QSR1866/1/5/18

Depositions of William Shaw, innkeeper of Toddington. James Seagrave, labourer of Toddington. Alfred Baldwin, blacksmith of Toddington. John Olden, police constable of Toddington. In the case of George Palmer accused of the unlawful assault with intent to kill and slay William Shaw.

15 November 1865

From: 1865 To: 1866

William Shaw: keeper of the Sow and Pigs public house at Toddington. The prisoner was a labourer living at Toddington. Between 10pm and 11pm on the night of Saturday 11 November the prisoner came to the house with 2 others. They had some beer together. The prisoner appeared to be quite sober. He was in the bar and the prisoner in the Tap Rooms. His son charged the prisoner 3 pence for breaking a pot. The prisoner put 6d on the table but said he would only pay 2d and began to use the most disgusting language towards his son. He overheard this and went to the Tap Room and said he did not allow such language to be used towards his children. The prisoner was sat down at the time. The prisoner jumped up and put himself in a fighting attitude. The prisoner came across as if to strike Shaw. Shaw pushed the prisoner back to protect himself. The prisoner came at him again with a knife and struck at him with it. The knife hit a button on his waistcoat and glanced from that to the hand of a man stood by the side. It cut the man’s knuckle. That man was James Seagrave. Another man, by the name of Alfred Baldwin, threw the prisoner down on a seat and the knife was wrenched from his hand. The blade appeared pointed and 4 or 5 inches long. After that the prisoner was in a great passion and kicked at Shaw. Shaw told him to be quiet and go home but he refused and offered Shaw a shilling to have him taken. The prisoner remained in the house about 45 minutes and then he left. There was no doubt that if the blade of the knife had not been stopped by the button that it would have entered his chest. The prisoner struck out with great violence. He had never had any quarrel with the prisoner. James Seagrave: he had been in the Tap Room of the Sow and Pigs in Toddington. The prisoner, George Palmer, was also there and appeared quite sober. Whilst he was there, the prisoner knocked a pot off the table accidentally and the handle broke off it. The landlord’s son waned the prisoner to pay 3d for breaking the pot but the prisoner said he should only pay 2d and that he would break the bloody nose of the boy if he took 3d. Mr Shaw came out of the bar and said he would not have such language used in his house. There was a slight disturbance. The prisoner tucked up his smock and put himself in a fighting attitude. The prisoner came towards Shaw as if going to strike him. Shaw pushed him back on a seat and told him to go out of the house. He saw the prisoner get up from the seat and go towards Shaw. The prisoner struck at Shaw with a knife in his right hand. The prisoner struck over handed and with great violence. He heard the knife strike against something and it glanced off and hit him on the knuckles. It drew blood. The knife appeared to be pointed and about 4 or 5 inches long. A man, by the name of Baldwin, collared the prisoner and the knife was shut up. Alfred Baldwin: he was a blacksmith working in Toddington and he lodged at the prosecutor’s house. He lived at Drayton Parslow. He was in the Tap Room on Saturday night and saw the prisoner there. He did not know him. The prisoner broke a pot and Mr Shaw’s son wanted him to pay 3d for it. The prisoner said he should only pay 2d and used bad language towards the boy. Mr Shaw came out on the bar and said he would not have such language used to his children. Shaw told the prisoner to get out of the house. There was a slight disturbance. He did not notice what happened as he was seated down by the fire but he did see a knife in the prisoner’s hand. The prisoner was within a yard of Mr Shaw when he saw the knife. He got up and caught hold of the prisoner and threw him down on a seat. He did not know what became of the knife but he saw it and it cut his thumb when he pushed the prisoner down. He did not see the prisoner strike at Mr Shaw. The prisoner had been drinking beer but he knew what he was about. PC John Olden: on Tuesday 14 November he took the prisoner into custody at his mother’s house at Toddington. He had been looking for the prisoner since Sunday and the prisoner had left his own home. He told the prisoner the charge. The prisoner said “I went to have a pint of beer and broke the pint pot. I said I would pay 2d and the boy wanted 3d. Mr Shaw collared me and wanted to put me out of the house but he could not do it. I went and stood against the fire place. I pulled out my knife to get a bit of baccy out of my pipe and they collared me again and in trying to put my knife in my pocket I must have cut them.” Statement of the accused: he went to the house and called for a pint of beer. As he went to light his pipe he brushed the pint pot off the table and it broke the handle. He understood the boy that it was 2d to pay. Afterwards Mr Shaw told him it was 3d. Shaw tried to put him out of the house but could not. He made his way towards the fire and he was picking out baccy. Seagrave and the blacksmith said if Shaw could not put him out they would. In the scrimmaging the knife cut some fingers. As for attempting to cut any one with a knife, he never did. He was picking his pipe with it.

item

Palmer, George,
Shaw, William,
Seagrave, James,
Baldwin, Alfred,
Olden, John

TODDINGTON, Drayton Parslow, innkeeper, Toddington Sow and Pigs, blacksmith, assault, wounding, knife