Constable Blasted By Shotgun - By A Clergyman

Cornelius Wintle was born c.1802 in Westbury-on-Severn in Gloucestershire to Henry and Mary Wintle. He was baptised on the 13th June 1802 at the Parish Church of St. Mary, St. Peter and St. Paul in Westbury-on-Severn.

Nothing else is known about Cornelius until he married Ann Roberts on the 23rd February 1832 at St. Mary’s Church, Lambeth, Surrey. They had a daughter, Sarah Ann, born c.1843.

Then on the 23rd June 1841 Cornelius was appointed as Constable 60 in the Hertford County Constabulary. However, the 1841 census which was taken on Sunday 6th June 1841 records both Cornelius and Ann living at Albion Place, Hemel Hempstead and he was already shown as a Police Officer.

Cornelius had a pretty unremarkable career until New Year’s Eve in 1843 when he came close to death as can be seen in this article published in the Staffordshire Advertiser on the 13th January 1844.

A Policeman Shot by a Clergyman.

Early on Sunday morning, December 31, Childwick Hall, situated on the Harpenden Road, about three miles and a half from St. Alban’s, the residence of the Rev. J. Brogden, was the scene of much excitement, in consequence of the reverend gentleman having inadvertently shot policeman Wintle, No. 61 [records show his warrant number was in fact 60], of the Herts constabulary.

From the statement of the injured party it appears, that about one o’clock in the morning, a short time before the occurrence took place, he went, as was his usual practice, round the premises of Mr. Brogden, and, finding it all right, continued on his beat towards Harpenden Common. He had not proceeded far before he heard the report of a firearm at Childwick Hall.

He immediately returned to ascertain the cause, and while proceeding up the public road, at a distance of about 16 yards from the outer gates of the reverend gentleman’s premises, he received a number of shots in his head and various parts of his body, from the effects of which he staggered several yards, bleeding from the wounds, and then fell to the ground, exclaiming, “Oh, Mr. Brogden, I am shot.” The rev. gentleman no sooner discovered the serious mistake he had made, than he and the inmates of the house became greatly alarmed, and rendered every assistance in their power to the unfortunate man.

A messenger was immediately despatched to St. Alban’s for medical assistance, and Mr. Clarke, surgeon, was promptly in attendance. examining the nature of the injuries sustained by the policeman, who had been taken to a cottage adjoining Mr. Brogden’s premises, and close to where the accident occurred, five shots were found to have penetrated the left thigh, there were also two in the knee, ten in the right thigh, several in the abdomen, two in his face, six or seven in the head, and a number in his hands.

Mr. Coles, surgeon, was likewise in attendance, and upon consultation, it was deemed necessary to remove the patient, who was in a dangerous state, to the West Herts Infirmary, to which place he was conveyed by Mr. Clarke.

Superintendent Pye took possession of the gun, which is double barrelled one, the contents of both barrels had been discharged. The distance from the upstairs landing window from which the gun was fired, and the road where Wintle was shot, is about 30 yards.

With reference to the origin of this unfortunate occurrence, it appears that Mr. Brogden laboured under the impression that some persons were about the premises for unlawful purpose, and hearing footsteps approach he went to the window and called out to know who was there, and not receiving an answer, fired.

Wintle, on the contrary, positively affirms that he never heard Mr. Brogden call out, for if he had, he should have turned on his light, instead of which he was immediately wounded.

On Tuesday, the medical attendants at the infirmary pronounced Wintle to be in a dangerous state in consequence of being a very corpulent subject. Such being the opinion of the medical men, Superintendent Pye and Inspector Good went to Childwick Hall, for the purpose of arresting Mr. Brogden. On hearing their intention, Capt. Lomax, a neighbour and county magistrate, undertook to be answerable for the appearance of the reverend gentleman, whenever he might be called upon, and thus, for the present, the matter rests.

Published in the Bucks Herald on Saturday 3rd February 1844.

Committal of the Rev. J. Brogden.

The Rev. James Brogden surrendered before a full Bench of Magistrates at Hemel Hempstead, to answer the charge of shooting and wantonly wounding police constable Wintle. The investigation lasted several hours, and the Reverend gentleman was fully committed for trial at the next assizes at Hertford, but admitted to bail, himself in £4OO and two sureties of £200 each. Mr. Gape and Mr. Lomax were the sureties.

The extraordinary story continues in the Weekly Chronicle published on the 3rd March 1844.

Extraordinary charge.

At Hertford, on Friday, before Mr Baron Alderson, the Reverend J. Brogden, surrendered to answer an indictment, charging him with feloniously discharging a loaded gun at Cornelius Wintle, with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm.

Our readers will recollect that the reverend gentleman, being alarmed with the dread of thieves, and hearing a noise in the night, challenged the party from the window, and, receiving no answer, fired. The party turned out to be a policeman, who was wounded in the head, both thighs, and abdomen. The wounds were not in themselves dangerous but might have proof so in their results.

Mr. Barron Alderson expressed the opinion that there was no case to go before the jury. It appeared that the prisoner had fired a gun out of a window in the dark, and there was not the slightest proof that he saw anyone, much less that he intended to shoot anyone. If Mr. Brogden had intended to shoot the person he had fired at, he would’ve said, “I have hit him,” and not have said, “Good God, there is a man shot.” The jury considered for a short time, when the foreman said they were unanimously of opinion that Mr. Brogden, did not intend to shoot when he fired the gun. Mr Barron Alderson said he quite concurred in the opinion of the jury, and then addressing Mr. Brogden, said “I hope Mr. Brogden will be more careful in future, it was a very incautious act, but I entirely acquit you of any intention to injure any person.”

The reverend gentleman then came up upon the bench, and was warmly greeted by his numerous friends, amongst whom were the Earl of Verulam, Viscount Grimston, MP, Lord John Manners, MP, the Bishop of Hereford, the Dean of Ely, arch Deacon Thorpe, the Reverend Dr. Wordsworth of Harrow, all of whom were in attendance to bear testimony to the general humanity and kindness of Mr. Brogden.

A verdict of not guilty was then recorded, and Mr. Brogden was ordered to be immediately set at liberty. The nominal prosecutor was a constable of the Herts contemporary, but the real prosecutor was Captain Robertson, the head of the police force, who acted under the orders of the magistrates.

Cornelius Wintle recovered from his wounds and continued as a Police Constable but as the 1851 census shows he moved to the village of Water End. He eventually resigned his Appointment on the 7th July 1852. In the 1861 census he is recoded living with his wife Ann in Bowling Alley, Harpenden and employed as an Agricultural Labourer. They were still living there in the 1871 census but his occupation was given as a Late Police Officer.

On the 7th September 1877, shown as being a pauper, he was admitted to the Berrywood Asylum, which was a major Victorian psychiatric facility in Duston, Northamptonshire, operating from 1876 until 1995. He died there on the 14th December 1877. He was buried at Upton on the 19th December 1877.