QSR1846/1/5/38-41

Depositions - Robert Roe, John Goodman, Jabez Abraham and William Bates charged with a riot at Eaton Bray and with assaulting PC Thomas Sinfield

3 November 1845

From: 1845 To: 1845

Thomas Sinfield of Eaton Bray, police constable – on Friday 31 October at about 10pm he was down by Edlesborough Gate at Eaton Bray and heard a cry of fire and murder. When he got as far as Richard Wood’s he saw different parties standing about. He went as far as John Goodman’s and there were maybe 10 to 12 persons standing. They were making a great noise. When he reached them Robert Roe pushed Thomas Fountain against him and almost knocked him backwards. Roe then tried to get the lamp out of his hand and to put the light out. Roe then walked round him and picked up 2 large flints. He pushed one out of Roe’s hand. Roe then pushed Goodman towards him. Goodman fell down. Roe and Goodman then began to sham fight. He saw George and Reuben Smith pick up flints and throw them at him. They then ran across and lay down in the garden. John Wood said to him he had better let them be and they would not hurt him. John Wood got a blow on the leg from a stone. Goodman swore at him for breaking his bottle and threw it onto his toes. Goodman then kept dancing backwards and forwards in front of him all the way down the Green. He went into James Sear’s house where he lodges. Goodman came to the door, knocked and asked to see him. Sear’s son said Goodman could not come in. As they were going across the Green Roe said “let’s kill the bugger”. After he got into the house the windows were broken and many large flints were thrown into the house. He thinks 6 panes of glass were broken. Abraham and Bates threw stones at him. He has been lame and not able to do his duty since. Several of the stones hit him on the hip, two on the inside of his leg and one on his hat. [Further information] He saw Thomas Fountain, George and Reuben Smith throw stones at him. George Smith threw more than the others. Thomas Sear of Eaton Bray, labourer – on Friday 31 October about 10.40pm John Goodman came to the door of his father’s house at Eaton Bray where Sinfield lodges. He opened the door and Goodman asked to see the policeman. He told Goodman the police did not want to see him. Goodman pushed against the door and insisted. He shut the door and locked it. Large flint stones came through the window and broke several panes. There were several people in the yard with the 4 prisoners among them. He had seen them all follow the policeman. His mother and sister were very much alarmed – his mother was almost in fits and his sister cried very much. He saw Bates with a large stone in his hand and heard him threaten Sinfield. [Further examination] He saw George Smith among the persons in the yard and saw Thomas Fountain in the street near Goodman’s house at the time of the riot, making a great noise. John Millard of Luton, police constable –he took the prisoners into custody on Saturday afternoon (Nov 1st). They were all sober except Goodman. He had a warrant to take Goodman but he refused to be handcuffed. With help from another constable he handcuffed Goodman, who swore he would not walk a single step. When they got into the house Goodman saw Sinfield, struck at him with both his hands together and said “you bloody rogue I’ll do for you”. William Edward Bayldon of Luton, police superintendent – on Friday 31 Oct he was at Eaton Bray. He saw John Goodman there between 11 and 1. During the time he was in conversation with various parties respecting Sinfield. Goodman expressed himself with great dissatisfaction towards Sinfield saying they would not have him there much longer and other expressions. There were perhaps 60 or 70 people about him. Goodman used very violent gestures and if he had not been very cautious he thinks a disturbance would have taken place. Goodman said Sinfield was too big a thief to stop there much longer. He saw Sinfield early on Saturday morning. Sinfield rode over to Luton in a cart and reported the injury he had sustained from the stones thrown at him. He considered Sinfield too lame to be fit for duty. Thomas Smith of Eaton Bray, labourer – on Friday 31 October he never saw Robert Roe or John Goodman throw a stone. He saw nobody throw stones. He was near Roe all the time and will swear he did not throw a stone nor have one in his hand. He is brother to George and Reuben Smith. He did not see Goodman with a bottle.

item

Row, Robert,
Goodman, John,
Abraham, Jabez,
Bates, William,
Sinfield, Thomas,
Wood, Richard,
Wood, John,
Smith, Reuben,
Smith, George,
Fountain, Thomas,
Sear, James,
Sear, Thomas,
Millard, John,
Bayldon, William Edward,
Smith, Thomas

EATON BRAY, LUTON, rioting, assault, police constable, police superintendent