Elliott, George

Personal

Fullname: George Washington Elliott
aka: George Elliott
Born: 7 January 1889
Birthplace: Sunderland
Died: 27 November 1948
Signed: 19 October 1918 (loan)
Position: Centre-Forward
Debut: Celtic 0-3 Rangers, League, 19 Oct 1918
Internationals: England
International Caps: 3 (none whilst with Celtic)

He passed away in 1948.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

Pictures

• Player Pics

Controversy

“The body of the victim of the Middlesbrough motor tragedy, found in the under part of a car in a garage has been identified as that of Geovanni Serrecchia, aged 11, of 22 West Row, Stockton-on-Tees. In an official statement, the Middlesbrough Chief Constable says that shortly after 10 o’clock on Tuesday night George Elliott, the well known footballer, telephoned to the police station. A friend, he said, had noticed what he thought were rags on the side of the car he had just placed in his garage near Lothian Road, Middlesbrough, but closer examination had revealed the body of a child wedged in the back part of the car. Police officials proceeding to the garage found the boy face downwards, head towards the back of the car, the left foot between the chassis and silencer on the offside. The body was badly mutilated. They got in touch with the Stockton police, who reported that the boy was known to be missing, and they had followed a trail of blood for some distance. The accident appeared to have occurred in Parliament Street, Stockton. The inquest will be opened today.” – Aberdeen Press and Journal, Thursday, 20 August 1925.

“The members of the jury, before the start of the proceedings, motored over the route taken by the car on the night of the tragedy. They then inspected the car in the yard, adjoining the court. George Washington Elliott, the driver of the car, was present, and was represented by Mr. C.B. Fenwick, of Newcastle. The evidence of the father of the boy was taken when the inquest was opened a week ago, when he said that people in the street had told him that the driver switched off the lights and drove on after the accident. James Crow, a bright-looking boy of 11, said that he and the boy Serrecchia with another boy went into Parliament Street at about 9.20 p.m. Serrecchia stayed on one side of the road and witness and the other boy crossed over. Serrecchia then shouted across, “No shegs – I’ve found a tanner.” Witness ran back and Serrecchia showed him some silver in his hand. Serrecchia started to walk across the road to the other boy, and witness followed a few yards behind. A motor horn was sounded and witness saw a motor-car coming from the direction of Thornaby. It was then five yards away. Witness stepped back quickly, but the car knocked down Serrecchia, the middle of the radiator striking him. He fell on to his back and the car went over him. The car passed on and I bent down to see where he was” said Crowe, “but all I could see were sparks. The front axle missed him. He was then lying with his head in the direction the car was going. He seemed to be turned right over and the back axle caught him, dragging him along with his head downwards.” Witness said that he shouted, “Stop! there is a boy under the car. The car was then five yards away and he whistled through his fingers. At the request of the Coroner, the boy gave a similar whistle, and a shrill laugh which, he said, was similar to the one he made at the time of the accident. Continuing, Crowe said that the occupants of the car were near enough to hear his whistle. They took no notice, however, the car swerving to the right hand side of the road. The car, which was then on its proper side, was going at a medium speed when the accident occurred, but he thought it went faster after he whistled. He added: “The car had no lights on when I first saw it, but when it passed me I saw the back light go on. I looked for the number plate and could not see it. Just before reaching the corner of Bowesfield Lane I saw the rear light go on.” Serrecchia was being dragged along the ground all the way. Cross-examined by Mr. Fenwick, witness said it was dark at the time. He was quite sure there were no sidelights on the car when it came along. Serrecchia and he were not larking in the roadway. Clifford Preston (15), who was with Serrecchia and the previous witness, gave his version of the affair. As Crowe and Serrecchia were crossing the road to rejoin witness after the finding of the sixpence, he said, the car swerved to the right. There were no lights on the car and he did not hear any horn sounded. Serrecchia stopped and turned round and was facing the car when it struck him. Witness noticed the rear light of the car after it had knocked down the boy, but he could not say what happened to it afterwards. The car was going at what he described as ‘a good pace.” He was only able to see the boy under the car for a short distance, owing to the darkness. In reply to Mr. Fenwick, witness admitted that the boy was walking quickly across the road and had seen a car stop and then dodge in front of it. A Juryman: Was there any struggle for possession of the sixpence? Witness: No. John Thomas York, of Thornaby, said that he was attracted by the shout. “Oh! Tony’s under the car.” He had not previously noticed the car. Witness could not say how many people were in it. He jumped into the roadway and shouted. “For Heaven’s sake, stop! There is a child under the car.” The car was then nearly up to him and he ran after it still shouting and waving his arms. “Two men” declared the witness “who were at the back of the car, raised themselves and turned their heads, laughed and sat down. I don’t know whether they saw me, but I thought I had attracted their attention. I then shouted ‘Stop’ and the car was then about ten yards off.” He heard no horn sounded and did not see any lights on the rear, but could not swear as to whether there were any or not. “I followed the trail of blood,” continued the witness “going up Parliament Street, Edward Street, Park Road, Yarm Road to Hartburn Bridge, the trail ceased. The distance is about two miles.” [piece now missing, indecipherable] Dr. J.E.M. Pedlow, the acting police surgeon, said that he was called to the garage by Elliott, and there found Inspector Heald. The body was lying under the car. The head of the body was at the rear of the car and feet towards the front. The body was almost naked, and there were just remains of a cotton shirt and jersey wrapped round the head. Elliott was present and was greatly perturbed. He said he knew nothing until he got back to his garage, where a friend had drawn his attention to the body. Elliott talked quite capably and intelligently, and asked them to examine the car. He was sober. Witness made a post-mortem examination. The injuries were consistent with the body having been caught by the left foot and dragged face downwards along the road. In reply to the foreman of the jury, witness said that Elliott did not smell of drink. The speed of the car was estimated by Harold Wright, of Stockton-on-Tees, to be ten miles an hour as it went along Parliament Street. He heard the horn sounded twice. The car’s lamps were alight.”
– The Yorkshire Evening Post, Thursday, 27 August 1925.

