Sarah
Hawkins Genealogy Site
Newspaper
Articles
Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal and Western Advertiser Wednesday 31 Aug 1932
Page 3 Column 6
and 7
ALLEGED STABBING.
ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE.
AMAZING LETTER PRODUCED.
“WILL SEND YOU TO YOUR END.”
ARMY PENSIONER FOR TRIAL
“I have
decided to send you to your end. . . . I always vowed no woman would
make a fool of me and get away with it scot-free.
“If you
show this letter to the police I shall not worry now I have lost you.
I mean to
have revenge on the man who took you and then I shall go to tho
gallows happy.”
The foregoing are extracts from an amazing
letter read to the magistrates - Messrs. C. Harold GOODLAND, R. B.
QUICK, and Mrs. MINETT - before a crowded Taunton Police-court at the
Municipal Buildings on Wednesday.
Edwin Theodore NOTT, a
disability pensioner, of No. 6, 2 Court, East Reach, Taunton, was
charged on remand with feloniously attempting to kill and murder his
sister-in-law, Catherine NOTT, of 20, Whitehall, Taunton, by stabbing
her in the back with a knife on August 15th. It was alleged that
accused wrote the letter and sent it to Mrs. NOTT more than a
fortnight before the assault was committed. The justices listened to
the evidence for an hour and a half and then sent NOTT for trial at
the next Somerset Assizes.
A PURE ACCIDENT.
Before
he was sent for trial accused said “I am sorry, I did not
intend to do it wilfully, it was a pure accident.”
Mr. F.
W. WILLMOTT (Messrs. Clarke, Willmott, & Clarke, Taunton)
prosecuted, and in outlining the facts said the magistrates had to be
certain in such a case that the prisoner inflicted the wound
wilfully, intending to murder the woman he attacked. The nature of
the wound not in any way material to the charge. There had been an
association between
Mrs. NOTT and her brother-in-law for years, and prisoner had resided
with the woman and her husband for a period of four years. He went to
live elsewhere six years ago, but had visited the house many times
since. The trouble started about 18 months ago, when the prisoner
apparently resented Mrs. NOTT going to dances, and told her that he
would have his own back. He had a knife at that time, but his
sister-in-law took it from him and told him she would be friends if
he would leave the knife with her. He agreed, and the weapon remained
in Mrs. NOTT's possession for a time. Later, however, there was
further trouble, and she returned it. After that, however, there were
frequent quarrels, and on many occasions prisoner said he would not
be responsible if he “did the woman in.” About three
weeks ago there was one quarrel at the house and prisoner asked Mrs.
NOTT if she wanted to finish with him. She said, “No, we can be
good friends, but you must stay away from the house.”
THE LETTER.
After that prisoner sent Mrs
NOTT the letter quoted above and in which he said, “After what
I saw Saturday night I have decided to send you to your end, for I
don't want anybody else to make a fool or have the laugh at me. I
suppose you are happy now. Let me warn you, it will not be for long,
for I mean to draw the knife for the last time . . . . I always vowed
no woman would make a fool of me and get away with another man
scot-free. If you show this letter to the police I
shall worry now I have lost you. I mean to have revenge on the man
who took you, and then I shall go to the gallows happy at coming out
on top by beating him.”
The letter, continued Mr. WILLMOTT,
was received by Mrs. NOTT at the end of July, but she did not do
anything about it, and on August 15th prisoner went to the at 8.30
a.m. and said she had ignored him on the previous evening and giggled
at him. Mrs. NOTT told him that she did not see him, and went out of
the house. He followed her down the street and said, “I have a
knife you for ignoring me.”
WOMAN'S RECOVERY.
A Mr. OATEN spoke to prisoner and Mrs. NOTT went home. Later, however, prisoner went to the house again, and when Mrs. NOTT returned from a neighbour she saw him standing by the kitchen mantelpiece. He caught hold of her and she felt a stab in the back and rushed out of the house in a fainting condition. Medical attention was given her and she had now recovered. NOTT was arrested later in the day and a knife recovered.
Dr. W. B. WINCKWORTH said he went to see Mrs. NOTT, at Whitehall, about 9 a.m. on the 15th. He found her in a collapsed condition, bleeding freely from a small wound between the shoulders, high up, near the neck. He applied one stitch and stopped the bleeding and then saw her later the same day. Her condition now was satisfactory. The doctor said he was of the opinion that the wound was consistent with what would have been caused by a knife (produced.
WOUNDED WOMAN'S STORY.
Catherine KNOTT, the wounded woman, said prisoner lived at her home for about four years, but left there six years ago. He then went to live with his mother, but paid witness frequent visits; they had always been friends. There was a quarrel about a dance 18 months ago, when he objected to her going with her son and young lady. “He then said that I would have to stop dancing or he would do me in.” continued Mrs. NOTT, “and he showed? me a knife in a case. I told him not to be silly, to leave the knife to me and we would be friends. He did so, and I kept it for about two months, but he then asked for it back. I told him I had got rid of it, but he then said. 'If you don't give it up I will call the police.' An officer was called and my husband came and we all went back to the house, where I was told to give it up, as it was not my property. My husband handed it to prisoner. He continued to visit the house and there were further quarrels. About the middle of July we had words and my son intervened.
