The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-04 00:00:00

TUE ASSAULT AT CAMBRIDGE.

The main facts connected with the assault recently
committed by the Rev. J. Sumner Brockhurst, of
Emmanuel College, upon the Rev. Edward Dodd,
Fellow of Magdalen College and vicar of St.
Giles's, Cambridge, have already been published.
Mr. Dodd brought the matter before the Vice-
Chancellor, who brought it forthwith under the
cognizance of the University Court of the Sex Viri,
before whom it came on for hearing. on Saturday
last, in the Arts School.
The Vice-Chancellor, so soon as the Court was
duly constituted, inquired whether Mr. Dodd and
Mr. Brockhurst were present, and being answered
by those gentlemen themselves in the affirmative,
addressed Mr. Dodd. The Vice-Chancellor said,
that Mr. Dodd having put the Court in motion, the
members were ready to hear any complaint he
might have to prefer against Mr. Brockhurst.
Mr. Dodd then, addressing the Court, said,—My
duty, Mr. Vice-Chancellor and gentlemen of the
Sex Viri, is very simple. lam here to complain of
an outrage committed against the public laws of
the University in the shape of a violent :personal
assault upon myself. I hardly know how to shape
my course of proceeding, but it appears to me that
it would, perhaps, be the best method to read the
letter of complaint I addressed to the Vice Chancel-
lor, and make that the basis of the proceedings. I
think, too, that Mr. Vice-Chancellor has, in all
probability, the original letter I sent to him, so
that he can check me, and see that I do not vary
from the original version of my complaint. Mr.
Dodd then read what follows as the contents of
his letter to the Vice-Chancellor :--
"Magdalen College, Cambridge, Saturday, Jan. 26.
"Mr. Vice-Chancellor.—As a resident member of this
University, I beg to draw your official attention to the fact
that a violent personal assault, contrary to the peace and
good order of the academic body, has been recently commit-
ted upon me by another resident member of this University,
known to me by name as Mr. Brockhurst. During his fit
of violence I kept still and motionless, and avoided giving
him any provocation, either by word or gesture. Several
College servants witnessed the assault, and they could re-
cite the circumstances better than I can. The said Mr.
Brockburst struck me several times as I was informed, with
a horsewhip, and then, flinging the instrument upon the
ground, challenged me to do to him as be had done to me ;
and I am told that outside the College gates he boasted of,
and gave 'thanks to God for having horsewhipped Dodd.'
I never, to the best of my knowledge, spoke to Mr. Brock-
hurst, or he to me, before that day. I have never wronged
him or done him any harm. I never spoke disrespect-
fully or unkindly of him. I make this complaint with
great reluctance, without any animus, and merely in dis-
charge of what I am told others hold to be a public duty
incumbent upon me, to lay all the circumstances before you
that right may be done."
That, sir (continued Mr. Dodd), was my complaint
to you as chief magistrate of this university ; now
what am I to do ? That the implement Mr. Brock-
hurst struck me with was really a horsewhip I am
not in a condition to say, because I thought it my
duty as a member of the academic body to remain
perfectly passive. I shall offer no evidence, but
content, myself by saying that Mr. Brockhurst
inflicted upon me one of the greatest indignities
one man can put upon another.
The Vice-daxicellor—Have you told all the facts
you know ?
The Itev,istrary—At 'what time was the assault
committed ?
Mr. Dodd—After I came out of Hall, or about a
quarter to 6 o'clock, on last Wednesday week. If
the College servants who witnessed the assault are
in attendance I beg that they may be examined by
the Court.
The Vice-Char cellor (to Mr. Brockhurst)—You
have heard the complaint. Do you plead guilty or
not guilty ?
Mr. Brockhurst—That I horsewhipped Mr.Dodd
is certainly the fact. The question is whether in
this court I may be allowed to bring forward the
circumstances which appear to mg to justify me in
the course I adopted.
The Vice-Chancellor—ls the Court to understand
you to say that you admit horsewhipping Mr.l)odd?
Mr. Brockhurst—Undoubtedly.
The Registrary—And I understand you to say
that you are desirous of reciting previous occur-
rences which would account for you conduct ?
Mr. Brockhurst—Allow me to say at once that I
shall be glad it the Court will listen to my story.
Dr. Geldart—You have been asked whether you
plead " Guilty" or " Not Guilty," and you answer
and say, " I admit the fact that I horsewhipped
him." _ _

