The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-05-03 00:00:00

!STAUB !LIDOS

THE OUTROAEOUS ASSAULT ON A POLICE.
MAN.

Walter Parsons, Alfred Hannam, and Alfred Yawed,
of Stalbridge, who were apprehended on Buaday, were
ctargol, in conjunction wits George Brown, who was
taken into custody on Monday, at the Sturuainster
court on Thuisday, before Captain Hentiann, R.N., R. R.
Harvey, Esq., and H. Thornhill, Esq., with aseaulting
and resisting Police-constable Bennett in the execution of
his duty at Stelbridge, on Saturday eveni DC 23rd A priL
Mr. J. Trevor Davies, of Sherisorne, defended Pars ins
and Hannatn, and at the outset plealed not guilty to the
charge. The other prisoners also pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Davies said although be had pleaded not guilty it
would be abaurd for him to come there and say his clients
were not guilty, but in some courts in cases where there
was a plea of guilty the evidence was not gone into. In the
present case he intended simply to address their worships
in mitigation of punishment.
William Bennett was then called, and said : I am a
police constable, station id at Stalbridge. On Saturday,
the 23rd of this mouth. I was on duty in the town • few
minutiae after 11 in the evening, and saw Persons and
Fess ird fighting in the highway. 1 wont to them and
said to them, "Came my lads, 'tie time to go home and
leave off alai." PAIVOtti said. " Who are you I I was
dressed in uniform. Parsons also said, "I will kill you,"
and struck me in the face. Directly afterwards • man
named Richard Curtis came out of his door, which was
near where the affray took place.
The Chairman: Had you received more than one blow
th.-n
Witness: No sir. I heard Curtis say my leg is broken.
Parsons was coming towards me in • threatening manner,
and I struck him with my staff which! had drawn when
I beard Curtis say his leg wee broken. Curtis WU throe
or four yards from me. I tried to go into Curtis' house,
but was hustled back by Parsons and °tura. Hannani
then took hold of my staff and held it, I not I. tting go my
hold. I fell to the grows i, and Haemuu twisted the staff
until the staff broke. I heard F..assrd, who was being held
back by • mail, say " Let it in the —." whilst! WM=
the ground It mown gave Parsons my staff.
The Chairman: A broken staff 1
WILIAM : No, sir. It was not broken when it went out
of my Minds. Parsons then struck me several times with
it, said I was blood all over whilst on the ground.
The Chairman: You have not mentioned that Brown did
anyttau4 in the matter. I).d he
Witness: I have witnesses. The staff was broken,
The Chairman: Have yu any wounds?
Witness: Yes, sir, and also • black era
By Mr. Davies: It ocAntrred opposite Dyke'., where
Minium works. There were several persons present when
Parsons and Fessard were fighting. At first they
were simply skylarking, but afterwards it turned into
fighting.
Mr. Davies: And then you asked them to go on?
Want. : Yes, sir.

Th 9 ea.orinrui : Nt t) fri on fighting. (Laughter.)
Witness : I only spoke to Pareona once before he struck
me. I might have had some beer. I did not see Curtis
until I heard his leg was brAten. I drew my staff and
struck Parsons before he hit me a seoond time. I
eudeisoured to get into Curtiss house, but Parsons tried
to pull me out.

Mr. Dairies :Did Hann= say wh.in you wore hitting
Per ions, " ain't hit him Hire that I"
Wttnniss: He never spoke, but to dc hold of my staff.
Pwsons fell down lifter I struck him.
Mr. Davies: You don't mind my saying you hit him
down?
__

esi : No, sir. Parsons got up and came towards
me, and when I was going to hit Win liannsm laid hold
of in, staff and took it away. ParaMl struck me With
the staff whilst I WIVI on the Krouni.
Mr. Davies: What did Ilanualu do besides wising awl
. .
taking the staff from you
Wit 138111: Tnat is al:, ear.
Mr. Davies! Di you to your own koowledge know that
Brown assaulted. you
Witness: I know he was there.
Mr. D 41111.111: Parsons was the villain; bow many times
did lie strike you?
Witness: I can't say I tried to get up, but could not.
Mr. Davies: You wale to uniform
Wanes.: Yea.

