The Trial and Conviction of John Church: The Preacher of the Surrey Tabernacle, Borough Road, at the Surrey Assizes, at Croydon, on Saturday, the 16th of August, 1817, for an Assault With Intent to Commit an Unnatural Crime.Anonymous
Religion
The Trial and Conviction of John Church: The Preacher of the Surrey Tabernacle, Borough Road, at the Surrey Assizes, at Croydon, on Saturday, the 16th of August, 1817, for an Assault With Intent to Commit an Unnatural Crime.
Anonymous
Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Sodomy) -- England
The next witness examined is Thomas West. He says, “I am workmen to Mr.
Patrick, the potter. On the morning of the 26th of September last, I
relieved Adam Foreman at the Kiln. I relieved him about half past twelve
o’clock in the morning: he left me shortly afterwards for the purpose of
going to bed. I saw him again in about half an hour. He was only part
dressed. He had his small clothes, his shoes, and one stocking on. He
came to me in a very great fright, and bid me light my candle. He
appeared very much alarmed, and bid me light my candle and come along
with him up to the house. He told me, as we were going along the garden,
that Mr. Church had been to him, and behaved in a very indecent manner.
He did not explain how. He unlocked the door, and we went into the house
together. When we got into the house he put the remainder of his clothes
on. We then went and searched every room in the house, beginning at the
bottom and going upwards to the top, except my mistress’s room and Mr.
Church’s. We went into all the rooms except Mr. Church’s and Mrs.
Patrick’s. We did not go into Mr. Church’s room or that of my mistress.
We did not open the door of either of those two rooms. When we came to
Mr. Church’s door, I said, “I’ll go and pull him out; shall I?” The Lad
said, “No, for fear of disturbing my mistress.” In consequence of that
observation of the lad’s, I forebore going into the room. Foreman then
came along with me into the Pottery. He came down stairs; locked the
back door, and staid with me the whole of the remainder of the night at
the Pottery ’till the morning. We searched in all the rooms of the house
for the purpose of seeing if there was any other person in the place. We
found no window or door open at which any body could have got into the
house. I saw them all secure and fastened. When Foreman came to me, he
did not explain what Church had done to him; he only told me that Church
had behaved in a very indecent manner to him. I did go to search for
thieves in the house. When he told me that Church had behaved in a very
indecent manner to him, I went to see if there was any other person in
the place. Foreman did not tell me he believed that there was thieves in
the house. I am quite sure he did not explain in what way Church behaved
to him. He did not tell me that Church came to his bed side, and laid
his hand upon his private parts; he never from first to the last, either
in the course of the morning when staying with me, or after we had been
to the house, tell me what Church had done, and that he had laid his hand
upon his private parts. I went before the Magistrate some time after
this; I believe it was six or seven weeks.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account