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SEIZURES FOR TAXES.Desperate Assault on a Buokkii’s Man — On Sunday morning, about halt'-j.ast one o’clock, tic neighbourhood of Berwick Street, Soho, was placed in aay, bring-I' the 17th,1 the long-ort of (jc- . -- . . . , ■ , -. . • , . ,ed Lciria I r',H,c ol great alarm, being awakened out ot llieir sleep '•the 01 cu- violent cries of “ murder!” proceeding from the hoy # of Mr. H. Ford, a baker, residing at No. 11 in that street, into which, at the time, two policemen weie seen endeavoring to force an entrance by the house door. Serjeant Jarvis, of the’C division of police, and Nell, 154 C, sprung their rattles, when a body of police came up. who, on getting into the house, saw the passage filled with men, and heard exclamations uttered by one man, who appeared in great danger. After a determined attack on the part of the police, in endeavoring to rescue the person from the hands of his assailants, the object of whose fury they then ascertained to be a man of the name of John Scattergood, who was a broker’s man, who had on Friday last, about noon, been put In possession of the premises on account of the house and window taxes. Upon lifting Scattergood up his face was found covered with blood, which flowed from severe wounds that had been inflicted on his nose, on each side of which were two deep gashes. The instrument which caused the injury was supposed to be a knife. The police made a search, when seven in all were taken into custody, from different parts of the house, who, on being conveyed to St. James's station-house, Vine Street, Piccadilly, stated their names to be George Bolton, Samuel Drable, John Johnson, Richard Nell, Edward Langley, W. Edington, and John Tanfield. There were several other persons concerned in the assault, but who succeeded in escaping.On Monday the above prisoners were examined at Marlborough Street Office, before Mr. Conant and two other Magistrates, when Scattergood deposed as follows :—He was put in possession of the goods of Henry Ford on Friday morning by Mr. Pollard, the broker ; ne was placed in the shop, where he continued that night and all Saturday, during which time he was subject to continued insults from the persons outside, and from a number of Mr. Ford’s friends from Marylebone, St. Giles’s, c., who came into the shop. About one o’clock on Sunday, Mr. Ford locked his shop door, and took the key away with him. There were then about twelve or fifteen of his friends in the parlour, and he said to them, “ Good night; do your best, my boys.” The whole of the prisoners were among them. About a quarter of an hour after Ford left, the prisoner Johnson came into the shop and put the gas almost out, and Bolton and Drable came and offered me 7s. to go out.I told them I would not, when Drable collared me, and dragged me to the parlour door. Johnson, who stood there, then said, “ Cut the wretch’s throat;” and Bolton said,“ Burke him.” Four or five of them put a sack over my head, and Drable covered my mouth with his hand to prevent my calling out. One of them had a knife, and attempted to cut my throat; it was either Bolton or Drable. Johnson had hold of me; I pushed my hand up to prevent them doing so, and the knife cut my face and nose; I cried out “murder” several times, and the police broke open the door and rescued me.The evidence of the police was then taken as to the alarm, and apprehending the prisoners.After a short consultation with the Magistrates, Mr. Conant said they had been taking into consideration the propriety of disposing of the case in the usual summary way before two Magistrates; but considering the enormity of seven men setting on one man with no apparent reason but because he had been put there by a broker who had-distrained for King’s taxes, using violent ex. pressions, and, as appeared to the complainant, attempt, ing to cut his thtoat, attacking him at a late hour at night when assistance could not so readily as by day be procured; the Magistrates were of opinion that altogether it formed an assault so violent and aggravated that they ought not to deal with it summarily. W hether or not their proceedings were connected with the outcry against the assessed taxes, with the view of obstructing their collection, it was not in the province of the Bench to determine ; bat, if such was the object, he could not help remarking, that to him it appeared only calculated to defeat any legitimate purpose they might wish to attain. All the defendants had been identified, and most of them as having been actively engaged in the assault. Four were clearly shewn to have been co-operating in the attack with the sack and the knife, the other three to have been present aiding and abetting them. Under those circumstances the Magistrates had determined to hold all parties to bail. The four principals, Drable, Bolton, Edington, and Nell, to find two housekeepers to be bound in 1001. each, and to enter into their own sureties for 2001. each. The other three—two housekeepers in 501. each, and themselves in 1001. each, with sufficient notice to enable proper inquiry to be made.About an hour after the above charge had been disposed of, Mr. Henry Fold was brought into the office, and placed at the bar on suspicion of having been the instigator of the outrage.Scattergood then proceeded to say, that while he was in possession, Mr. Ford used violent threats towards him, and had said in the presence of his Marylebone friends that he would run him or any man through the body with a long knife which he held who should attempt to touch his property, for no King’s taxes would he pay. Air. Ford also said that he should not go out of the shop alive, unless on a shutter. Witness conceived his life was in danger from the threats used by Mr. Ford.Mr. Wooler (who attended for all the prisoners) remarked that it would be impossible to connect Mr. Ford with the Saturday night assault.Mr. Conant replied it would be difficult to shew that there was no connexion, especially when Mr. Ford’s previous conduct and threats were coupled with the expressions he made use of when he left the shop. The Bench were of opinion that he, too, must find bail, two sureties in 501. each, and himself in 1001. to answer the charge at the Sessions.On Monday morning some articles of furniture, the property of Mr. Richard C'arlile, were seized for payment of Church-rates due at Michaelmas last, and amounting to 61. No sooner were the goods removed than a tricoloured flag and the effigies of a Bishop in his canoni- 1.. 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Newspaper Details
London County Herald and Weekly Advertiser
London, Middlesex, GB
Sat, Feb 01, 1834
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Renay A.
AU 13 Feb 2025
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