luaMn-d-e7it Grant: Otitis in the coat.
Mr. Devi..: I don's want it.
The Chairman : It is • rout of many colours. To ao
not want it if you do not. The helinat with bt.pd On It
was hyouaht into Court.

pq one helped Igeo.
Kr. Davis.: Did ida fee help.
Wllsow :It was 10 S.

Mr. Davies: Y .12 said you were hustled by • crowd.
Witners: The priisdiers were summuded witi 1.003611.
The Chattiness . W 63 toe helmet on your head when
you were struck
Witaeu It we. off, sir.
Charles %Mt, • porter in the employ of XL Cog,
draper, fitalbridgc, said : On Siturdsy night I woe at
home. end abut a few minutes afier eleven I heard
screuning, and thought them wee • tire. I went "tit and
found • crowd idiot:wit, Curtis's. I saw Walter Parsons
and the piliounaa. P3r3001 we. stripped awl fencing at
the policeman, who was walking backwards away from
Persia., who struck him. Toe mutable then kit Parsons
w.th his st.sff. To clutt dile went into Coati.' plague,
and Pirsona foll.twrd &IA shouted to the prliosmen. but
I don't know what occurred; they came out, however.
tog tber, tumbling over each elms.. Whilst the polioe.
man was doer, Br.iwo took hold of him by the heir of his
heed with his left hand and struck him with his right in
the face.
The Chairms• : Did you see Fessard
Witness; No sir, nor Hanna=
Mr. Devise: You heard screaming; was it from roan or
women I

..nen I
Witness: 0h woman; they isuerally do scream
ILsughterl.
Mr. Dave.: Bat you thought it will dm!
\Vitae's: Yes; but w.sinen do scream. I saw Persons
strike the policAinan with his tlet on the bead tiomewhere.
The constable then struck Parsons, and he fell &awn on
hi. kue...
Kr Davie.: Did you 00 the palicemen down at all!

Witnete: Oil. Yee.
Mr. 1.16v1011: Did you lee any blood on the redieenlen'e
bond'

