"On Wednesday, Perram, a sheriff's officer residing on St. David's Hill in this city, went with his father to the house of Richard Back, labourer, at Woodbury, to distrain.
"Having taken possession in the absence of Back, they proceeded to take an inventory of the goods, when Buck hastily entered, and uttering a vindictive expression of recognition, snatched the poker from the hearth and belaboured Perram so unexpectedly as to render both his arms powerless, and then struck him on the head with such violence as to produce an effusion of blood from the ear, and render him insensible.
"The fury of Back then vented itself on Perram's father, whom he knocked down by a blow on the nose, which cut it open.
"The sister-in-law of Back, who lived in a contiguous house, tendered some assistance to Perram, who lay, apparently dying, in the doorway, for which her brutal relative kicked her so severely as to fracture a portion of her ribs."
For these outrages Back has been summoned to appear at the Castle of Exeter on Friday, when the case will be investigated."
The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette (14th September, 1844.) clearly does not let the fact that there is a case yet to come to court restrict its telling of this story. The vindictiveness of Richard Back's expression, his violence, fury and brutality, are literally prejudicial assessments although they are probably true enough. I don't, however, believe Perram was dying, not even apparently.
The life of a sheriff's officer was never easy and leaving the civilized world of St. David's, Exeter, in order to visit wild Woodbury clearly held dangers for one and for one's aged parent.
Sisters-in-law are always spoiling one's fun.
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