Thomas Cooper

196. THOMAS COOPER was indicted, for that he, on the 3rd of February , upon Susaunah Perkins , spinster , a subject of our Lord the King, feloniously, wilfully, maliciously, and unlawfully, did make an assault, and with a certain instrument did stab and cut the said Susannah Perkins , with intent in so doing, to kill and murder her .

SeCOND COUNT. Stating his intent to be, to disabls her.

THIRD COUNT. Stating his intent to be, to do her some bodily harm.

SUSANNAH PERKINS . I was hurt on Saturday, the 3rd of this month; I was just turning down Field-lane ; I was going to the Thatched-house to look for a friend; it was about half past eight in the evening. Turning down Field-lane, I met the prisoner at the bar; I had lived with him about four months. He asked me in the public-house, if I would live with him any more; and I said I would not, and he then said, I should have the contents of his knife. I went out of the public-house soon after; he pulled a knife out of his waistcoat pocket. It was a small sized knife. He then put it in again, I turned round to tell the landlady, he had taken the knife out of his pocket, and I knew it was his intention to cut me with it. I lost sight of him, and then I came down the hill, and he came after me. He ran the knife in my left side through my clothes. I felt it at the time; it was bleeding. He was going on when he passed me, and I said. for God's sake stop him, for he has stabbed me. A gentlemen who is here, stopped him immediately; I was taken into the officer's at the corner of Saffron-hill; he is a shoe-maker. I was taken to the hospital, and left it last Thursday. The wound is almost healed, but it has the dressing on it still; I am sure the prisoner did it.

DAVID DAVIS . I live at the corner of Field-lane. On the 3rd day of this month, between the hours of six and seven o'clock in the evening; I saw the prosecutrix and the prisoner standing opposite to my door. There is a public-house just above there; they were not standing for a moment. The prosecutrix said, I am stabbed; I took the prisoner to Thomas Haylett , and delivered him to his charge. I saw the prisoner put something into his pocket; I saw him searched, and a knife found. The officer searched him, and found a pocket-bank with some papers in it, and the knife. I went back and fetched the woman; I asked her if she was much hurt, and she said yes. We untied her gown, and then the blood poured out most furiously; her clothes were all over blood. Some neighbours then came, and advised her to go to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. The instant she went to the hospital, I went home; I have known the prisoner; he lived somewhere about there; I have seen him pass me frequently, but don't know what business he follows. I said Cooper, what have you been doing; but he made no answer.

THOMAS HAYLETT . I am a parish constable; I heard a noise, and went to the door, and the prisoner at the bar was brought by Mr. Davis and another person by the collar. I searched him and found the knife; there is blood all over the knife. I was

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searching in his pocket for it, and he had it in his hand. I pulled his hand forward, and took it out. There was blood upon it at that time, and there is now. It was shut; I sent the woman to the hospital; I first examined her person; she was holding her hand to her side, and the blood was running over the wound; and I got two persons to take her to the hospital. There was a great deal of blood on the floor. I took the prisoner before the magistrate at Hatton-garden.

JOHN PHILIP MARTIN . I attend at the hospital of St. Bartholomew. I am a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. I was not at the hospital when the prosecutrix was brought in; but I saw her on Saturday the 3rd of February after six o'clock in the evening. I believe she had not been there many minutes when I was sent for. I found a wound in her left side, somewhat below her left shoulder blade, made with a sharp instrument I think, I see the knife which is produced. It was such a wound as might be made with that knife; but any knife might make such a wound. I should suppose it was about three eighths of an inch obliquely. She may be considered as cured now, though the wound is not entirely closed. I should call it a slight wound as it did not penetrate the cavity of the chest. There was very little bleeding after I saw it. If it had penetrated the cavity of the chest, I should have considered it a most dangerous accident.

Prisoner's Defence, On the Saturday I was in liquor, and she was always abusing me; and she was abusing me then; and I went to strike her, and as I struck her, the knife went into her; the reason she left me, was, because I would not go thieveing for her to keep her; and she told me she would have the pleasure of laughing at me between the iron bars.

GUILTY - DEATH , aged 49.

First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Le Blanc.

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 7.0, 29 January 2014), February 1816, trial of THOMAS COOPER (t18160214-19).