Joseph Kirk

341

Maureen Withey on 20th August 2021

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. A NICE RAT-CATCHER.— A rat-catcher, named Joseph Kirk, was brought up at the police-office on Friday charged with having deliberately cut and wounded a man named M'Gull, under the following circumstances :—The complainant, along with several other persons, most of whom appeared to be from the country, were in the Nag's Head, in Cockspur-street, when Kirk came in, and, recognising one of the witnesses as an acquaintance, asked him for a glass of ale. The man refused, but proffered to give him the price of glass ale for a rat. Kirk answered No, I have not got any rats here, but I have some at home. McGull then said, He has got some rats in his bag; I will cut it open. Kirk replied, If you cut my bag, I will cut you. The upshot was that McGull took the opportunity of cutting open the bag of the prisoner, and he, having discovered the fact, went up to him and said, You have cut my bag, and now I'll cut your flesh; and thereupon he took a clasp knife and stabbed the prisoner three times in the arm. It was, said one of the witnesses, one of the savagest things I ever saw in my life. The rat-catcher pleaded that he had acted under the influence of drink, which he seemed to fancy as a complete palliation of his offence, and offered to pay any doctor's charges they liked. This offer he repeated once - or twice, and seemed in a great hurry to pay the fellow his charges and be gone. Mr. Hall, however, informed him that it was a most abominable thing in a man to draw a knife under any circumstances, but when in the cool and deliberate manner in which he seemed to have acted, the offence became more serious, and he should therefore send him to take his trial. Very well; said the prisoner, and diced down with as much alacrity and nonchalance as if be had come to catch rats at a shilling a head. Liverpool Standard, 18 Sep 1838. -------------------------------------------------- The following case, which took place earlier the same year, may also apply to this man. KIRK V. WRIGHT AND ANOTHER. This was an action of trespass brought by Joseph Kirk, formerly a hatter, but lately the keeper of a spirit vault and tap, in Tarleton-street, in this town, against John Wright, the keeper of the York Hotel, whose premises the tap adjoined, and Joseph Amos, clerk to Mr. Bullen, wine merchant, for entering the plaintiff's vault, and assaulting and expelling him from the premises in September last. These were the facts of the case as stated by Mr. Murphy for the plaintiff. Witnesses were called to prove the expulsion of the plaintiff, and Mr. ARMSTRONG, then for the defendants, stated that the vault in question was known as the York Shades and was held by Mr. Bullen as under servant to the defendant Wright, the plaintiff being placed there as Bullen's servant, and that therefore Mr. Bullen had a right to turn him out on his misconducting himself. As the Shades were attached to the York Hotel, Mr. Wright was answerable for the manner in which they were conducted, and complaints were accordingly made to him by the police of the disorderly state in which the Shades were kept. Mr. Wright communicated these complaints to Mr. Bullen, who thereon determined to change his servant, of which notice was given to the plaintiff. The plaintiff, however, ultimately refused to leave, and persons were sent to expel him, hut no more violence was used than was necessary for that purpose. Evidence was given that the plaintiff was Bullen's servant; Bullen supplied the premises with spirits, and that the license was was taken out in Mr. Wright's name. A paper was also put in and read, which the plaintiff had signed on being appointed to the situation, in which be acknowledged himself to be the servant of Mr. Bullen, and that the fixtures, &c. therein were Mr. Bullen's property. The jury found for the defendants. Liverpool Standard, 6 April 1838.

341

Maureen Withey on 20th August 2021

Tasmanian Records. Convict Conduct Record: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-25$init=CON31-1-25p178 No 667, Joseph Kirk, Marquis of Hastings, 18 July 1839. Tried Lancaster Liverpool Q. S. 22 Oct 1832, 15 years. Transported for malicious stabbing. Gaol report, twice imprisoned, character & connexions once respectable. Hulk report. Good. Married and 3 children. Stated this offence. Maliciously stabbing. I was drunk at the time & a quarrel occurred. Once fined £50 7 imprd. 3 months. Single. surgeon’s report, good. 12.4.44 3 Class. T of L. 21/10/45. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON34-1-9$init=CON34-1-9P95 Recd. For a C. pardon, 20/7/47. Cond. Pardon apprd. 9/1/49. ---------------------------------------------------- CON23-1-2 K656 to K672. Description. Joseph Kirk, 5ft 4 ½, fresh comp, blk hair, grey eyes, age 37, trade- Hatter, tried Liverpool QS, 22 Oct 1838, 15 years, Marquis of Hastings, 18 July 1839, native plce, Chesterfield, scar under rt ear, scar left arm.

4

George Edmund Shirt on 19th August 2021

UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849 Held on the Hulk Justitia awaiting transportation. He was 35 years old when convicted so he would have been born in 1803