The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

711.   WILLIAM JAMES HARRISON (39) , Feloniously wounding   Emma Harrison with intent to murder her.

Second Count, to do her grievous bodily harm.

  THOMAS RUSSANT (637 Y.) On July 27th at 8 p.m., I was called to 6, Salisbury Road, Highgate, and saw Emma Harrison sitting unconscious on a chair in the kitchen, with a cut across her throat—I went out and overtook the prisoner about 300 yards from the house, going away—I said, "I shall arrest you for cutting your mother's throat"—he said, "What do you want? you would not live long if I had an opportunity; this is another Highgate tragedy"—he went quietly towards the station, but said, "Where is my bleeding knife; I wish I had a sharp-shooter, I would put some of your lights out," referring to me—he had been drinking, but was not very drunk; he was able to walk without assistance.

  CELIA HARRISON . I am ten years old, and am the prisoner's daughter—on 22nd July, about 6 p.m., I was at tea with my grandmother and aunt—I heard a knock at the door—my grandmother answered it, and the prisoner came in and said, "Is Jack at home?"—she said, "No"—Jack is my uncle—the prisoner said, "I mean doing for him when he does come home"—my grandmother said, "You had better go away till he does come home—he had this knife (produced) in his hand—I went away into the garden.

  CHARLES RATTISON . I am a tram-driver of 8, Salisbury Road—on 6th July I was in my room on the first floor—the prisoner's mother lives in the kitchen, and Mr. Harrison lived on the floor as you go in—I heard cries of murder about 6 p.m., and rushed downstairs and met Mrs. Jack Harrison coming up the kitchen steps—I went into the room and saw the old woman lying on the floor, and the prisoner sitting cross-legged on her body, cutting her throat with this knife—he was not drunk—I pulled him off on his back; he could not see me because I was behind him—he said, "Are you Jack?"—I said, "No, I am Charley"—he said, "Let me finish mother off, and I will do for you, you—, I will"—I held him till Mrs. Davis came, and the knife was taken from his hand—he got up and walked up the steps into the street, and said, "Never mind, Charley, I have got my own back one. I have done for mother, it will almost spare me; I will do for my brother Jack"—he did not live in the house with his mother, but Jack did—he works somewhere down the Lane—I followed him, called a policeman, and he was taken in charge.

  EMMA HARRISON . The prisoner is my son—he knocked at the door on July 22nd, about 6p.m.; his little girl opened it—he asked for me; I went up, and he asked if his brother was at home—I said, "No"—he said, "I mean to do for him to-night, or he shall for me," and took a

knife from his pocket, wrapped in three or four pieces of paper—he said, "Here is one more I mean to have," and ran for his little girl, who was sitting at a table—I struggled with him and fell—I put a wet cloth to my neck, and ran to the sink.

  WILLIAM JOHN QUALBROUGH , M.R.C.S. On July 22nd, in the afternoon, I was called to this house, and found Mrs. Harrison on a chair, with her throat cut—I stopped the bleeding and sent her to the hospital.

  WILLIAM ROBERTS . I am House-Surgeon to the Great Northern Hospital—on March 26th the prosecutrix was brought there, suffering from a severe incised wound on the throat three and a-half inches long and an inch and a half deep—she was in great danger from haemorrhage, but there was no actual severance of any great vessel—she was a patient two months, I think—she had been there five weeks before I left the hospital, my time being up—her life was in danger for three days; death was prevented by my skill in stopping the bleeding; there was a wound on her tongue too.

  GEORGE GODLEY (Police sergeant Y). On July 22nd, about seven p.m., I told the prisoner I charged him with cutting and wounding his mother—he was detained at Upper Holloway Station—I said, "I charge you in her absence"—he said, "In her absence?"—I said, "Yes, she is in the Great Northern Hospital"—while detained he tried on two occasions to dash his head against a brick wall.

By the COURT. I took the prosecutrix from the hospital to the Magistrate, and back to the hospital—I have seen Arthur Turner this morning—he has had his ankle broken on duty, and is unable to travel—I was present when he was examined before the Magistrate—the prisoner had an opportunity of cross-examining him. The evidence of Arthur Turner was read as follows: "On July 22nd I found this knife in the kitchen at 8, Salisbury Road; there were blood-stains on it then."

Prisoner's defence: I had no intention of wounding my mother; I have given way to drink lately; I never had any words with my mother.

GUILTY on the Second Count. The police stated that he had been convicted of unlawfully wounding his wife, giving her eleven wounds, and sentenced to eighteen months' hard labour.

Seven Years' Penal Servitude.