QSR1883/4/5/10

Depositions of David Jaquest, head constable of Luton, Frank Brown, an errand boy of Church Street, Luton, Herbert Rush, apprentice printer of Langley Street, Luton, William Odell, errand boy of Park Street, Luton, Theophilus William Pauli, doctor of medicine of 27 Guildford Street, Luton and John Stanton, police sergeant of Luton. In the case of Arthur King accused of maliciously wounding and cutting Frank Brown.

1 September 1883

From: 1883 To: 1883

Theophilus William Pauli: Frank Brown was brought to his surgery on 12 August about 8.30pm. He had a wound in his chest and was internally bleeding. He was removed to the college hospital and Pauli had attended him since. He is still in a precarious state. Pauli believed the wound was caused by a knife. [cross examination] the boy had been stabbed and remained in a precarious state for about a week. The knife just escaped the large arteries and the direction of the wound was from right to left. It had punctured the mediastinum. On 15 August he was threatened with pneumonia. As far as Pauli knew, Brown was now no worse for the stab her had received. Frank Brown: an errand boy and 16 years of age. On 12 August he went for a walk towards Biscott Mill. He met the prisoner and another boy. He had words with the prisoner. He met the prisoner again the same evening about 8pm on New Bedford Road on the asphalt path. The prisoner came up to him with one hand behind his back and the other hand covering his mouth. They went p toward one another and King took his arm from behind his back and stabbed him. Brown called out he had been stabbed and opened his coat to find himself bleeding. He walked to Mill Street and then fell down and became insensible. He spent 2 weeks in hospital and was still unwell. He had not returned to work. King had not been cutting a piece of straw with the knife. Herbert Rush: an apprentice at the Reporter Office and 15 years old. On 12 August he had been walking with Frank Brown when they met King and Odell. King and Brown had words and charges were made against Brown which he denied. He believed Brown pushed King down. He and Brown later met King and Odell in new Bedford Road and King came towards them with his hand behind his back and his other hand to his face. Brown either caught hold of King or pushed him and King struck back. He supposed King had struck with a knife but he did not see it. Brown said he had been stabbed and he got brown as far as Mill Street before he fell down and was sick. Some men came to assist and took him to Dr Pauli. The prisoners walked away. William Odell: On 12 August he was with King, coming from Biscott. They were some words between Brown and King but he saw no blows. The same evening in Bedford Road they met Rush and Brown again. Brown walked up to King and said “now then”. Brown either pushed or struck King and King struck Brown back on the chest with all his force. Brown opened his coat and waistcoat and Rush said there was blood. King asked if he had hurt Brown. He and King walked off. He asked King if he had stabbed him and King replied he had not. [cross examination] on the moor Odell said to Brown “you have been saying you could get me out of my place”. Brown said something about knocking them over. Before they had met again, King had some straw in his hand and had been cutting it with his knife. John Stanton: He apprehended and charged the prisoner on the night of 12 August. King said he would not have struck Brown if he had not struck him. King gave him the knife from his mantel shelf. Statement of the accused: not guilty.

item

King, Arthur,
Jaquest, David,
Brown, Frank,
Rush, Herbert,
Odell, William,
Pauli, Theophilus William,
Stanton, John

LUTON, Luton New Bedford Road, wounding, doctor of medicine, printer