The Potteries Examiner : — 1872-08-17 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

REBSLEM—Tuasnar. (Before J. Balguy, Esq.),  THE CUTTING AND NVOZiIiDING,'“CABM --Charles Carter and William Roberts, forgemen, were charged on remand, with cutting and wounding John Gallagher, forgeman, at Brindley Ford. Some particulars of the case have already appeared. Mr. Tomkinson prosecuted, and Mr. E. Tennant defended. The prosecutor was able to attend, but appeared to be still suffering. His evidence was published last week. Margaret Brannan, servant at the Railway Inn, Brine'ley Ford, said on Saturday night, August 3rd, there was s disturbance in the house between Roberts and a man named McMahon, and Carter asked the latter if he wanted to fight. They were ordered out of the house, and ten minutes after they were gone she heard a shout of murder. She ran out and saw Gallagher running up the road towards the iron works and heard him say "a knife is in me." She called out, and he stopped, and in reply to an enquiry said he was stabbed. Carter then came up and caught hold of Gallagher and asked "What is the matter with you? Don't make such a noise." He replied " What. ever have you done at me. You have stabbed me." Carter replied "I have not." Presently Roberts came up, and witness asked "Whatever have you done to him ?" Roberts replied " I will kill the—" She left them and went and told her mistress a man was stabbed. —George M'Mahon, forgeman, said he and Thomas Fraine went to the public-house on Saturday night. Gallagher came in after him, and Carter and Roberts shortly afterwards. Roberts made some remarks about witness's "gaffer," and upon witness's reply Carter asked him if he wanted to fight, to which he replied, "No." The landlady interfered and refused to supply  any more drink, whereupon the prisoners left. Witness, Fraine and Gallagher went soon after, and found Carter outside with his coat off and Roberts was with him. Carter said he would fight any two of them, and when they refused he offered to fight all three. Carter then struck witnesses who returned the blow and they fell together. When Carter got up he took a knife out of his pocket and said he would let him have two or throe inches of that. He ran at witness two or three times, but he (witness) ran away, and cried out to Frahm and Gallagher that Carter had got a knife in his hand. He and Frahm then went towards home, thinking Gallagher was before them. Carter threw some cinders at him, and struck him in the back. Witness then turned towards the hotel and heard the cry of murder. He said to Frahm "That is Gallagher, he has stabbed him, I will go back and Noe him." Fraine said, "No, go and look for the police."—Thomas Fraine, labourer, gave corroborative evidence—P.C. Sheridan said be met Carter helping Gallagher along, and M'Mahon, who told him of what had taken place, gave Carter into custody. —P.S. Butler said he went to Mr. Swaine's surgery, and saw the prosecutor. He arrested Roberts at his father's house—A man named Boardman identified the knife found behind the hedge near the scene of the affray as belonging to Carter.—Mr. Swain, surgeon, said the prosecutor was bleeding profusely when brought to his surgery. He was suffering from two wounds, one about an inch and a quarter long, underneath the apex of the heart, and the other an inch long through the left lung. Blood and air exuded from the latter at every respiration, and one of the smaller intestinal arteries had been divided. The wounds were very dangerous, and were the result of considerable force. When dressing these wounds five or six days after witness found a third wound half an inch long, just below the first mentioned. The prosecutor was progressing favourably, but be had been lately suffering from fever.—Mr. Superintendent Baker said he found Carter's hand when arrested smeared with blood, and fresh scars on his left band, left cheek, right temple, right cheek, right side of the neck, and on the tap of the head. His right wristband was stained with blood, as also was his shirt front. There were no marks on Roberts. Both prisoners, in reply to the charge denied having had knives. The prisoners were remanded to Thursday.