DOWN THE DUNINKEN, EXETER, 1843.

In August 1843, the good citizens of Exeter were shocked by the extraordinarily violent attack on Mr. Barnes, a popular doctor of medicine, who was left lying half dead in an unmade road which led over open fields. The prosecuting counsel's detailed description of the place give an idea of the state of that part of Exeter in 1843:

"Gentlemen, Mr. Barnes lives in a place called the Barnfield, in this city.  On the night of the 15th of August, abour ten o' clock, he was sent for to attend a lady, a patient, in Eton-place, which some of you probably know is just below Summerland-place.  There lies between the Barnfield, where Mr. Barnes lives, and Eton-place, some open fields; which are still used as pasture ground; cross roads run through them, one going up to Heavitree, and the other intersecting it going from Eton-place to the Magdalen-road. They are intended for public roads but not yet made so.  This road has never been lighted, and therefore it is a dark place at night." 

Two men, Thomas Westlake and Samuel Houghton, and a woman, Mary Evans, were convicted of this felonious assault and robbery and sentenced to be transported. The case at the Assize Court was covered in full detail by The Western Times, 8th April 1843.  Below is a snippet of the turnkey's evidence that I found of interest:

"Thomas Tickell, turnkey at the city prison.  On the 2 th, (sic), Samuel Houghton was given into my custody.  I had a conversation with him, but held out no threat or promise.  He said he expected to be transported for 10 or 14 years, as they had done it between them.

"[Houghton - I never said a word to you about it, how can you stand there and tell such lies, look in my face and say so.]  

"He said they spent their last shilling in beer, and then went out to get money from somebody, and robbed Mr. Barnes, but never thought the woman would split on them. I overheard a conversation that Houghton had with another prisoner.  At one time Houghton said that 'his watch' was jewelled in three holes.  I asked what watch he meant, and he replied, the watch he had from Mr. Barnes.  I overheard Houghton on the 11th of October, say to James Heartzoake another prisoner, that the things he committed the robbery in were those found at his lodgings, not those he was found in,  He said he had swallowed two sovereigns , and that they were down the duninken.

"[prisoner during the latter part of the examination said witness was a villain, and had hatched up the story, for it was not likely he would have told him so, he would ask any one present if it was likely.  He also expressed his 'astonishment that God A'mighty did not strike him dead' as a warning to all turnkeys that nosed on their charges."

'Thomas Tickell the turnkey,'  is worthy of a Victorian novelist! 

The judge, summing up,  said he did not approve of turnkeys, or prison officers, getting prisoners into conversations, to be afterwards used against them.  Their business was to keep the prisoners in safe custody. 

I wrote about the unfortunate James Heartzoake/ Heartsoke. THE GROCER AND THE EXCISEMAN.

So, Houghton swallowed the evidence which now was down the duninken.   As dunnekin  the word is, I find, both English dialect and in use in the former colonies. It means, of course, the lavatory pan.