The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-04 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURT&

IdARYLEBOSE.

Police-constable Nathaniel Francis, 189 8, was charged
on a summons with unlawfully assaulting Charles Such.
This case has arisen out of one already fully reported,
wherein a constable, named Nesbit, was sentenced to two
months' bard labour for assaulting the present complainant.
The man Nesbit and another constable, named Jones,
were included in the above indictment; but since the
summonses were issued Jones has decamped, and conse-
quently Francis was the only man left to answer the pre-
sent charge.
Mr. Bury Hutchinson, solicitor, appeared for the de-
fendant.

The evidence given in support of the summons went to
show that on the morning of Sunday, the 10th June, at
ten minutes past 12 o'clock, the complainant, who had just
come out of the beer-house, the Prince of Wales, William-
street, Hampstead-road, met the defendant, who was
not then in uniform. The defendant pushed him
rudely on one side, and on complainant asking him why he
had done so the defendant struck him in the mouth and
knocked him down. . .

On the other band several witnesses were called, who I
proved that defendant had not assaulted the complainant
in any way whatever.
Mr. Mansfield discharged the summons.
Inspector Nicks, of the S division, who attended to
watch the case on behalf of the Commissioners of Police,
addressed the bench with reference to certain remarks
the magistrate had made on a former occasion and where
ho imputed blame to the Commissioners of Police for
retaining Nesbit, Jones, and Francis in their service
after the remarks he had passed on them on the pre-
vious examination, which took place on the 27th ultimo.
The inspector said the commissioners were entirely blame-
less, for in the first place the magistrate bad not marked
on the charge-sheet any complaint he bad to make against
any of the constables ; secondly, when Such complained at
Scotland-yard of the treatment he had received he was
immediately requested by the commissioners to take the
case before a magistrate and that the constables should
attend to answer the charge, and that Such delayed for
nearly a fortnight applying for the summonses ; and that,
lastly, if the summonses had bean
spice:relay applied for the
then have , and not have
men would there and
troubled the bench any further in t e matter.
Mr. Mansfield said that in the ease brought before him
that day there was almost a balance of testimony ; but
the weight of evidence was in favour of defendant, who
had brought independent witnesses who proved that he
could not have committed the assault imputed to him.

George Lions, formerly*, waterrain and ninety neploynt
in the conveyance of paupers from England to Ireland,
vas brought before Mr. Paget on remand, charged with
going on board a steam-vessel at the South Devon wharf.
near St. Katharine's wharf, before she was properly moored,
and without the consent of the captain and officers. Kt
was also charged. with annalting George Bennett, in
inspector of the Thames Police, in the execution of hit
du .
The Callingwood, a steatites trading between
and North 'Shields, was coming into the linifht%
wharf on Monday Mato re4en line prisoner came ea
board before she was moored, and anzloyed and bothered
the passengers with his importunities. Captain Thomas
Green, the mastery ordered him to leave. the
ship,-which be reand he pat the authority sl
the master and Mr. Robert Davidson, the sawed officer, et
defiance. Inspector Bennett, who woe on beard with lb
warrant and looking out for another person, took the
loner into custody. He was removing him from the •
when the prisoner threw him with great violence from
bulefarks to the deck. The bulwarks ere four feet high.
The inspector was much hurt. The prisoner then eon.
ducted himself with so much violence that it was head
ae to put him in arose.
;rerY ease was fully made out against the prisoner, who
endeevoured to make it appear that he went an board the
Collingwood on legitimate business, but the magistrate
said, to prevent disorder, confusion, and robberies on board
ships on their arrival in port, it was very wisely enacted
that no person should be permitted to go on board sz
wend without the consent of the captain and officers u
the vessel was safely moored, and even then the authority
of the master and officers did not cease.
. .

The in.a7.7l;eirevedtieObject of the prisoner in
going on the Collingwood was robbery, and Roche,
the gaoler of the court, said the prisoner was convicted in
years ago for stealing 'palter and sentenced to six months'
imprisonment and hard labour, and that since then he had
been engaged is removing Irish paupers from London to
Ireland, and left one party at Dublin instead of Cork, for
which be was 'entrees(' to three month.' imprisonment
and hard labour on the other side of St. George's Channel.
The prisoner had brought disgrace on the administrators
of the poor laws by his base conduct.
Mr. Paget said that some inquiry ought to be made re-
specting the matter spoken to by Roche, and how such a
man as the prisoner came to be employed in the removal of
paupers from England to Ireland. The disclosure had
acme upon him surprise. Hs should convict the pri-
soner for the t on the inspector, which was clearly
I made out, and sentence him to be Imprisoned for two
months sad kept to hard labour.

ROBERTSON v. ROBERTSON AND

SOTHKEN.