The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-25 00:00:00

Mr. George Chains, ironmonger, No. 6, Hart-strei

Grosvenor.siptare was chargeilitit having committed it
capital mutat Pll'Ann Barton, his servant, about seventeen
years of age.
The prisoner said he was not sober at the time, and recol-
lected nothing of what had occurred.
Mr. Bingham said the fact of the defendant not being
sober, coupled with the surgeon's evidence, induced him to
deal with the charge as one of common assault, and he
should therefore inflict a fine of 61., or two months' im-
prisonment.
LAMBETH.

Yesterday week a letter-carrier named Skinner and his
wife were charged at this court with being drunk and
disorderly and creating a disturbance. On the investigation
of the charge the testimony of the constable did not support
it, and it appeared to have originated in a mere squabble
with a cabman. The postman complained that his wife had
been insulted and assaulted in the most violent mutter by
Perms, the constable 161 L, and that they were both locked
up in a cold cell, on an inclement night, sad without the
slightest prospect of getting bail. His wife was kept away
from her baby, who was sueklisg, and he himself from his
duties at the Post-office, so that his situation, which was the
only thing himself and his family had to depend on, was
eerionly imperiled. Mr. Elliott feeling at the time that he
could not allow so gross • case to pass unpunished, directed
the matter to stand over, and that each party was to come
prepared with witnesses.
Pegnun 161 L appeared yesterday as the defendant, and
bad Mr. Solomon as his legal adviser.
Skinner sad his wife were each examined separately, and
at length, but the enbstaace of their testimony was briefly
this. On the evening of Tuesday week they, accompanied
by three friends, went to the Victoria Theatre, and when
the performance! were over at a quarter to 1 o'clock, they
went to • publio-house to have some refreshments, and
ultimately at • quarter to 3, they speed to engage a cab to
take them to their residences at Chaise& Skinner left his
wife and friends at • pis shop in the Westminster-road,
while he went to the cab stand in the Palace New-road to
hire a cab. He made terms with one of the drivers to take
his party for half-a-crown, and all having consented to it
they west round to get into the vehicle. Another cabman
tald them that the man that had been engaged had left the
stead, but that he would undertake the job for 3s. ad. This
latter sum their friends refused to pay, and said they should
walk home, and bade them good night. They, the [Wiesen,
having determined on having a cab to themselves. and
having bargained for one for two shillings they were about
to get into the vehicle when the defendant calling out to the
' cabman, said "If I was you I would have my money first,"
and the cabman said he should. Skinner them
took two shillings from his pocket, and tendered
them to the driver, when . the defendant again
said, " I should not take them at all," and the cabman re-
fused to do so. Mrs. Skinner, addreesihg the defendant,
, asked him if Is. was Lot the nehmen:a proper fare, and his
f reply was," You ma go on, ma'am" and gave her a violent
push, which met her from the footway to the carriage•way.

She remonstrated with him upon his conduct, upon which
he pushed here second and a third time, until at length he
&Geo her quite across the road to tbiend of York.roed.
CLI giving her the second push, Mrs. Skinner said Pegram
aeirompanied that violence with • kick of so severe • cha- ^
recur that she still bed the mark and felt its effects. The I
injuries aud the indignant treatment she bad resolved ^
caused het to cry, and her husband mane to her and endea-
voured to soothe her as much as he could. The bushead
said he should go to the station-house to seek for redress,
when Pegram told him he meat go there, and catching the
breast part of his coat with both his hands, shook him Es
violently as to tear • button off. Skinner then offered togs
quietly to the station-house, but notwithstanding they were
arm-in arm end going on before him, he kept shoving them
along with violence, and at the statioa.kouse he gave a
charge against them of being drunk and creating a disturb-
ance. That charge was at once taken and they were
locked up.
Amongst the witnesses called were two most respectable
persons, who were strangers to all the parties, and who
happened to be accidentally present, and both represented
the conduct of the constable Pegram as most uncalled for,
violent, and highly improper.
Mr. Elliott having heard the various witnesses, as well as
Mr. Salomon, for the defence, remarked that the defendant
had received a twelve years' eacelleot character, and it was
painful to him to be obliged to punish one who had borne a
good character so long. He however felt bound to do so.
There was no valid excuse for locking up Skinner, the post-
man, and he (Mr. Elliott) doubted very much indeed
whether there was any fur locking up his wife, and the I
manner in which the act had been endeavoured to be jus•
tified by that which must appear to all who had heard it to
be scandalous perjury, was the very worst part of the case.
Looking at the whole of the policeman's conduct, and
r which was much aggravated by the manner in which it was
, endeavoured to be justified, he must convict him in •
penalty of 21., or in defauit of payment to 20 days' imprison-
, ment.