Cross-examining witness, Mr. WILLMOTT asked: Has he ever threatened you with a knife? - He said he would do me in on two or three occasions.
Witness agreed that the letter (produced) was written by prisoner.
Mr. WILLMOTT: Did he ever say anything to you about the letter? - Yes. I told him it was a wicked thing, and he said he only did it to frighten me.
“A KNIFE FOR YOU.”
Continuing, Mrs.
NOTT said that on Monday, August 15th, prisoner came to her home and
walked into the kitchen, saying “I shall have my own back for
ignoring me last night. “
Witness replied, “I did not
see you,” but he retorted, “Oh, yes, you did. I was on
the corner of Canal-road.” Witness then asked him to go she
wanted to go to work and did not wish to be upset. She threatened to
fetch a policeman. Afterwards she went down the street with her son,
but prisoner overtook them in Station-road and said. “I have a
knife in my pocket for you.” Mr. OATEN came along, and as she
was frightened and upset told prisoner to go away. They walked along
to the corner near Whitehall, and she went home, but immediately went
to a neighbour's to pay the rent. On returning she went into the
kitchen and prisoner was then standing by the mantelpiece.
“He
murmured something and caught hold of me by the right shoulder and
left arm,” continued Mrs. NOTT, “and I felt a stab in the
back. I ran out of the house to my next door neighbour, being
frightened, because I felt blood coming from the wound."
FOAMING AT THE MOUTH.
George Edwin OATEN, of 46, Wood-street, Taunton, a plumber, said he knew the prisoner and the last witness. On Monday, 15th August, he met them in Station-road. Mrs. NOTT appeared to be very upset, while prisoner was foaming at the mouth and very excited. Mrs. NOTT told witness that Eddy had a knife in his pocket and had been to her house threatening her with it. “Prisoner admitted that he had a knife.” continued witness, “and I told him not to be silly and asked Mrs. NOTT's son to fetch his father. I said to prisoner, 'You ought to know better, as she has a husband, two sons, and a home to look after.' When I left he appeared to have cooled down a little.”
Percy Leopold NOTT, husband of
Catherine NOTT, said he remembered a policeman coming to his house
about a knife belonging to his brother. It was about 18 months ago.
He said that rather than any disturbance prisoner could have it if it
was in the house. The knife was handed over, and he told his brother
to keep away in future.
Percy NOTT, son, said about a month ago he
then heard someone quarreling in the kitchen. Prisoner was with his
mother and he heard him say, “I have not finished with you yet,
I will do you in.”
Mr. WILLMOTT: Do you think he meant it?
- Yes.
Was he angry? - Yes, very angry.
John HOOPER, a
labourer, of 21, Whitehall, said that at 8.30 a.m. on August 15th he
heard a shout and ran into Mrs. NOTT's house. In the front room he
saw Mrs. NOTT on the sofa. She was bending down and bleeding freely
from a wound in the back. Witness attended to her until the police
came.
ACCUSED'S ADMISSIONS.
P.C. Frank STONE told the Bench that he received a complaint at 9 a.m. on August 15th and proceeded to the house in company with P.S. SMITH. A warrant was obtained, and at 11.30 prisoner was arrested in North-street and charged at the Police-station. When cautioned he replied, “I do not wish to say
(Continued at foot of preceding column.)
(Continued from next column.)
anything before I have my brother.” Witness searched him and afterwards said, “Is this all you have on you?” He replied, “Yes, the knife I left down at the lodge.” When taken to the cells he said, “It is a Scout's sheath knife, and you will find it in a box near the window at my lodge.” Witness visited his lodgings in East Reach and recovered the knife. Shown the knife later, prisoner said, “That is the one.”
Prisoner consented to make a statement to the magistrates, and said, “I am sorry. I did not intend to do it wilfully, it was a pure accident. I lifted the knife to frighten her and as I brought it down and was about to draw back she pulled away from me and it went into her back. I have known her for the last 17 years and we have been the best of friends. She has helped me, and I have helped her in every way. She has acted as a mother to me since I was invalided from the Army suffering from fits.”
NOTT
was sent for trial at the next Assizes at Wells.
He asked that he
be remanded on bail in order that he might draw his disability
pension.
This refused, but he was informed that if he was found not guilty his pension would not be stopped during the period he was in custody. He was also informed that he could obtain legal aid if he so desired.
<NOTES: George Edwin OATEN is George Edwin OATEN or MUNDAY son of George OATEN and Emily Kate or Kate Emma BEALE (her second husband was a MUNDAY), spouse of Dorothy May ACKLAND>