The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-02-22 00:00:00

SAVAGE ASSAULT.

At the same court before Mr. Gregory and Mr. N.
Devenish, John Sargent. • carter in the employ of Mr.
Pope, of Herringstone, was charged with assaulting
Frederick Gillingham, of Grove-building, the previous
night, and the same prisoner and his son, John Sament,
were also charged with having assaulted and resisted the
police in the execution of their duty, at the lame time and
place. Gillingham was too ill to attend, and a medical
certificate to that effect was produced.
Pt'. Gould was the first witness: *only after eleven
o'clock on Monday night he found the prosecutor
(Gillingham) lying down in Mr. Taylor's Implement field,
near the London and South-WeUern Railway station. He
WY bleeding very much from his face and head, and was
covered with mud. A young man named William Drake
and Humphrey Moore were in the road. Sargent and his
son he overtook near the County Police-station, and the
elder prisoner was pointed out to witness as the one who
had committed the assault. When charged with the
offence he replied "H. struck me first" Attempted to
take him into custody and there was • scuffle, the younger
prisoner attempting to rescue his father. There WAS •
general fight, and whilst the row was going on Supt.
Batty of the county police, came out to render auistance.
They were, after a good deal of trouble, taken to the
County Police-station, and Gillingham walked there, and
Identified the elder prisoner as the man who had struck
him with a stick. (The stick WAS produced in court—an
ordinary ash stick with • formidable knob at one end).
The two prisoners were afterwards taken to the Borough
police-station, and Gillingham, who appeared very weak,
accompanied them. The prosecutor hart been insensible
whilst lying on the ground. At the station Sargent the
elder said Gillingham struck him first, but this the latter
denied. no younger defendant said nothing. Gillingham
had received a severe wound on the left side of the face.
Witness was struck several times in the row.
Prisoners had no questions to ask.
Supt. Batty, of the County Police, said that last night
about halr-paat eleven he was sitting in his house, and
heard a great disturbance out in the road. Went out and
saw • crowd of people, among them the two policemen
(Gould and Pomeroy). They were endeavouring to appre-
hend the elder defendant, and the younger defendant and
his companions were trying to rescue him from their
custody, the man's wife being most active ainong theta.
The younger defendant had a stick In his hand, which he
was using pretty freely about the policemen's head and
shoulders. Before witness could get through the crowd
to render assistance, the elder prisoner had succeeded in
getting free, and began using his stick very freely about
the policemen's heads, holding the weapon with the small
end and striking with the knob. Witness rushed in and
wrenched the stick from him, but before doing so received
a tremendous blow aimed at his head which sent his cap fly-
ing, but did not injure him much. Took the stick from
him and held the prisoner till the other policeman came to his
assistance. They then got him towards the station szates
when the younger prisoner rushed up and laying hold of
his father swore they should not take him inside, at the
411•10 time hitting P.C. Pomeroy on the head and neck.
The latter constable then seized the younger prisoner
whilst witness and P.C. Gould took the elder one inside
and then returned to Pomeroy's assistance, the younger
prisoner resisting most violently, lint he was ultimately
safely lodged. After locking the prisoners in one of the
calls they went in search of the injured man, and found
him near Mr. Taylor's implement yard. lie appearol to
lie very much Injured, his face was bleedin,.: freely, and
very much swollen. The defendants hail been drinking,
but were not drunk. The man Gm; h .....1111 appeared to lie
Wessling from his right our. Took him back to the County
isdice-statiou and he identified the elder prisoner as the
Man who had assaulted him. The prisoner replied that
"lie did not strike him until after he was stuck—you
followed us out of the town in order to kick up a row,"
but this Gillingham denied. Witness then accompanied
the constables and the two prisoners to the Borough
police-station. (The prisoners did not ask any question).
The next witness was a youth named William Drake,
a cabinet maker, whose brain seemed to partake
of the character of the material upon which he
works, for his evidences was with great difficulty
"drawn" from him. He seemed to know nothing,or didn
want to know anything about the row, and he evidently
required a lithe' sharpening.' He appeared particularly
' innocent" and had to be cautioned several times during
his evidence that he was sworn to speak "the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth" He said he WY
In the employ of Mr. oes, cabinet maker. Last night
about reader past 11 he was going down South-street and
the 'Weymouth road in company with Gillingham and
"litre, Moore. He looked towards the show in the
new !WS field, when all at once he heard a noise and
turned round. Saw "that man there," (Peintleff to the
alder defendant the one striking Gillingham with a stick. like
Produced.
By the Chairman : Heard no words pus between them
and had not spoken to theta before that evening. He was
quite positive he had not said anything. He was walking
atone of Gillingham and Moore but looking towards
the new fair field.
Lisea.l ware not fThe ollowing the prisoners
road
but were awe behind
and round by "The Nurseries" home, He n'iiteighusp th
d no ides
what led to the row. Whether Gillingham hit the
prisoner whilst witness was looking acmes the field he
didn't know.
Mr. Devenish cautioned the witness to speak the truth,
u he could not think the man could be so far gon• la to
strike any One who hulMened to came within math of his
stick.

7-"r7•77.:412.,