QSR1831/4/5/12

Depositions of Frederick Stonebridge, son of James Stonebridge, labourer of Tempsford. William Cullip, son of James Cullip, labourer of Tempsford. William Nickerson, labourer of Tempsford and James Thompson. In the case of John Goodman, labourer of Tempsford, accused of assaulting William Cullip.

20 September 1831

From: 1831 To: 1831

Frederick Stonebridge: On Monday 19th September he was bringing a loaded clover cart along the highroad to meet William Cullip, who was bringing an empty cart. When he got near him he saw the prisoner take Mr. Cullip off the cart and laid him underneath the wheel and put the horse on by touching it on the belly with his hand. The cart moved along and over Mr. Cullip’s navel. The prisoner then went away to his barrow. He was not close enough to hear any conversation between the prisoner and Mr. Cullip. William Cullip: On Monday 19th September he was driving a clover cart along the highroad between Tempsford and Girtford. He went by the prisoner who was collecting dung on the road. A little boy was in the cart with him and they came by a post boy who was teasing the prisoner and pointing at him. His cart was then standing still and waiting for the loaded cart which was coming, driven by Frederick Stonebridge. The prisoner made comment to him and he replied that if the prisoner meddled with him then he would tell the prisoner’s parents. The prisoner then took him off of the cart and laid his head on the ground under the cart wheel. The cart then went on and over his navel. As soon as the cart had passed over he got up and walked a few steps. He then dropped but was picked up by Mary Alderman and Mrs. Kefford. He was in a great deal of pain and was confined to bed until the following Saturday. William Nickerson: On Monday 19th September he was working in a garden close to the highroad and saw Mr. Cullip on a cart with a little boy. They were calling the prisoner names and teasing him. They called the prisoner ‘Rawneck’ and ‘Tallowshide’ and other names. This made the prisoner angry and he took Mr. Cullip off of the cart and he heard the boy cry out. The cart went on and then he went and looked over the hedge to find Mr. Cullip getting up from the ground to go after a loaded cart which had been brought up. He saw the empty cart go over Mr. Cullip. The prisoner is often troubled with fits and is then not his right sense of mind. He does not think that the prisoner is right fashioned in his head. James Thompson: Last Monday afternoon he was on the road leading out of Tempsford towards Biggleswade. He saw Mr. Cullip and another boy driving a cart. The prisoner was on the road with a wheelbarrow. The little boy in the cart called the prisoner by some names which prompted the prisoner to take Mr. Cullip out of the cart and put him under the wheels of the cart. The cart was then standing still and there was another cart on the road also standing still, being driven by Frederick Stonebridge. As soon as the prisoner had put Mr. Cullip under the wheel he stood on the wheel himself and hit the horse with his hand. This made the horse and cart move and the wheel went over Mr. Cullip’s body. Mr. Cullip screamed and two women come out of a house to fetch him away. John Goodman: I am sure I should have had no thought of meddling with Mr. Cullip if they had not pelted him and called him names. He had had his fit two or three nights before and Mr. Cullip and the boy names him and teased him so that he did not know where he was.

item

Goodman, John,
Thompson, James,
Stonebridge, Frederick,
Cullip, William,
Cullip, James,
Stonebridge, James,
Alderman, Mary,
Nickerson, William

TEMPSFORD, Girtford, BIGGLESWADE, cart, horse, assault, labourer