QSR1888/1/5/13

Depositions of Alfred Bliss, labourer of Dunstable on behalf of himself and his wife, Henrietta Annie Bliss, Mary Ann Dudley, wife of Frederick, Elizabeth Hill, spinster and a minor, Ann Hill, wife of George Hill a fishmonger, Frederick Parrott, coal and wood dealer's boy of Dunstable and Frank Hatley, stonemason's boy, of Dunstable. In the case of William Henry Hill, accused of incedently assaulting a child, Millicent Henrietta Bliss.

21 December 1887

From: 1887 To: 1888

Henrietta Annie Hill: wife of Alfred Bliss and residing at 7 Albert Street, Dunstable. On 15 December she was returning home about 1.30pm and met Hill. He asked her if she wanted any fish. He said that he had just come from her house and the children were crying very much and he had given them halfpenny. She had left 3 children in the house, one of them was Millicent. She hurried home and found the children crying. There was a complaint made to her by Millicent. Hill followed her into the house and said “Don’t cry Duckie I shall give you halfpenny when I come again. I gave you one when I was here before”. Millicent had 2 halfpennies in her hand. Hill then left. Whilst Hill was present Millicent kept crying and saying “Will Hill”. In consequence of what the child told her after examining her, she went to Mr Shanatt and his mother. Hill came to her house that evening with his sister. Her husband came and asked the child questions in Hill’s presence and then went for the police. Hill began crying and ran after her husband. Millicent was 4 years old. [cross examination] she had left the children for about half an hour. She had no doctor. She bought fish from the defendant when he followed her home. She made no complaint to Hill, not understanding the case at first. She may have said that she wished she didn’t have any children. She hit the by because he didn’t stop crying. She had not said anything to Hill’s sister about making it all right. Alfred Bliss: on returning home on 15 December he saw the defendant at his home with his sister. He asked the defendant what he had to say about the matter and the defendant said he denied what the little girl had said. He called the girl and asked her in Hill’s presence what Hill had done. She said he had put his hand up her clothes and had taken her to the back house and laid her on a table. He got up and intended to go to the police. Hill caught up with him at the bottom of the street, begging him not to go to the police as it would get him 5 years Hill was crying and hanging round him as far as Sergeant Addignton's. Hill said he would give him all the money he had if he altered his mind. [cross examination] in consequence of what he was told by his wife he went to Hill’s father’s house and waited there for an hour before being sent home by Hill’s brother. He had taken a pint and half of beer at hill’s fathers whilst he was waiting. Frank Hatley: lived with his father, a stonemason, at Albert Street, Dunstable. He saw Alfred Bliss going up King Street towards Mr Addington’s. William Hill was with him hung around Alfred Bliss’s neck. Hill said “pray turn, it will give me five years”. Later he heard Hill asked Bliss if he would turn and when told no, Hill said he would make away with himself. Hill ran back home. Hatley was the son of Mrs Bliss. Frederick Parrott: on 15 December between 1.30 and 2pm he took some wood to Mrs Bliss. William Hill was in the home with the little children. Hill asked he whether the wood was paid for. As he was leaving Hill said it would be a month before Mrs Bliss came back to the children. Statement of the accused: not guilty and he offered himself as a witness in accordance with section 52 of The Criminal Law amendment act 1885. William Henry Hill: he went to Mrs Bliss to sell fish and found only the children at home. The children were crying and he had asked them why. The little boy said “want mummy” and he asked where their mother was. One said she had gone out the back door, which was open. He went to the back door and hollowed “Mrs Bliss”. He had given them half a penny when they came in to quiet them. They had ceased crying before he left the house. Parrott came and left the wood and gave Parrott a penny thinking the wood had not been paid for and Mrs Bliss would pay him. He did not touch the child. There was no truth in him hanging about Bliss. He had followed Bliss and told him that if he went to the police he would make a rod for his own back. When he returned the second time with Mrs Bliss the children were crying. Mrs Bliss asked them why and Millicent replied Harold had broken the jug. Mrs Bliss said is that all they had to cry about and Millicent said yes. Mrs Bliss, finding the chamber pot broken, hit the little boy and he gave the boy half penny to make him quiet. The boy did not care for the half penny so gave it to the baby. Mrs Bliss took it from the baby and bought a herring from him. Mrs Bliss told the children she wished they’d go upstairs and poison themselves. There were some poison bottles up there. Mary Ann Dudley: wife of Frederick Dudley and on 15 December she saw Hill go towards Mrs Bliss and return about 2 or 3 minutes. He could not have been in the house more than 2 or 3 minutes. She bought some fish from him. A few minutes after she saw him returned with Mrs Bliss. He did not return between these times. Elizabeth Hill: the defendant’s sister. Bliss came to her on 16 December. Her mother was upstairs. Bliss told her “if your father or mother will make it all right with me I will say no more about it as he has not hurt the child”. She asked Bliss to wait but she did not. Ann Hill: the defendant’s mother. Mrs Bliss came on 15 December and asked if William was at home, telling her of the occurrence. Bliss said she wished nothing wrong if Mrs Hill would do right by her.

item

Hill, William Henry,
Bliss, Millicent Henrietta,
Bliss, Alfred,
Bliss, Henrietta Annie,
Dudley, Mary Ann,
Hill, Elizabeth,
Hill, Ann,
Parrott, Frederick,
Hatley, Frank

DUNSTABLE, stonemason, coal dealer, fishmonger, sex crimes, assault