“There was a development to-day in connection with the Stockton motor-car tragedy, the inquest proceedings of which concluded late last night, when George Washington Elliott, of 53, Lothian-road, Middlesbrough, was arrested this morning on a charge of manslaughter. It was intimated to Elliott at the close of the inquest on Giovanni Serracchia, whose mutilated body was found underneath his car, that the Stockton police had a warrant for his arrest. As the result of an arrangement with Superintendent T. Hammond, of the Stockton Division of the Durham County Constabulary, Elliott presented himself at the Stockton police station this morning, where he was arrested and charged. His answer to the charge was one of ‘Not guilty,’ and he was brought before a special sitting of the Stockton magistrates, and evidence of his arrest was given. Mr. T. Jackson, instructed by the police, appeared for the prosecution, and the accused was represented by Mr. Robson, of Messrs. Punch and Robson, solicitors, Middlesbrough. Mr. Jackson suggested that substantial bail should be offered and mentioned that they would be satisfied with one surety of £500 and the accused in £500. It was pointed out by Mr Robson that the facts of the case had been investigated elsewhere, and his client had a complete answer to the charge. He was not likely to run away, and was only to anxious to meet the charge. He felt that the requirements of the case would be met by his client’s and another surety of £250. Bail was finally allowed on accused’s surety of £500 and another surety of £500. The latter was forthcoming from Mr. J. Wesley Brown, of Middlesbrough, and the case was adjourned to Thornaby, 10th September.” – The Yorkshire Post, Monday, 31 August 1925.
“The magisterial inquiry into the charge of manslaughter against George Washington Elliott was resumed at Stockton-on-Tees on Monday afternoon. For Elliott, Mr. C.B. Fenwick cross-examined Superintendent Hammond (of Stockton) as to a broken headlamp and an indentation and scratches which the witness found on examining Elliott’s car that day after the fatality. Witness would not admit that the broken lamp was of old standing, though he admitted an indentation on the rim of the lamp was.” – The Echo, Monday, 14 September 1925.

