THE GROCER AND THE EXCISEMAN, EXETER, 1842.

The Western Times of 17th September 1842 published this tragic tale: 

"On Tuesday last, an individual, of repectable exterior, named James Heartsoak, was brought before the Bench at the Guildhall charged with the following gross outrage.  It appears that the prisoner, who is a officer of excise, and a lodger of the prosecutor, (whose private residence is situated in Clarence Place,  Blackboy Road,) came home on Monday night last about half-past 1 o'clock and knocked furiously at the door for admission;  but in consequence of the prisoner having kept very irregular hours for some time previously, and notwithstanding repeated warnings, persisted in this inconvenient practice."Mr. Jury came to a determination not to admit him at these unseemly hours, and accordingly on the present occasion, no notice was taken of his knocking.  After a short time the prisoner left, with the intention, it is presumed, of endeavourung to procure a lodging for the night.  In about 5 or 10 minutes afterwards, however, another tremendous knocking was heard at the door which seemed from the sound to be yielding to the violence, when Mr. Jury rose from his bed, and, raising the window sash, he saw the prisoner raise a pistol at him, said, "If you don't let me in, I'll blow your brains out." and immediately fired.  Part of the contents of the pistol, which missed Mr. Jury, lodged in the left cheek of his wife who had, by this time also arisen from bed, and was standing by the side of her husband.  Fearing still further violence from the prisoner, Mr. Jury then threw the key of the door over the stairs, and the prisoner was admitted by his sister, and proceeded to his room.

Mr. Jury then went down to the prisoner's room to remonstrate with him, when the former, a second time narrowly escaped with his life - the prisoner, who had in his hands a pistol and a cleaver, threatening to take away his life.

In the mean time,  a general alarm having been created, Inspector Taylor and another watchman were attracted to the spot, and by Mr, Jury's directions the prisoner was given into custody and removed to the station house." 

Mr. Jury was a grocer on the High Street and I get the impression that he and his mother and his wife were a pretty mean bunch.  The pistol was loaded with shot.

James Heartsoake was young and good-looking and of a respectable appearance.  and his Captain,  Captain Bennison, - he had been working on the hulks - gave him a good character but this did not stop an Exeter Assize Jury from finding him guilty nor a 'merciful' Judge from sentencing him to transportation for life.  We know from the shipping records that he survived the voyage and a year later, listed as James Heartzoke,  he arrived on Norfolk Island to serve his life sentence in Australia.

All he wanted was to get to bed!

And poor Mrs. Jury with her wounded cheek,  although I suspect she made the most of it.

And, hey alas, the poor sister!