The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1909-09-01 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

SERIOUS INJURY.  ALLEGED " REUOIOUE" INOIDANT  A middle-aged man named - William Henry Ellie, of 7, Foie-street. received somewhat serious injury in an attack which was made upon him in Bentiuckstreet on Sunday night, and-he had to be treated at the Borough Hospital. The affair took place about 10 o'clock, and it occasioned a good deal of , excitement, becatise it was beffevod at the time to have some connection with the "Protestant Crusade" meeting which bad been held, as usual, an hour or so earlier, at the Park gat e. A man named Michael Patrick Devon was given, into custody as Fdll!s's assailment, and it appears that because he shouted that he was .` • Dunnite." and because it was seen that Ellis had received a bad cut on the head, there was • serious demonstration on the part of • large crowd of people who assembled. Attempts were made to get at Daven, but 's number of police officers had come upon the scene and they kept Daven from injury and conveyed him to the brictewell. It should be, that then, was no disturbance at the Park gates meeting, but Devon is stated to have been there.  On Monday morning, at the borough police court, Daven, who lives at 5, Field. street, and is a coal heaver at the docks, was brought up charged with feloniously. wounding Ellis. The prisoner is a min about thirty or thirty-five years of age. Prosecutor, whose head was bandaged, said he went out about 9 o'clock on Sunday night, with his wife, for a , walk round the town,. and Z. 11: the way home when someone aud v came behind him, jumped right on top of with his knees in his back, and knocked him &rim. Witness fell on the kerbstone and lost his senses. , He zeroambered being kicked before, he got to the ground. It all happened suddenly. He did not know the prisoner and had not seen him before the assault happened. Catherine Ellis, wife of the prosecutor, • said she was with her hushazid. and they were nearly home when the assault oocurred. She did not even hear the prisoner come up. He suddenly jumped on to her husband from behind, got him by the neck, with his knees in his back, and " downed " him. He pulled her husband backwards and threw him on the ground and was making a kick at him when witness screamed. He did not actually kick him. Her husband fell with his head on the kerbstone. She was sure the prisoner was the man; she was 9trite close to him.  Prisoner: Are you sure it was me Witness: Yes, I am sum it was you. Prisoner: I think you are mistaken, I am sure of it. Witness: No.  By the Bench: I turned round as ie was going to make the kick. Albert Lightfoot, a young fellow, said he heard a woman scream "murder t" and saw the prisoner rush behind the prosecutor, jump right on bop of him, and cut him on the back of the head." He did not see anything in the prisoner's hand. Prisoner ran across the road and witness ran over also and held him until a policeman came up. By the prisoner: I am sure you are the man.  Prisoner (to the Bench): I had only! Just come up and the erowd aimed round and they got hold of me. Its a mistake. Lightfoot, in answer to the Bench, said he followed the prisoner and took hold of him at once.  Supt. Parker said there were other witnesses as to identification, but he asked for an adjournment. Dr. A. H. Turner, one of the Borough Hospital surgeons, said the prosecutor was admitted at 10-30 on Sunday night, suffering from a scalp wound and somewhat severely from shock, but he would only be treated for the wound. The wound was an angular one on the bsok of the scalp, reaching almost to the bone. It might have been caused by a sharp instrument 'held in the hanik, bra 4sii- on -She, edge of t the .herbstone. He could not say that the prosecutor was out of danger. The nerves of the scalp were severed The Bench decided to remand the prisoner until Friday next Prisoner asked for bail, stating that he was a widower and had two little children.  The Bench refused bail, however, in view of the doctor's statement, and prisoner *as removed expressing anxiety about his children.