Walton Butcher Acquitted

In 1885 a Walton butcher was charged with manslaughter after a customer he had chased out of his shop died. However when the case was tried he was found guilty after the jury concluded that death was as a result of a fall rather than being struck.

On Saturday 18th July that year 64 year old John Williams went to work at 5.15am as a labourer on the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. He then spent the early afternoon drinking in the Prince Leopold pub in Rice Lane. 

Around 3pm John went to but half a pound of steak from butcher Samuel Hockenhull's shop. John complained about the quality of the meat and was ordered out by Hockenhull, but as he was leaving he picked up a large knife and through it towards the counter.

Hockenhull ran out of the shop and caught up with John at the corner with Wellfield Road. Within seconds John was on the floor with blood pouring out of a head wound with Hockenhull trying to raise him back up. John was taken to his lodgings in Salisbury Road and died on the Sunday evening without ever regaining consciousness.

At an inquest Hockenhull's assistant Andrew Hancock described how filthy language had upset ladies who were present. He stated that John said he would go for his boss and then threw the knife. In respect of what happened on the corner with Wellfield Road, he said that Hockenhull grabbed John by the collar and he immediately fell over. A woman who was stood on the other side of the road said  she saw Hockenhull his John, but her friend could only say it was a push and she didn't actually see him fall. 

After an inquest verdict of manslaughter Hockenhull was committed for trial on a coroner's warrant but granted bail. The case was heard before Mr Justice Manisty on 4th August. In addition to conflicting evidence from witnesses as to whether John was pushed or fell, medical reports stated that although the cause of death was a ruptured blood vessel, there was no skull fracture and John had not struck the ground with considerable force. This led to a not guilty verdict and Hockenhull was released from the dock.