QSR1893/4/5/2

Depositions of Albert James Denton, Bertie Charles Tysoe, George Morris, William Whitehead, John Crew and Ebenezer Cain. In the case of Frank Fisher, accused of grievous bodily harm.

21 July 1893

From: 1893 To: 1893

Albert James Denton: A farmer’s son of Chelveston, Northamptonshire. On 21st April he was living at Shelton as a foreman to Mr. William Whitehead. At about 6.30pm he was assisting Mr. Whitehead to pay his men. The prisoner was there and to my surprise he threatened to strike him. When he came out of the house the prisoner was waiting from him with his brother. The prisoner walked to his side and struck him on the face with his fist. The prisoner then kicked him in the stomach when he fell. He then lost consciousness and remembered nothing more. He awake in bed some 3 days later and discovered that one of his left ribs was broken, he eye was bruised and that his lips hurt from the strike to his face. He was confined to his bed for 4 to 5 weeks and was ill for 9 weeks during which time he was attended to by Dr. Crew. The prisoner was a shepherd to Mr. Whitehead and was under his charge. He did not know why the prisoner should have assaulted him. [Cross-Examined by Prisoner] He never went about the farm saying that he would fight the prisoner or the prisoner’s nephew. He did not show the prisoner a knife nor threatened the prisoner with using it in self-defence. Bertie Charles Tysoe: A 13 year old living in Shelton with his parents. He works for Mr. Saunders and on the day that the prisoner assaulted Mr. Denton he was standing outside Mr. Whitehead’s house. He saw Mr. Denton come out of the house and the prisoner knocked him down with his hand. The prisoner then kept lifting Mr. Denton and knocking him back down and kicked Mr. Denton 4 or 5 times. Mr. Denton then got up and ran to the house where he lodged some 40 to 50 yards away. The prisoner walked away. He was standing about 20 to 30 yards from where the assault occurred. George Morris: A labourer employed by Mr. Whitehead and living at Shelton. On 21st April he was leaving work about 6.30pm. When he was about 80 yards from Mr. Whitehead’s house he stopped because he heard a noise. On looking back he saw the prisoner strike Mr. Denton with his hand and knock him down. He did not wait to see what took place after but he saw Mr. Denton run up to his lodgings. William Whitehead: A farmer living in Shelton. On 21st April Mr. Denton was a foreman in his employment, and the prisoner had left his service at about 10am that morning. He saw the prisoner again at about 12pm, who was very abusive. At 6pm that evening he was paying his men in the kitchen and Mr. Denton was sitting by his side. He paid the prisoner up to when he had left. The prisoner turned to Mr. Denton, shook his fist and said, “You B….I will give it you”. He finished paying his men and went to get his dinner. About 10 minutes later his servant said that Mrs. Brown, Mr. Denton’s land lady, wished to see him. He went up at once and found Mr. Denton very much knocked about. While he was there the prisoner came and demanded that he brought Mr. Denton out. He then left the house to send for the police and doctor. He met the prisoner outside who threatened him. [Cross-Examined] One of his men gave him notice that evening that he would leave, but he afterwards withdrew it. John Crew: A physician and surgeon living in Higham Ferries. On Friday 21st April he was called to see Mr. Denton at Shelton. He arrived about 9pm and found Mr. Denton in bed with severe injuries. The whole of Mr. Denton’s face was bruised and swollen, especially on the left side. There was swelling and bruising on the left side of the scalp. There was a fracture of a rib on the left side. Mr. Denton was suffering from concussion of the brain and was unable to give him an account of what had occurred. His condition was serious for the first 24 hours. Mr. Denton was taken, after a few days, to his house in Chelveston. Mr. Denton was unfit to return to work for many weeks. Ebenezer Cain: Inspector of Police stationed in Sharnbrook. On Monday 17th he received the prisoner into custody in Bedford. The prisoner had been arrested at Grantham and was charged with the offence. The prisoner replied that it had been a fair fight and that Mr. Denton had got the worst of it. Frank Fisher: Nothing to say.

item

Morris, George,
Tysoe, Bertie Charles,
Tysoe, Bertie Charles,
Crew, John,
Cain, Ebenezer,
Fisher, Frank,
Denton, Albert James,
Whitehead, William

SHELTON, Chelveston [Northamptonshire], farmer, shepherd, police inspector, physician, surgeon, assault, GBH, labourer