Mysterious Annoyance.
During the last ten days the family of Mr Jarrard, of No. 46, Upper Cornwall-street, St George’s East, have been greatly annoyed, and the whole neighbourhood disturbed, by the conduct of some malicious persons, who, on the evening of the 4th instant, commenced throwing stones, pieces of brick, and other missiles through the back windows of the lower part of the house, by which several persons have been severely injured, and property to a considerable amount destroyed. This diabolical system of persecution towards an unoffending family commenced on the above-named day, when a great quantity of stones and large cinders were thrown from some unknown hands at the parlour window at the back of the house. Every pane of glass was broken, the frames of the windows smashed, and some of the articles in the room damaged.
Mr Jarrard, who keeps a chandler’s shop, and his wife, on proceeding into the apartment to discover from what quarter the missiles proceeded, were unable to do so, but all the time they were in the room they were pelted. Stones were thrown at intervals during the whole night, and two persons who were on the look out to discover the infamous authors of the mischief had their heads broken.
Next day Mr Young, the inspector of the K division of police, accompanied by Perkins and Wood, two policemen, examined the premises, and while they were in the house and yard in the rear, the stones, coals, &c. fell about them like hail; but all their efforts to discover from whence they proceeded proved fruitless. The Inspector was struck by a brick, and Perkins received a stone on his hat, which, but for the protection afforded by the leather on the top of it, would no doubt have cut his head open.
The annoyance has since been continued daily, although Wood, a policeman, and other officers, have been constantly in and about the premises, and Mr Jarrard, his wife and family, no sooner enter the back room, or walk across the yard, than something is thrown at them. The policeman Wood one day was severely wounded by a stone thrown at him, while standing upon the wall which separates the yard from the gardens in the rear of the houses in the Back-road.
One evening the landlord of the house was sitting in his front room, where he supposed he was beyond the reach of harm, when a stone which was hurled through the back window, passed over the room into the apartment in which he was sitting, and struck him on the breast. What renders the circumstance more extraordinary is, that a great portion of the missiles thrown into the house are quite warm.
The unfortunate occupier of the house and his wife and children are in a state of great alarm, and it is hoped the efforts being made by the police to discover their persecutors, for there is no doubt more than one is concerned in this mysterious outrage, may be soon crowned with success. Suspicion already rests on some persons residing in the Back-road, whose names at present it would not be quite prudent to mention. The damage already done by the invisible stone-throwers is very great, independent of the consternation of the inhabitants of Cornwall-street.
Morning Advertiser, 14th January 1836.
Thames-Office. The Mysterious Annoyance.
Some clue has been obtained, which led to the apprehension of a boy, named Edward Ellis, aged 14, the son of a respectable tradesman in Worcester-street, St George’s East, and an apprentice to Mr Shirley, a blacksmith in the Back-road, St George’s. The youth was brought on Saturday before the magistrates, charged with wilfully throwing stones and other missiles, by which Mary Ann Jarratt, Ann Jarratt, and Sarah Hanson, residing at the back of Mr Shirley’s premises, were seriously injured, and with breaking numerous panes of glass and damaging property to a considerable amount.
Policeman Holmes stated, that while on the watch on Thursday morning he saw the prisoner enter the out-house in Mr Shirley’s yard, and shortly after the door opened and a brick came from that direction.
Several persons deposed to missiles having been thrown, and the severe injuries received in consequence by many individuals.
A brick, on which there was some blood, was shown to the magistrate; it had been thrown at the girl Jarratt, who had received so severe a wound on the head as to be unable to attend and give her evidence.
Policeman Parker stated, that while on the watch a stone was thrown, and immediately after he saw the prisoner run from the passage of his master’s house.
Mr Pelham, on behalf of the boy, said he had a great many witnesses in attendance to speak to the great respectability of Mr Shirley, and the general good conduct and steadiness of the boy. A Mr Peeling’s servant was first accused, and now the offence was endeavoured to be fixed on the boy, against whom he (Mr Pelham) submitted there was no evidence, for when the girl was wounded the prisoner was not at home.
Mr Broderip said this system of persecution had been carried on for some time and had been attended with great danger. One person was unable to attend, and others had been seriously injured. Enough had been proved to call upon the boy to put in good bail to answer the charge at the Sessions, and in the mean time to keep the peace to all his Majesty’s subjects.
Bail was then put in, and Mr Boderip requested the police to still keep on the watch.
Globe, 18th January 1836.