The Sun.
London, England, 1837-08-30 00:00:00

LAMBETH-STREET.

SEDUCTION AND DESPERATE ASSAULT.—Yesterday,
William Burton, a tailor, was charged before Messrs.
COMBES and NORTON, with committing a most violent as-
sault upon the person of Mr. Edward Davis, who had for
many years held a respectable situation in her Majesty's
customs, and is at present a shipping clerk at a wharf in
Tooley-street.

Mr. Davis, who had a desperate wound upon his head,
about two inches above his left temple, and who appeared
excessively weak from loss of blood, stated that the prisoner
had succeeded in seducing and decoying his wife away from
him, but owing to his negligence of her she latterly had
communication with him (witness) about returning to him.
On the previous night, between ten and eleven o'clock, he
went to their lodgings in Swan-street, Minories, and finding
the door locked he knocked, and his wife asked, " Who is
there ?" and he said, "It is me," upon which she ex-
claimed, " Oh, my God, it is Davis:' The defendant then
said, " Stop, don't let him in ; let ma prepare myself for
him." The door then opened, and the defendant struck
him a violent blow upon the head with a I irge brass poker,
and inflicted a deep wound which bled profusely.
Mr. NORTON—Did any words pass between the time
the door was opened and your being struck, as you have
stated, by the prisoner? Witness—None, whatever, Sir,
but those I have described.

Police constable George Fuller, H 20, deposed that
while on duty on the night before, at about 11 o'clock, he
heard a violent cry of " Murder" proceed from a house in
Swan-street, Minories, which caused him instantly to pro-
ceed thither, and on going into an apartment which it ap•
peered was occupied by the prisoner and the complainant's
wife, he found the prisoner and the complainant standing
opposite to one another, and the latter bleeding profusely
from his head, and his clothes completely covered with
gore. The prisoner desired him to take charge of the com-
plainant, who he said had broken into his room, while the
complainant exclaimed that he had seluced and takin away
his wife, and he would have his revenge. The complain-
ant at the same time struck the prisoner a slight blow, but
was so faint I'. con loss of blood that he fell s,:nsele:s on the
floor. Witness finding the complainant in so shocking a
state, sent at once for Mr. Jones, a surgeon in Jewry-
street, who promptly attended and drewd his wounds,and he
(witness) then removed prisoner to the station-house. The
witness here pauduced a brass poker with which the wound
had been inflicted, and from the force which hai been used
it was much bent. In repay to the questions of the Magistrate
the witness said that Mr. Jones the surgeon described the
wound on the head of the complainant as not of an imme-
diate dangerous character, but still that its effects might ul-
timately prove fatal.
The prisoner, in reply to the charge, would not deny
having struck the blow, or living with the complainant's
wife; but the latter was with his (the complainant's) own
knowledge and sanction, and the former was his (the hus-
band's) fault. On the, night before the complainant came
to his door, and insisted upon coming in, saying, that if it
was not opened he would burst it in. He told him he had
better not do so, for that if he (lid it would be worse for
him, and he woula resist him as far as he was able ; and
.on his forcing the door he certainly d:d strike tim with the
poker, but they afterwards fought two rounds before the
policeman came in.
Mr. ComßEs observed that the attack was of so violent
a character that any penalty they (the magistrates) could
inflict would be quite inadequate to it. He would, there-
fore, send the case to the sessions, and ordered the prisoner
to -find bail to answer the charge there, and to give 24
hours' notice of the solvency of his sureties.
The prisoner was then locked up.