Mr. Brockhurst—Certainly.
1)r. Geldart—And now you ask to be allowed to
state the circumstances which induced you to do so,
by way of justification or alleviation ?
Mr. B rockhurst—Undoubtedly.
The Vice•Chancellor—You may do so.
Mr. Brockhurst-s-I admit] the horsewhipping,
and i 17lead such strong provocation as justified me,
9,„: an English gentleman but as a clergy-
not only
man, in the coarse I pursued. I ask any gentleman,
actuated by the _principles of honour and virtue,
whether he would ne' t have acted as I did if the
honour of his wife or :laughter had been brought
into question ? How much more reason, then, had
I for acting as I did when my' Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ was insulted ? I say I. thank God I did
what I did as a member of Christ's C hurch in the
bosom of my Alma Mater. I had writte:a a volume
on the subject of the Jew Code, and I think no one
is present here but will admit that the admiss:ion of
an unbaptised person into the Legislature of this
country is contrary to that code, which says that
Christ is Lord over all. I happened to call on Sun-
day fortnight on my respected friend—at any rate,
up to this transaction—on my respected friend Mr.
Reyner, of St. John's. Mr. Reyncr is a gentleman
whose character, it is well known, stands unble-
mished. Mr. Reyner asked me to dine in
Hall, and then we began talking about my
unfortunate book. Incidentally Mr. Reyner asked
me what I thought had been done at Mag-
dalen but the other day. I replied that I should
not be at all surprised at anything in these days of
innovation and change; and he said that a Fellow
had actually omitted from the grace the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ, and had said, when asked
for his reason, that it was on account of the pre-
sence of a Jew at the table. But Christ died for all
men, and I say that the man who would omit the
name of Christ in asking a blessing on a College
dinner must be lost indeed, but when I found asat
the omission was to please a wealthy fellow-com,
moner I felt that matters had reached a point that
a man, feeling the veneration I do for the Lord
Jesus, must take notice of. Accordingly, I men-
tioned the matter to a distinguished member of the
Church of England, omitting the names of persons
and places, and his opinion was that no episcopal
jurisdiction could touch the matter; that it was
beyond the boundary of the Courts. With that
opinion I agreed, and then I called on the Vice-
Chancellor, still concealing the name of the person
and his College. I stated that exposure, was men-
tioned for this blot of leprosy on the Christian
Church, and the Vice-Chancellor reeommended a
quiet method of arrangement. I said, " We require
exposure on the one hand and private arrangement
on the other ; that an apology shall be drawn up
which will meet the gravity of the offence, that it
shall be attested by proper witnesses, and then sent
to the Queen, as the head of the Church on earth,
and who I hope will pardon the offender." I
hope you will think that this proves that the
assault was not the result of any irascibility of
temper or nervousness on my part, but
that what I did I did of my own resolute
determination. The Vice-Chancellor said the
best way would be to call 'on the person, and
I said I had called and could not make him hear ;
then, about 20 minutes to 5, I went to Mr. Dodd's
rooms and knocked, and who should come out but
Mr. Reyner ? I waited for Mr. Reyner to go, be-
cause I considered that concealment was a part of
the transaction ; that there was to be exposure to
the Queen as head of the Church, but concealment
of the name of the delinquent from the public. I
said to Mr. Dodd, "I am a stranger, sir, to you,
but permit me to ask whether on any occasion you
ever omitted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ

I from the college grace in the hall P" To that pies-
,. the immediate answer was " Never." I then
riot.
Q +op a moment," and ran out to look for Mr.
said, " 0.
-
-nuld not find him. All that took place
Reyner, but t.,
in about three-qut,rters of a minute. I returned and
- • Reyner said you did ; will
said, " You say no ; MI. -moms ?" Mr. Dodd re-
you come to Mr. Reyner's 1, .4. think of such a
,
plied, " Oh dear, no, I should n 4,,.. ,_ or fuss about
thing; why should we have this tale °that;
it?" ?" or used an equivalent expression 4
" Why," said he," by saying more about it, bib 7 a
hot coal between me and George Fearns Reyner, to
whom I am under obligations ?" I said, " Allow me
to say that consideration of that Saviour who died
for all should exceed all consideration for indivi-
duals, what will unite or what will part them." I
informed him of what had taken place between me
and the Vice-Chancellor, and I implored him to
consider the matter, that it might be arranged. He
then adduced a precedent, saying, "The dean of so
and so did so and so." I must say that was the
only time I ever heard a person who denied an act
adduce a precedent for it, and it seemed strange.
Mr. Dodd then said that he was going into hall,
and I went to St. John's. Communing with myself,
I said, " Here is the statement of a man on whose
truthfulness I would almost stake my life ignored
by a man whom I have hardly ever seen before ; I
will not insult my friend by telling him, I will go
and do what is right." I went back. I had a
horsewhip with me, concealed about my person. I
sent a message into hall that a gentleman desired to
see Mr. Dodd, and then sent in my name. The
answer was, " Would not the morrow do ?" I
thought not, so waited outside the screens in the
second court, watching the entrance to the hall.
t
Mr. Dodd came out very soon after—at about 20
minutes to 6 o'clock, I followe alum, quicklyhrough Lk

