The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-22 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

On Monday, a boy named Hales was charged at this
court with tossing in the streets. In the course of the in
quiry it appeared that the constable who apprehended him
was in plain clothes, and the boy not recognising his
authority resisted his interference. The mother of the boy
came out of her house, and finding her son in the hands of
• strange man, attempted his deliverance, whereupon,
according to her statement, the constable dealt her two
be•s7 blows on her head, and attempted to kick her. Mr.
Arnold thought it strange that the constable, being in
plain clothes, should not have produced his authority, or at
bast have asserted it (which the officer admitted that he
bad not done), and appointedlWedneeday to inquire into the
matter.
....

Yesterday, therefore, all the parties appeared. The con-
stable, however, had now another story. Wanner' de- I
dared for him that he had not only informed the woman
that he was a constable, and called on a bystander for aid in 1,
the Queen's name.
Mr. Arnold commented at great length on the cue. The j
policeman was to be commended for taking the boy up
when ho found him tossing ; but as he had understood the
case the other day, the whole of the subsequent disturbance
arose from the circumstances of the policeman (Light) not
having stated that he was a constable, he having said, in '
answer to his (the magistrate's) inquiry, that he had not
stated so. Ile (Mr. Arnold) thought it very odd that ho
should have been guilty of such an omission, and had se-
r a strong opinion upon the subject. It was now,
ed
however, clear, by the evidence adduced which he could not
believe was concocted tomcat this ease, that he had not only
declared what he was, but had absolutely exercised the
power of a constable in charging a person to assist him,
and that his right to do so had been acknowledged by the
assistance afforded. Being in plain clothes he thought
Light's conduct nut free from blame when he heard that he
had not stated ho was • constable, but the evidence now
released him from blame oa that part of the transaction, as
also with reference to the assault. The witnesses staled
that the woman rushed upon the constable, seized him,
and endeavoured to release the boy, and it must be
borne in mind that such was the very natural act of a
mother seeing her child struggling with a man. The evi-
dence put her conduct in a very natural point of view,
although she had alter hearing the number of witnesses
whose evidence clearly proved that fact, thought fit still
to deny it. She got _excited, and naturally endeavoured
to release her son from the hands of a person whom
he (the magistrate) believed she did not at that names,
know to he a constable, and he, to detain his prisoner,
pulsed her off. If the original statement made 'phut the
constable had been uncontradicted he (Mr. Arnold) would
have felt that he wee unworthy any longer to continue in
the police (ores, and merited punishment, which he should
sorely have Inflicted. As it now was the whole charge fell
I to tke groand, and ha should not only acquit the constable,

bat order the woos= Bides to pay 12s. 61. costs, (or the
attendance or the officer's witnesses.

In considenttiou of the put character he had teccived
the boy Mau was discharged with a suitable adruen.tiou.

LA St Wall.
Richard lows, aged 16, oas charged with being con-
Cierned, with se., other boys not in eu.tody with as-
saulting two young women named Eslipp and V. all.
From the statements of the complainants it appeared that
ow the night before they had been assailed by the prisoner
sad several other boys, who in the first instance demanded
Ism money from them as " fresh faces" on the Westotin-
eter-road, and raid they had always been in the habit of de-
manding and getting money front all the new customers who
walked that thoroughfare. The witnesses refused to give
them anything, upon which they were attacked, thrown
down, and covered with mud, so that their clothes were com-
pletely spoiled.
The prisoner did not deny the charge, but said that he
and the other boys had received their pence from a person
mimed Dickson, who lived at a brothel in Wehber-lone, in
the neighbourhood, to peg the two young women with mud