Killing a Caddie, Derby Daily Telegraph, 13 Jul 1905
The free fight on the Walton Heath golf course, Surrey, on Sunday, May 21st, which resulted in the death of Edward Earl, builder’s labourer, formed the subject of inquiry at the Southwark Coroner’s Court on Wednesday. The evidence went to show that there was a strike of caddies, and on the day in question Mr. Charles Pilcher, of South Kensington, a member of the club, and Mr. Reginald Coventry, barrister, started to play without caddies. They eventually secured the services of a lad named Smith, who, however, was attacked by a number of caddies and sympathisers, the assailants being chiefly men. Mr. Pilcher went to his assistance, but was himself thrown to the ground and set upon. Mr. Coventry stated that he saw Earl put up his fist as if to strike Mr. Pilcher. Mr. Pilcher, with great effort, seemed to free himself, and swung round with his right hand a club with an iron end. Earl ducked, but the iron caught him on the side of the head. The force of the blow broke the club. Men in the crowd also had clubs, which they were using in a threatening way. The mob afterwards pounded the face of a boy to a jelly. The jury, after hearing a large number of witnesses, food that the blow was struck by Mr. Pilcher in self-defense, and a verdict of “Justifiable homicide” was returned.