The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-19 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS.

OLD 00 URT.
(Before l'hornsa Mao, Ext.)

John Overton, 30, a respeotable looking man, was indicted
for unlawfully cutting and wounding Alfred Levy. In the
second count the charge was, wounding and inflicting actual
bodily injury ; and in the third count the prisoner was
charged with a common assault.
Mr. Jones conducted the prosecution, and the prisoner
was defended by Mr. Oppenheim, instructed by Mr. Neale.
The prosecutor, who seemed to have been seriousittii
jured, raid that on the 17th nit. be was in the Canter
Arms Tavern, Royal-road, Kennington.park, with severe
other persons, when the prisoner, who was a perfect stranger
to him, came in, and while they were drinking commenced
larking with them, and attempted to cut the rims off their
hats. At length the prisoner left the house, and • few
minutes afterwards the prosecutor and his friends were on
their way home. The prisoner then came running up to
them, and walked by their side without saying anything. One
of the prosecutor's friends left them and went into his own
house, and the prosecutor and a Mr. Tatton went on—the
prisoner continuing by their side until he reached his own
door, at which he knocked and immediately turned round
and struck the prosecutor a violent blow in the mouth, and
he then seized him by the beard sod cut him through the right
buttock. The prosecutor called out and closed with him,
when they both fell, the prisoner undermost. While on
the ground the prisoner made several attempts to cut the
prosecutor on the face with the knife which he had in his
right hand, but failing in those attempts he lowered his hand
and inflicted a severe cut on the back of the prosecutor's
left thigh. After which the prosecutor succeeded in seizing
the prisoner's hand, which he retained until a constable
arrived, when he gave him into custody. The prosecutor
was then conveyed home, when a surgeon was sent for, who
sewed up the wounds, and he remained confined to his bed
a fortnight.
Mr. Thomas Tattoo corroborated his testimony.
Police-constable 391 P said he took the prisoner into
custody when he saw the prosecutor straggling with him,
calling out, "For God's sake take this man away, or he'll
murder me." Witness took the knife produced from the
prisoner, and on the way to the station-house he said it was
a very had job, as he knew he did it, and that if witneu had
been served the same he would have done it, as there had
been three to one upon him. The parties were all the wags
for liquor.
Mr. William Franklin Boyce, surgeon, residing in Lent-
more-street, Walworth, said he was called to attend the
prosecutor, when he found an incised wound across the right
buttock four and a half inches in length, two inches deep. and
two inches wide ; and on the posterior part of the left thigh
there was another severe wound, four and • half inches
in length, and nearly an inch in depth. He had no
doubt that both wounds might have been canned by each
a knife as that produced. The prosecutor was confined to
his bed for fourteen days in consequence of those injuriee.
Mr. Oppenheim addressed the jury at some length, and
called witnesses, who gave the prisoner a good character,
but the jury found him Guilty.
The Deputy Chairman concurred in the verdict, making
some severe remarks as to the one of the knife, and seutenoed
the prisoner to twelve months' hard labour in Wandsworth
House of Correction.