The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-21 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

John Daley, a sergeant of the A division of pollee, No.
48, was brought before Mr. Hoary, charged with a meanly
assault upon Inspector Rea.on, the intelligent cfticer em-
ployed by the Commissioners of Police to enforce the rept-
lamps of the act for the improvement of common lodging-
houses.

Mr. Richard Reason, who had been brought from
Charing-cross Hospital, with his head bandaged, and appa-
rently exhausted from the injuries which he had received,
stated that the defendant was one of the constables em-
ployed under Captain Hay to visit the Edgings of the poor
in one of the metropolitan districts. In common with other
officers, he was allowed cerain travelling expenses, an
account of which it was his duty to submit to witness
for examination. On a late occasion witneu detected
an overcharge in defendant's account, and warned him
not to repeat a similar attempt to obtain more than
he was entitled to. On Monday, however, witness found
' the defendant's accounts inaccurate in several instances, and
consequently intimated his intention to report him to the
commissioners. He (Inspector Reason) accordingly did so
yesterday morning (Wednesday). and Captain Hay ordered
the defendant to be suspended. Witness saw the defendant
shortly afterwards, and told him what had taken place. He
said nothing in reply, and witness walked into the common-
lodging-house office, 1 Palace•yard. He was waiting there
when he saw the defendant enter the room, and immediately
afterwards he (Inspector Reason) received a blow on the
forehead, which had the effect of stunning him.
Inspector Humphreys stated that he was standing in the
office at the time, with Inspector Reason, whose back was
towards the door. He saw the defendant enter the room,
and thought he was going to speak to Mr. Reason, but in-
stead of that the defendant drew a truncheon from under his
coat and struck the Inspector a violent blow in the face,
causing the blood to flew copiously. Mr. Reason fell,
insensible, and the defendant renewed the attack in a
cowardly manner, but witness and another officer succeeded
in wresting the truncheon from his hand, during which be
attempted to strike them also. The defendant said, "I
have had my revenge, and shall have justice. Do what you
like with me."

Kirby, 3 A division, deposed that a few minutes before
the occurrence the defendant came to him in Scotland-yard
and said, " Kirby, lend me your staff, for I have left mine
at home, and my coat doesn't hang well without one."
Witness lent him his truncheon, and the one now produced
(with which the assault was committed) was the same.
Mr. C. S. 'Watkins, the house surgeon of Charing-crow
Hospital, deposed to having dressed a severe lacerated
wound over Inspector Reason's left eye, caused by a severe
blow. It had deprived hint of his sight, and witness consi-
dered it probable that he might not recover the use of
that eye.
The defendant, who had elicited, in cross-examination,
that Inspector Reason had lately befriended him, by re-
commending him, with others, as deserving of an increase
of salary, stated that the reason he had assaulted the in-
spector was, that he was not likely to get justice in any
other way. He was the only Irishman among the lot of
them, and the fact was that they did not like him to have
a share of the public plunder.—He was committed.
During the day there were two or three applications to
Mr. Henry to settle cab disputes, but in each case the hirer
was found to be wrong in his estimate of the distance, or at
least declined to undergo the ordeal of measurement; and
consequently had to pay the additional charges for time.