William Webber was an able-bodied man who could find no work. He had applied to Exeter's Relieving Officers, Mr. Sparkes and Mr. Fildew, and they had found him work cracking stones. William Webber did not like the work so he went to the offices of the Corporation of the Poor and asked to be admitted to the workhouse. He was refused on the grounds that he was too able-bodied to be given an order.
William then made use of very bad language before picking up a large shovel and breaking five of the office windows.
In court at the Exeter Guildhall he was indignant: He had taken a dislike to Sparkes and Fildew. He shouted at them:
"You would starve a man to death. You keep me cracking stones at a penny-ha'penny a day, and I only wish that it was yours (pointing to Fildew) and Sparkes's heads, that I had to crack. I don't wish to make any secret of what I mean ."
William also said: "that he been sent out into the streets in workhouse clothes, they had destroyed his own, so as to prevent him getting work. He had had nothing to eat for three days; he did not express sorrow for what he had done - his only regret was that he had not done more of it. He'd bet a guinea he would make a good job next time; and Fildew and Sparkes should get something from him.
"Mr. Fildew - I must apply for protection from this man"
William Webber - "I'll give you protection, you ----"..... "I mean what I said. I suppose I shall come out again some day; and then I shall pay you and Sparkes the same as I did the windows. I have been an injured man, and slowly starved to death by you two vagabonds. I should not mind being 'tucked up' for either of you. I do not want to go into the workhouse, but let me have something to do so as I can obtain a livelihood."
Poor, passionate William had probably frightened the magistrates out of all sympathy. He had talked himself into being 'tucked up' for eight months', a horrendous sentence in the prisons of that time, one month of which was to be served at the crank.
The crank was a machine used in prisons. It served no further purpose than punishment. The prisoner turned a handle which caused four large cups to rotate and each in turn, to fill with and then to empty sand. By means of a screw the gaoler could make the handle more or less difficult to turn.
Source: The Western Times, 10th October 1857.
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