QSR1878/3/5/8

Depositions and examination - Francis Smith of Leighton Buzzard, drover, chareged with wounding James Pratt with a knife at Leighton Buzzard on 25 June 1878

29 June 1878

From: 1878 To: 1878

James Pratt of Leighton Buzzard, whitning [sic] dealer – he knows Francis Smith well. Smith is a drover living in Leighton. On 26 June between 7 and 8pm he was at the Ram Public House, sitting on a form just inside the taproom. Smith was also there, sitting on the same form. Smith was there first. He tapped Smith on the knee with his hand and said “Hullo Frank how are you getting on”. Smith said something, he does not know what. He slapped Smith again in the same way. Smith turned his hand round and struck him under the left breast. Smith had something in his hand wrapped up in paper. He immediately struck Smith and the landlord put Smith out. Whatever Smith struck him with pierced his shirt and jersey and made a wound in his left side. It only made one wound but there are two holes in the shirt. The wound bled a good deal and he had to send for Dr Harris who dressed the wound. He had had no quarrel with Smith. Joseph Hopkins of Leighton Buzzard, innkeeper – he occupies the Ram Inn. On 25 June he went into his taproom about 7pm. Smith was sitting on a form close to the door. While he was there James Pratt came in and sat down by Smith’s side. He saw Pratt slap Smith on the thigh and heard him say “how are you old man” or something to that effect. Smith said “keep your hands off of me or I’ll chop them for you”. Smith had something wrapped up in newspaper in his left hand. Pratt was sitting on his right side. A minute or two afterwards he saw Smith strike Pratt on the chest with the parcel in his hand. Pratt jumped up, opened his waistcoat and struck Smith. He ran to them, pulled them apart and told Smith to leave which he did. He found Pratt had a wound on his chest which was bleeding. Pratt gave Smith a hard slap. Thomas Ruffhead of Leighton Buzzard, police constable – at about 9pm on 25 June he went to Pratt’s house. Pratt was lying on the floor with blood on his shirt and a wound on his breast. He went after Smith and found him in his house. He asked where the knife was that Smith had stabbed Pratt with. Smith replied “at Jim Ayres’, there was two of them. I had been to grind them to skin a horse with the next day”. He took Smith into custody and charged him. Smith said “he should have let me alone then, he punched my legs or thighs and I told him if he did not let me alone I would stab him and I done it”. At the police station Smith said “I suppose I shall have to pay or go to Gaol over it. I don’t disown it, he should have let me alone”. On 27 June he received the knives produced from Mrs Ayres, wrapped in paper. George Smith Dellaville Harris of Leighton Buzzard, physician and surgeon – on 25 June he was summoned to attend Pratt. He went to Pratt’s house and found him lying on the floor in a state of prostration. He found an incised wound on the left of Pratt’s chest a little below the heart, a very dangerous place. It was about ¼ inch deep. He should say it was probably caused by the smaller of the knives produced. Pratt had lost a good deal of blood and the wound was still bleeding. This was partly the cause of his prostration. He dressed the wound. There was no immediate danger and there is none now. Francis Smith - "I shall keep what I have to say until I get to Bedford".

item

Smith, Francis,
Pratt, James,
Hopkins, Joseph,
Ruffhead, Thomas,
Harris, George Smith Dellaville,
Ayres, James

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, wounding, dealer, drover, innkeeper, police constable, surgeon, Leighton Buzzard Ram