„Al
Witous: Yes. After they came out of Curties Parsons
struck the c instable.
Mr. Davies: I suppose the black eye the constable has
wan Brusen's little work?
The Chairman: It is brown, the black stage has
pueed.
Witness; I believe the prisoners were not drunk.
Mr. Allred Cilia,. of Stalbridge, said: I was lust Coins
to bed on Satorday when I heard • row taking place ou' •
ill.. I went to toe window and sew the policeman on hs
hack. Witness then proceeded to inform the BAacto with
what he hat been very much struck since he had been iu
Curt, but was interrupted by Mr. Davies, woo said 1,
might shorten the case if be admitted the facta and
addressed their worships in mitigation or punishment.
Th Chairman said toey would like to hear the medical
evidenc-, and Mr. Davies remarked that the last witness
seemed to be at sea rather than at Siu,tainster.
Mr. R 'heft Long, surgeon, living at Stalbridge, said :
On Saturday evening I wow called lap to .ea Cum., who was
sue. ring from a broken leg, sod I went from his house to
see Beunetf. I found that he had • tarp bunch behind
his right ear, produced by a kick or a blunt weapon.
Blood wu oozing from three pla,os at the back of ha
head, he bat two black eye. a picCi of skin was knocked
ell the left cheekbone. sod the posh.* was bleeding, and
there was some skin tod ma of his knees where he had
been kicked. Theas were the principal visible injuries.
Kr. Davies then addres.ed the Bench in behalf of his
client., and remarked that when be brat undertook the
ones he cooddeied he had an exosedinglY bad one, but teo
thought when he analysed the evidence it wee not so bed
es he was afraid it was. Thera could be no doubt tut the
four prisoners who reciired their money on Saturday had
more di ink on that evening than was gooa for them. A.
in often occur', the sky•tarklug 1.1 to lighting, the
constable came upon the scene, and Panobb. In the heat
of the moment. struck him. The policeman at once drew
Me staff but he todlieved it well one it the regulations
that • constable wet not to draw hie staff until driven t
the last extremity. Tee constable might bare celled upon
West, who was present, to *alit hint, and Persons might
have been apprehended. As far as out cheats were coa
cerued they had never, ii hi. keowle Age, been before .
bench of medlars'°e bet and it wee • most unfortunate
thing that Curtiis ler was broken, but there was not et.y
evidence before them to show that either of the yrumaers
cornmitted the injury. It was very odd to think that the
Prisoner Parsons, who had never bad •row before with the
constable, should have ecte i as he did, if he had not been
the worse for liquor. The oely charge against Hunan,
was that he took the coustables staff away, but he aid
not striko
The Chairman: He took away his only weapon.
Mr. Davie, continuing said no doubt it wee an offencs,
but what might he not have done, he 'eked, if toe hat
desired. Let him be punished for what he did, but wash.
liable for what Pars. in. did with it when he handed it to
him. Brown did not to to the assistance of the constable
although, a. far •i he (Mr. Davies) could see, nothing had
occurred to rouse his blood, but be act d in a moat
cowardly manner. Fruard houo.led on Persons, and he
contended he was equa ly to haw. The alvo.ate then
referred to the evidence given by Wee., and commented
ou the fact of hit not int, riering when be saw a policeman
being bitten by his own weep rn and said it he bad dime
hie duty the said affair would nit have happened. Melo
did not tight, se a rule. un ea drunk, and the present cue
was one ether° a c opitatote got rut, • row, the blood was
up, &tot an aaan t cumtuitt-d, which might have been
et &led had too c.O rid done toeir duty.
The Bench retired, and after an absence of • few minute*
ntorned into Curt, when the Cr...lnnen said they bee
given ....y conederatim to wbat had falien from the
advocasi in behalf of his clients, and toey desired to know
what Yea. urn and Brown had to say in defence.
FeZiatd: I never hounded them on to the polio :run at
all.

Brown: I hrl I Walter Parsons btcic as long as I
c 'Md. tall he caught I a smack in the mouth. acid I tat
him wont.

The Chairman, in giving the decision of the Bench,
said the cue bad taken up some Lio:l4, and, in giving Lb.
untrue: • of the Court, he Lieeired to refer to the remark.
made about the milieu West. He bad giv.m his evideoce
very fairly, and bad by iteurfered in the row, be might
have letCOUlal a putty in the cue. The punishment taey
ntendul to give wee not vindictive, but a. which they
h iaed would be a rotation to others, and would reform the
°deadens Parsuna who took the most prominent part in the
assault, and in whose layout 00 could nut ate anything in
the remarks tut had bun a Wrestled to them, *rowel be
Imp-isone I, 11111 kept ti haii labour tor six calendar
months ; Hswum w,uld also have ti undersea a like
sect once; Brown, for the dastardly offence or striking too
poioachan when down, would have eix manilas' hard
labour, and Fasard, woo bad not taken to active • part
as the other three—and the magustrause were glad to see
anything to be urged in mitigation of punistunent—would
have four months' bud labour.

Although this am was heard during the usual dinnor
hour, taro WAS • large number of persons an Curt. and
mends of the prismers, on haring the antenna,
began to shed tears rather pantifully. Shaking of trui
hands followed, and Me prisoners ware then removed to
the cells. Parsons aml 'Jammu are something alike—
short and stooks young fail .ws; Feu srd is a tau rem -
bent Wye of a Donut labourer• with a coLutecuinc4 rakitir
In his favour.