedford Square in Eaton Bray. He saw the prisoner and Carter with others discussing ploughing. The prisoner went to Carter and said hit me. Carter pushed him back. They struck one another at the same time and the prisoner took off his coat and pulled a knife out of his pocket. Pollard opened the knife and said he would stick him with it. Carter tried to take the knife away and Pollard struck him in the arm with the knife. Carter got him down and tried to take the knife. People told Carter to let Pollard up and he did so. The prisoner went up to Carter and stabbed him 2 or 3 times in the head. Carter bled. He pulled the prisoner off Carter and he was going to stab him again when he stopped him. George Edmunds: a police constable of Eaton Bray. On 31 July he went to Carter’s house. Carter had his head bound up. He removed the bandages and saw the wounds. He could see to the bone in both places. Carter was bleeding and also showed the constable the wound in his arm. He apprehended and charged Pollard. Statement of the accused: he was very sorry and would not have touched him, if he had not touched him.

item

Pollard, Joseph,
Edmunds, George,
Carter, David,
Clarke, Richard,
Fountaine, Frederick

EATON BRAY, wounding