Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1892-09-17 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

THE BICKLEY OUTRAGE. COMMITTAL OF THE PRISONER.  At the Bromley (Kent) Petty Sessions, on Monday, keonard Manktlow, 19 years of age, described u a fisherman, was charged with shooting at Caroline Hilda Wood, 16 years of age, and Edith Philbrick, aged 14, with intent to murder, at Blackbrook Farm, Chislehurst, on August 3rd.  In opening the case Mr. Lewis, who prosecuted, said the facts were already well known. He would only observe that there was nothing in the evidence which warranted the suggestion of any motive for this crime becnd mere savagery.  Miss Wood was then called. She entered the court from the magi,strates' room, with her head closely bandaged. Her evidence was that about 3 o'clock on August 3rd Miss Philbrick and she went for a walk along a path through a cornfield, which bad a coppice wood on one side. They first saw prisoner in this cornfield, and on their return he was sitting on a rail fence near the bridge over the South-Eastern Rail way,witli a gun leaning against 4. lence. Ile did not appear to take any particular notice of them, but she saw that he wore a dark blue coat. They passed quite close to him and he followed at a distance of 10 or 12 yards. The path was so narrow that they had to walk in single file, Miss Philbrick being in front. He overtook them, and they stepped into the growing corn to allow him to rass. Miss Phil hrick was to her right, and when the prisoner came opposite them he levelled his gun at them. She fainted, and did not remember hearing any report or Miss Philbrick scream. She remeinbered falling down, however. This was about half-past 4 o'clock. She knew the time from having looki d at her watch when leaving the railway bridge. She did not recover consciousness till after 6, and she saw she was lying out of doors. The corn was high enough to hide their bodies but not their heads. On recovering consciousness she found that she was wounded in the face, but she could not say how Miss Philbrick was injured, as she could not see very well. She crawhd along the path to Vigden's cottage, and there told what had happened. She met a man on the way, but he did not take any notice of her complaint or of her condition. Prisoner, with three other men, was brought to the cottage while she lay on the sofa, and she identified prisoner as the man who had pointed the gun at her. Dora Emily Wood, sister of Hilda Wood, said she was in Vigden's cottage when her sister identified the prisoner from three others. As soon as he came in she said, "That's the man. I think that's the man." Asked if she would swear to him, she replied, "No, I won't swear, but I think it's the man." Prisoner was then charged, and said he "never was near the wood," and added, "I see the young ladies down near the field." Mr. Heath, who had employed the prisoner to scare birds, said the gun and shot like that produced were given to him every morning, and he left the gun at the farm in the evening. Dr. Arthur Curtis, of Orpington, deposed that the edges of the gunshot wounds inflicted on Miss Wood were scorched, shewing that the gun must have been fired within a few feet of her. For some time Miss Philbrick's life was in danger, and she would not be able to give evidence for an indefinite period, though she was improving slowly. Dr. Sydney Matthews, of Bickley, stated that he extracted some shot from Miss Wood's wounds. They were of the same size as those now produced in the canister, though they were slightly flattened by impact with the bone of the face. Miss Wood was for some time in danger, and she was still under medical care. Sixty-eight shot had been extrac: ed from her cheek and neck.  Prisoner, whose defence was reserved, was then committed for trial to the assizes at Maidstone.