Hi cardol
Here's a report in The Morning Post (London, 23 March 1837)
MIDLAND CIRCUIT - Leicester, March 20 - Crown Court before Lord Abinger
William Johnson, 21 years of age, was charged with the wilful murder of Thomas Burton, at Barrow-upon-Soar on 3 September last.
James Angrave deposed that he lived at Rushby Field, near Barrow. The prisoner was a servant of his father's. On the day in question, Thomas Barton, Thomas Bigg, and the prisoner, were together in a field, mowing barley. They sat down to rest at about two o'clock and each had a horn of ale. Prisoner was sent to a village for more and returned about half past three in a state of intoxication. A quarrel arose between the deceased and prisoner about their work, when Biggs said that Burton's work would look as good as Johnson's when it was raked up; when prisoner said "D--m your eyes, Biggs. I'll knock you down and give you a good thrashing" and he immediately began to put his threat in execution. Burton collared him, asking if he was not ashamed to strike a boy like Biggs? Prisoner immediately seized Burton, swearing with an oath he would do for them both. Burton succeeded in keeping him down til he promised to go on with his work, when Burton left him. Burton was in the act of picking up his scythe, his back being towards the prisoner, when Johnson caught up Biggs' scythe, ran up to Burton and cut him severely on the left thigh. Burton exclaimed "Oh, Will, you have killed me" and then walked to a hedge 35 yards off, when he fell down. Witness went to his assistance, and was chopped at by the prisoner, who endeavoured to cut off his legs. Biggs jumped on the prisoner's back, and he was secured from doing further injury. Thomas Biggs proved that when Angrave told the prisoner to be quiet, for he had killed Burton, he said "-- your eyes, I'll kill you and him too, if he is not dead". Witness returned to deceased, whom he had left. He said "I'm very cold" when a cart was brought and he was taken home. William Beeston proved he went for a cart and brought the deceased home, after which he went in search of the prisoner, whom he found about 100 yards from his master's house, lying apparently asleep. He asked him whether he was not sorry for what he had done, when he replied "Rather than be mastered, I'll kill them all". A surgeon proved the wound so inflicted was the cause of death. The prisoner seemed sensibly affected by the awful situation in which he had placed himself by his passions, and wept almost the whole of the time the trial was pending. Lord Abinger, having summed up and pointed out to the attention of the jury the distinction to be made between the crime of murder and of manslaughter, the jury consulted, and after a short deliberation returned a verdict of Manslaughter and he was thereupon sentenced to be transported for life.
Dazey