the screens, hailing him when about half-way
through the quadrangle. I called his name, and that
induced him to turn round, and I then said—all
delicacy being, of course, flung ay—" Now, Sir,
tell me which is the liar, you or Mr. Reyner !" The
reply was, " Oh ! I can't talk about that; come to
my rooms." I put it to any gentleman here, if any
man with any respect for his own character for
veracity would ask any person to go to his rooms
who had just asked him whether he was a liar or
some one else ? I then drew out the whip. His back
was towards me ; but I did not want to strike him
there, so struck him sideways on the arm. Of course
I was prepared for anything that might follow, ex-
cepting what did follow—that the person I struck
took little or no notice, but walked on. I have no

doubt I repeated the blow, but how many times I
can't say. When a man under such circumstanoes
keeps his back towards youthere is no necessity for
any delicacy, and I dispensed with that, which led
me to strike him on the arm at first. The college
servants came rushing out to my great regret, as I
was afraid I should have to deal with them, and that
their interference might prevent my giving him,
what I was determined to do, a good thrashing. I
admonished them. I said I was a University man,
and they were not to meddle with me, which they
were good enough not to do, but stood round in a sort
of small semicircle while I administered 12 or 14
stripes. I can't say exactly how many—had you
not better ask Mr. Dodd ? Having finished the in-
fliction I threw down the whip at his feet, and said
" Now, sir, I have done that to you, take it up
if you dare and do it to me." I then said to the by-
standers and college servants • after I had taken
up the whip, " Go and tell all over the University
that Mr. Brockhurst, of Emmanuel, has horse-
whipped Mr. Dodd, of Magdalen, for having been
false to his Saviour and false to his friend." I made
some observation to the crowd without the college.
If I said, " Thank God," I pray to God to pardon
me if I used his name irreverently, but I don't think
I did. If I did, I did it in the cause of the.Savionr.
I never said, as has been stated in some of the papers,
" Take that" after every stroke ; you will see that
it was not necessary for me to say it, it would have
been surplusage, because he had already got it, I
will say all I did say as the most straightforward
way of meeting the case. I never applied any epithet
but one of the grossest description, because that ap-
peared to me to best meet the class of men I had to
deal with. I will not offend your ears with it, but
you can form an idea of what it was when I say it
was equivalent to this, that when his truth and
honour went to the dogs perhaps his mother's fol-
lowed them.

Mr. Dodd—Really, Mr. Vice-Chancellor, should
that be allowed to go forth ?
Mr. Brockhurst—lf not, if the reporters do not

take it down, there will be a letter from me to set
it right. Will you, Mr. Vice-Chancellor, ask the
Vicar of St. Giles's whether I did make use of such
an expression or not ?
The Vice Chancellor—No.
Dr. Geldart—Tnere is no evidence of the kind
before the Court.

The Vice-Chancellar—ls that all you have to

advance ?

Mr. Brockhurst—Perhaps not. There are other
things to come out in my own justification. I have
a right to adduce every exculpatory matter, how-
ever it may affect persons or parties. I say that no
Court with the Vice-Chancellor at its head is an
impartial one in this matter. If you wish to hear
my masons I will give them.
Tr.e Bishop of Worcester—lt is impossible for
us to hear that.

Mr. Brockburst—And equally impossible for me
to submit to your decision when the Vice-Chancellor
or any per son connected with Magdalen College 1
at the head of the court.

The Bishop of Worcester—Not so. Sex viri are
here in addition to the Vice-Chancellor. We cannot
allow any aspersion upon, or allusion to the Vice-
Chancellor ; but will hear all exculpatory matter.
Mr. Brockhurst—Well, never a graver cause
existed to excite one man to attack another. I
may have erred in using the horsewhip, but I do
not know what else I could have done, except I had
hung up the charge against Mr. Dodd in illumi-
nated letters on the tower of St. Mary's or one of
the minarets of King's. Whatever may be the
decision of the Court, I think the general feeling of
society will be with me, and if I do not receive a
verdict of acquittal at your hands I shall still re-
main convinced that I have only done that which I
ought to have done. If my statement is impugned
in any way I will do my best to prove it, but at
present will add no more.
The court was then cleared for about 20 minutes.
On our re-admission—
The Vice-Chancellor (addressing Mr. Brockhurst)
said, the Court have heard the complaint made
against you by Mr. Dodd, of your commission of
violent personal assault upon him, your admission,
and your statement in attempted justification. The
Court are of opinion that you have violated the
statutes and discipline of the University by disgrace-
ful conduct, and that the reasons alleged in justifi-
cation are totally insufficient. The sentence of the
Court is that you be suspended from all your de-.
grees for the period of four years. (Then, turning
to Mr. Dodd, the Vice-Chancellor said) :—Mr. Dodd,
the Court think it right to express to you their
opinion that your conduct under circumstances of
remarkable provocation exhibited in an eminent
degree the utmost Christian forbearance, and is
deserving of the highest approbation.
Mr. Brockhurst essayed to make another address,
but the Court was declared dissolved.
Mr. Dodd has received an address expreseive Of
esteem and regard from his parishioners.