<text>
<notice>© 2003-2008 Old Bailey Proceedings Online</notice>
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<p>720.
<persName id="t18110918-99-defend738" type="defendantName"> THOMAS ENGLISH
<interp inst="t18110918-99-defend738" type="surname" value="ENGLISH"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-defend738" type="given" value="THOMAS"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-defend738" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> was indicted for
<rs id="t18110918-99-off521" type="offenceDescription">
<interp inst="t18110918-99-off521" type="offenceCategory" value="breakingPeace"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-off521" type="offenceSubcategory" value="wounding"/> that he, in and upon
<persName id="t18110918-99-victim740" type="victimName"> John Edward Bennett
<interp inst="t18110918-99-victim740" type="surname" value="Bennett"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-victim740" type="given" value="John Edward"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-victim740" type="gender" value="male"/>
<join result="offenceVictim" targOrder="Y" targets="t18110918-99-off521 t18110918-99-victim740"/> </persName> , a subject of our Lord the King, feloniously, maliciously and unlawfully did make an assault, and with a certain razor, did cut the said
<persName id="t18110918-99-person741"> John Edward Bennett
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person741" type="surname" value="Edward Bennett"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person741" type="given" value="John"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person741" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> in and upon his nose and left eyelid, with intent in so doing to kill and murder him </rs>.</p>
<p>SECOND COUNT, for like offence, with intention to disable him.</p>
<p>THIRD COUNT, to do him some grieveous bodily harm.</p>
<p>
<persName id="t18110918-99-person742"> JOHN EDWARD BENNETT
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person742" type="surname" value="EDWARD BENNETT"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person742" type="given" value="JOHN"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person742" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> . I am a
<rs id="t18110918-99-viclabel522" type="occupation">baker</rs>
<join result="persNameOccupation" targOrder="Y" targets="t18110918-99-victim740 t18110918-99-viclabel522"/>, I live at
<placeName id="t18110918-99-crimeloc523">73, Minories</placeName>
<join result="offencePlace" targOrder="Y" targets="t18110918-99-off521 t18110918-99-crimeloc523"/>. The prisoner came into my shop and stole a small loaf.</p>
<p>Q. Did you see him take any part of your property - A. No, I heard my wife say, master you shall not have that loaf, and seeing her run out of the door's I followed her, and laid hold of the prisoner and threw him down on the pavement; the prisoner struggled and turned upon his back; the loaf fell from him. I took the prisoner by the collar, he then struck me with some sharp instrument as he laid upon his back; he cut me through my left eyelid, and across my nose; it did not touch the ball of my eye at all. I still continued my hold, untill a person came up and took him. This was on the 17th of September, near nine at night.</p>
<p>
<persName id="t18110918-99-person743"> ELIZABETH BENNETT
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person743" type="surname" value="BENNETT"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person743" type="given" value="ELIZABETH"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person743" type="gender" value="female"/> </persName> . I am the wife of the former witness; I saw the prisoner come into the shop and take a loaf from the window, he immediately ran out. I said he should not have it. I followed him, and my husband followed in consequence of what I said; I returned in again. I am quite sure he is the man, I have seen him before.</p>
<p>
<persName id="t18110918-99-person744"> WILLIAM BENGOFF
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person744" type="surname" value="BENGOFF"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person744" type="given" value="WILLIAM"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person744" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> . I am a hackney coachman.</p>
<p>Q. Were you in the street when Mr. Bennett went after the man - A. I was in the rank, and saw two men scuffling in the street, I thought they were two hackney coachmen skylarking together; Mr. Bennett was uppermost. I heard Mr. Bennett call out murder Mr. Shuttleworth, I saw his face bleeding, I picked up the razor it laid close against the prisoner, and the loaf of bread by the side of him. I delivered the razor to Mr. Shuttleworth, the landlord of the watering house.</p>
<p>
<persName id="t18110918-99-person745"> JOSHUA GRAY
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person745" type="surname" value="GRAY"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person745" type="given" value="JOSHUA"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person745" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> . I am a constable, I was on the opposite side of the Minories, I ran over; Mr. Bennet was gone to the doctor's. I took the prisoner in custody, and when I got to the Compter the razor was delivered to me by Mr. Alder; there was blood on it then, and there is now. I know the prisoner, he was in the habit of coming to the Mansion-house, he appeared to be a man not in his right mind he came with papers to the Mansion-house to have them copied. I took them to an interpreter in Birchin-lane; they were all nonsense; that was six months before this transaction took place, he appeared decent then; I have seen him several times at the Mansion-house.</p>
<p>
<persName id="t18110918-99-person746"> JAMES ALDER
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person746" type="surname" value="ALDER"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person746" type="given" value="JAMES"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person746" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> . I keep a porkshop in the Minories, I helped to convey the prisoner to the Compter. Mr. Shuttleworth delivered the razor to my young man to bring it to me; this is the same razor that I delivered to the constable.</p>
<p>MR. SHUTTLEWORTH. Mr. Bennett called to me, I went, and saw him wounded. Bengoff delivered the razor to me.</p>
<p>
<persName id="t18110918-99-person747"> FRANCIS HOBLER
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person747" type="surname" value="HOBLER"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person747" type="given" value="FRANCIS"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-person747" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> . Q. You are the clerk at the Mansion-house - A. I am.</p>
<p>Q. Bray has mentioned that this man came frequently to the Mansion-house - A. I have seen him frequently there. The man came creditably dressed, with a parcel of papers, they were in the shape of bills of exchange, being a foreigner I thought he was imposed upon; they had Sir Francis Burdett and liberty upon them. I have got them interpreted, and they were perfectly nonsense. I thought him an inoffensive man; he came several times after that, and then became more and more poor.</p>
<p>NOT GUILTY,</p>
<p>
<rs id="t18110918-99-verdict524" type="verdictDescription">
<interp inst="t18110918-99-verdict524" type="verdictCategory" value="notGuilty"/>
<interp inst="t18110918-99-verdict524" type="verdictSubcategory" value="nonComposMentis"/> Believing him to be insane at the time of committing the offence </rs>.</p>
<p>London jury, before Mr. Common Serjeant.</p> </div1></div0></text>