Offence: Breaking Peace > wounding
Verdict: Not Guilty > non compos mentis
720. THOMAS ENGLISH was indicted for that he, in and upon John Edward Bennett , a subject of our Lord the King, feloniously, maliciously and unlawfully did make an assault, and with a certain razor, did cut the said John Edward Bennett in and upon his nose and left eyelid, with intent in so doing to kill and murder him .
SECOND COUNT, for like offence, with intention to disable him.
THIRD COUNT, to do him some grieveous bodily harm.
JOHN EDWARD BENNETT . I am a baker , I live at 73, Minories . The prisoner came into my shop and stole a small loaf.
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.
ELIZABETH BENNETT . 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.
WILLIAM BENGOFF . I am a hackney coachman.
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.
JOSHUA GRAY . 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.
JAMES ALDER . 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.
MR. SHUTTLEWORTH. Mr. Bennett called to me, I went, and saw him wounded. Bengoff delivered the razor to me.
FRANCIS HOBLER . Q. You are the clerk at the Mansion-house - A. I am.
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.
NOT GUILTY,
Believing him to be insane at the time of committing the offence .
London jury, before Mr. Common Serjeant.