“George Washington Elliott, cargo superintendent, was at Durham Assizes to-day acquitted of the charge of manslaughter arising out of the death of a Stockton boy. Mr. Waugh, defending, contended there was no evidence to go to the jury of such gross carelessness and negligence as would justify a verdict of manslaughter. Evidence pointed to the conclusion that the car did not knock the boy down, but that he slipped down and thus got under the car. Mr. Justice Fraser said the case must go on. Among witnesses for the defence were three men riding in Elliott’s car. All categorically denied that they knew that anybody was knocked down by the car, that they heard any shouting, or that anything of any kind took place which indicated that the boy had been knocked down or was being dragged underneath. Elliott said he had not the slightest knowledge that anything wrong had happened until the car was garaged.” – Northern Daily Mail, Friday, 13 November 1925.

“George Washington Elliott was a passenger in a motor-car with which a motor-combination collided on Friday night, with fatal results to George Adamson, aged 19, who was in the sidecar. Mr Elliott, accompanied by his wife, was a passenger in the car, which was driven by W. Kenyon, of Middlesbrough. The motor-combination apparently hit the rear of the car, and William Charles Pipe, a butcher, the driver of the former, and Adamson were hurled on to the footpath. The car stopped, and Adamson was conveyed to North Ormesby Hospital, where he died.” – The Courier and Advertiser, Monday, 21 June 1926.

“The inquest was concluded at Middlesbrough this afternoon on Thos. Adamson (19), of Wicklow Street, Middlesbrough, who was killed in a motor accident near Marton Bungalow. He was a passenger in a motor-cycle combination, driven by Chas. Pipe, butcher, which crashed into the rear of a motor-car owned by George Elliott. The evidence showed that the combination was one which had been offered for purchase to Pipe, who was testing it at the time of the accident. It was stated that the marks showed that the motor cycle had travelled 74 yards after the impact. One witness said he saw Adamson thrown into the air, and that he dropped back on to the side car. Pipe said that he followed the motor-car for some distance, and gradually overtook it. Deciding to pass it, he drew out to the right. At the same time the motor-car also turned to the right and forced him further out. When he got round the car he saw a cyclist approaching about six yards away. He jammed on his brakes, and in trying to get to the rear of the motor-car again, the side-car struck the motor-car. A verdict of ‘accidental death’ was returned, the jury being unanimously of the opinion that Pipe had committed an error of judgement.” – Northern Daily Mail, Tuesday, 29 June 1926.

“George Washington Elliott (38), cargo superintendent, of 53 Lothian-road, Middlesbrough, was charged at Middlesbrough on Monday with being drunk in charge of a motor car. Mr. A. Lauriston asked for an adjournment, as he had only been instructed for the defence that morning. The police offered no objection, and Elliott was remanded on bail.” – The Daily Mail, Tuesday, 7 September 1926.

“George Washington Elliott was fined £25 and had his license suspended for twelve months, at Middlesbrough, on Wednesday, for being drunk in charge of a motor car. Mr Henry Riches, the Chief Constable, said that on Saturday last a police constable saw defendant leave an hotel and stagger across the road to his motor-car. Along with three other persons, Elliott entered the vehicle, took hold of the driving wheel. and endeavoured to start the engine. The constable, an inspector, and a sergeant went to the car and attempted to persuade Elliott, who was drunk, to leave the vehicle. He refused to get out, and declared he was going to drive the car home. He was then forcibly removed and taken to the police station. Mr Reuben Cohen, who defended, admitted that Elliott was drunk, but called witnesses to prove that he had no intention of driving the car, and that if he had had those who were with him would not have allowed him to do so. The Stipendiary, in passing sentence, said the fact that Elliott’s friends might not have allowed him to drive had saved him from prison. He was undoubtedly drunk in charge of the car.” – The Daily Mail, Thursday, 9 September 1926.