QSR1874/4/5/2

Depositions and examination - John Deeley, charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on Eliza Deeley with a poker at Luton on 7 August 1874

31 August 1874

From: 1874 To: 1874

Eliza Deeley of Luton, innkeeper’s wife – she lives at The Woolpack Inn, 55 Castle Street, Luton. John Deeley is her husband. On Friday 7th August they were sitting at tea “very comfortable”. He had been out to work and had had a little drink. All in a minute he said he hated the sight of her. She said to him, ”John if I am so hateful to you in your sight, I’ll go into the other room and have my tea”. She got up and he followed her. She made toward the door and he went toward the fire place. He got the poker and hit her two cuts on the head, one on the back and one on the ear. She tumbled senseless on the ground. She is certain he would not have done it if he had been in his right senses. She does not wish to press the case against him. [Cross-examined] “I should not have sent for the Doctor of the Police – he would not have hurt a hair of my head if he had been in his right senses”. Kitt Tomson of Luton, surgeon – on 7th August about 5pm he was called to see Mrs Deeley at the Woolpack. He found her laying on the floor in the taproom in a state of confusion bleeding from wounds in the head. He found 2 wounds on the scalp. One on the right side towards the front which was a smash - that is the injury extending from the actual wound to about the size of an ordinary hen’s egg and very much swollen. The bone of the skull was exposed. Another wound was behind near to the top of the head extending from a point in two different directions about 2 inches each way. She was also suffering from the ordinary symptoms of concussion of the brain. He has since attended her for these symptoms. She is now better but by no means free from the possibility of future mischief – she may possibly get paralysed. He does not think there is any immediate danger. Blows from a poker would produce the injuries he saw. He spoke to John Deeley at the time. He was in a state of alcoholism which is produced by constant drink. He asked “How came you to do this?” Deeley replied “she provoked me to it, and I meant to kill the b---r”. [Cross-examined] “The man knew what he was about and the difference between right and wrong, arguing from false premises, and such was the state of his mind he could not control the impulse. There is nothing the matter with the prisoner if he keeps from drink”. Anne Sills of Luton, wife of Henry Sills, labourer – she is a laundress at 55 Castle Street, Luton. Their house adjoins the Woolpack Inn. On Friday 7th about 4.30pm she saw Mrs Deeley come out of her middle room into the taproom. John Deeley met her with the poker in his hand and struck her twice. She fell and said “Oh! John you have done it this time”. She [Anne Sills] then ran and called a policeman. Emma Bird of Luton, sewer – she lives with Mr and Mrs Sills at 55 Castle Street Luton. About 4.30 on Friday she was in the bedroom. Mrs Sills called out to her and she ran down and saw Deeley strike his wife with a poker twice. She said to Deeley “Oh! You wicked man” and he said “I mean to kill the old b---”. She went for a policeman. Alfred Mayes of Luton, police constable – on Friday afternoon he was sent for to the Woolpack Inn. When he got there he saw Mrs Deeley sitting on the floor of the taproom. She had several cuts on her head and was bleeding very much. He asked who had done it. The prisoner said that he had. He asked what Deeley had done it with and he said “the poker” and that he was sorry he had not killed her. He sent for Dr Tomson, took Deeley into custody and charged him. Deeley said “all right, I wish I had killed the b---”. He produces a poke he found in the taproom. It had blood on it. John Deeley – says nothing.

item

Deeley, John,
Deeley, Eliza,
Tomson, Kitt,
Sills, Anne,
Bird, Emma,
Mayes, Alfred

LUTON, Luton Castle Street, assault, innkeeper, surgeon, police constable, laundress, Luton Woolpack