The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-12-18 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

MURDEROUS ASSAULT AT  MIDDLE SBROLIGH.  On Monday morning, at the Middlesbrough Police Court, before Mr Coleman, Stipendiary and Mr Henry Thompson, a puddler mimed Robert Erwin, who bits been previously convicted of stabbing, was placed in the dock and charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm upon Samuel Evans, a puddler. The prosecutor, whose head was bandaged', had to be accommodated with a seat. Be deposed that he lived at No. 19, Florencestreet. On Saturday night last be went to the prisoner's house; but the prisoner would not admit him.  --lid-r-d-die-m-s—n-: What did you go to the prisoner's house for?  The prosecutor: To look for Mary Smith, with whom I have been living. The prosecutor, in continuing his evidence, said that he knocked at dtlie door, wherenpm the prisoner appeared and struck him on the head with a poker. He became insensible. Mr Coleman: Had you been drinking to. ? Prosecutor: We had a "little drop" together in the afternoon, but I went home and had a sleep. _ .  Mr Coleman : After you recovered sensibility, what did you find?  psecntor : I was at the Polio° station, and saw Dr. Walker.  Elizabeth Walker, the wife of Thomas Walker, living at 20, Florence-street, stated that on Saturday night she saw the prosecutor try to open the door of prisoner's house. Tiie prisoner opened the door, struck the prosecutor on the head with a poker, knocked him down, struck him on the head again with the poker, and kicked him on his body. Witness interfered, and told the prisoner not to hit the. man. The prisoner then • said, I will serve lon the same.', He then struck at witness, but the blow missed hrs. When the prosecutor rose from the ground prisoner kicked bin:.  Dr. Samuel Walker stated that on Saturday night, about half past nine, he attended the prosecutor at the Police Station. He examined prosecutor's head, and found a conLobed wound over the left temple bleeding freely. He stoi psi the humiorthage, and bandaged his head. There were also several scratches on his face, and several bruises on his hips and shoulders. Mr Coleman: Is he in any danger? Witness: Not now. If the prosecutor had not received timely assistance he might have died. I believe that if I had been five or ten minutes later there would have been death. I never saw a man nearer death recover in such a short time.  Inspector Robert Thorpe produced the poker, an instrument about eighteen inches in length. The prisoner, on being arrested, gave up the weapon, and said, "This is the poker I struck him with." . . _ . .  On being taken to the Police Station the prosecutor mado the foliowing statement •• At three o'clock on Saturday afternoon the prisoner came to my house and stayed till four o'clock. I lo.d some difficulty in getting rid of him,so I left the house myself, and went up the town with my wife. We returned about half-past seven o'clock. At eight o'clock the rosecutor kicked at the door, and said "You thieving rogue, come out." He also challenged ma to ligLt, I opened the door and struck him with .a poker." . _  Police-constable 'Smith deposed that the prosecutor was so weak after the assault that he had to csrty him to the Police Station.  Sarah Ann Johnson, living at 31, Florence. street, saw the probe,lutor kick at the door of prisoner's houee, and saw the prisoner strike the prosecutor with a poker and kick  - Toe prisoner, having been cautioned by the Stipendiary, called Andrew M )ore, a lodger, living at his (pris.,ner's) house. The only evidence he gave, however, was -to the effect that he had not 81301 a poker used. , The prisoner's son, a boy of eight years, and , Elizabeth Moore, eleven, the daughter of the lodger, deposed that the prosecutor when he 'kicked the door said, "If you don't open it I will kill you." Mr Coleman committed the prisoner td I take his trial at the Northallerion sessions on a charge of having inflicted grievous bodily harm upon the prosecutor. I Bail was accepted, the prisoner in £4O, and two sureties of £25 each.