Samuel Asman (Jail)

Samuel Asman was convicted of the attempted murder of a 20-year-old woman that he had formerly kept company with.

He slashed her with a razor in the body and throat in Corporation Road on Thursday 19 August 1915.

The girl was said to have been walking home when she met Samuel Asman who she told she had another young man and did not want him and that Samuel Asman had then followed her a few yards and had then put his arm round her neck and cut her throat.

The girl then screamed and Samuel Asman ran away after which other people came to the aid of the girl and she was taken to the General Hospital. It was heard that the wound to her neck was not deep or serious although it was described as a long one and that a second cut to her side was slight. Her hand was also slightly cut through having clasped the razor in self-defence.

It was heard that Samuel Asman and the girl had not been acquainted very long but that they had corresponded, and a letter that the girl had received was presented at the trial which read:

'Just a few lines to you. Why did you not come last Saturday? You don't know how upset I was. Guess you was with someone else. I wonder if you have given me up, dearest. Oh, how much I am longing to see your pretty face. Can't you remember me asking whether your teeth were false and if you painted your face? You have a nice set of teeth and complexion, and pretty eyes, too. No wonder I love you so. I wonder if you think of me. I am always thinking of you night and day, kid. I would go through fire and water, and do anything for you. I would like to see you Thursday night at 8.30, outside St. Ann's Well Church. You know where I mean, Corporation Road'.

It was heard that on the Thursday night that the girl had been standing outside near her own residence when she saw a man creeping along the road on his hands and knees. She said that when she went to look that she saw that it was Samuel Asman and said that she told him not to write to her any more as she was courting properly with someone.

It was heard that Samuel Asman then seized her round her waist and put his hand on her chest and that when she struggled free of him that she found that her blouse was all saturated with blood and she fainted.

She was taken to the hospital where eight stitches were put into her cheek, eight in her throat and two in her thumb.

She was then taken home and when she undressed for bed she found that Samuel Asman had also pushed a razor into her side which had gone through her clothing and caused a wound in her right side.

Samuel Asman was arrested two days later in Mansfield.

The policeman that arrested him said that as soon as he told him that he was wanted that he said to him, 'I cut a tart's throat in Nottingham last night'.

Then, on the way to the police station he said, 'Shall you say anything if I throw the razor away?', to which the policeman replied, 'Yes, I shall not allow you'. It was said that Samuel Asman then said, 'That will get me three years. I thought it had fallen through, or I should not have come to Mansfield'.

Samuel Asman then said to another policeman, 'I only did it to frighten her. I drew the razor across her face. I thought it had only scratched her. I have done 20 months before, and I used no violence. I may as well tell you I had these clothes on at the time'.

Samuel Asman was tried at the Nottingham Assizes on Thursday 4 November 1915 where he was sentenced to 7 years' penal servitude. After he was sentenced, Samuel Asman said angrily, 'You have nothing to do with it. You know I am as right as you are'.

The judge said, 'They could not be surprised at a verdict of attempted wilful murder where a man seized a girl, forced her head back, and cut her throat'.

It was heard that Samuel Asman had been in trouble many times before for attacking young girls and that he had been sentenced before in February 1913 at the Nottingham Assizes to 20 months' imprisonment for attempting to murder one with whom he had been keeping company. It was said that on finding that Samuel Asman's intentions were evil that she had cast him off and that he had then followed her about threatening her and that he had finally attacked her with a razor and inflicted similar wounds to those caused to the girl in 1915.

He was described as having had a very bad character and that his offences, chiefly against young girls, dated from his boyhood. It was noted that he had served several other terms of imprisonment and that in each case he had followed girls about, annoying them with his attentions.

It was said that whilst in prison the authorities had certified Samuel Asman as being mentally deficient.