John LITTLEFIELD

Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle
Saturday June 16 1888 issue 5582

SERIOUS CASE OF THROWING CARBOLIC ACID

John Littlefield, 68 of 31, St. Vincent-street, Southsea, labourer, was charged under a warrant with having unlawfully and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm upon John Fleet, of 18, South Brighton-street, by throwing a quantity of carbolic acid upon his face while in the yard of the Portsmouth Sanitary Authority in Park-road, Southsea, on the 9th instant.-The prosecutor, whose head was considerably bandaged, is a drain flusher in the service of the Urban Authority, and the prisoner is a store keeper in the same service. At three o'clock in the afternoon of the day named the prosecutor was standing near the carbolic store in the yard, and the prisoner was in the store, to which the prosecutor went and asked the prisoner to shake hands. Instead of that, however, the prisoner threw carbolic acid from a metal mug which he had in his hand over the prosecutor's face, at the same time exclaiming "Take that you ----!" He had gone to the store out of no ill will, but they had had a little bit of chaff during the whole of the six years which they had been employed together. - The Assistant Clerk: How much carbolic was there? - Witness: about a pint. - Had there been any scuffle or quarrel? - No. - Had you given him any provocation? - No. Why did you want to shake hands? - Well, the prisoner is always wanting to shake hands. - There was no quarrell to make up? - No. - Did you suffer any pain? - I have suffered very much ever since. - Did the acid cause the injuries to your face and hands from which you are now suffering? - Yes. - Was it the prisoner's duty to draw a quantity of carbolic from a cask, and by means of the mug put it into jars? - Yes. - Had any of the other men interfered with the prisoner? - No. - Do you know whether the door was trigged up with a broom or anything else? - Yes. - And you pushed it open? - Yes. - The prisoner: Did you pull and and maul me about? - No. - It's a falsehood; they are constantly pulling me about. Did you not come round the back way? No. - Haven't you pulled my things about? - Yes, but that was two years ago. - And you hurt my finger? - Not that I know of. - Had you any business there? - Yes. - The Assistant Clerk: What business? - Why, when we want anything, we have to go to the store. - Did you want anything on this occasion? - No. - George Edwin Saunders, of 33, Hudson-road, also a flusher, gave corroborative evidence, and said that the throwing of the liquid was wilfully done, that the prosecutor was taken to a chemist's shop in R ussell-street, and then to the hospital. - The prisoner: Didn't they torment me? - Witness: No. - William Henry Marshall, of 42, Temple-terrace, Temple-street, Landport, a sewerman, stated that when the prosecutor said "Shake hands, John." the prisoner deliberately threw the carbolic acid into his face. - James Northover, of 19 School-lane, Landport, also a flusher, also corroborated, and said that he had no knowledge of the other men having annoyed the prisoner. - Dr. Mumby, the Medical Officer for the Borough, proved that the carbolic acid was a corrosive fluid, and that the prisoner was a man of good character, having been employed at the stores for many years. - Dr. C. H. Newby, residing at Landport-terrace, stated that he treated the prosecutor at the Hospital on the night of the day in question, when he found that his face generally was burnt all over with some corrosive. His hands were not affected. - The Assistant Clerk: Will there be any permanent injury? - Witness: I think not. - Were the eyes affected? - The left eye was a little affected and inflamed. - The prisoner was apprehended on Monday evening by P.C. Hollis, but he made no statement when the warrant was read to him. - The prisoner now said that nothing would have happened if they had not tormented him, and that they had no business at all in the store. - The Magistrates committed him for trial at the next Assizes, but consented to take bail, the prisoner himself in 40, and two sureties of 20 each. - Mr. Alderman Pink and Dr. Mumby became sureties, and the prisoner was then released on bail.