The Express.
London, England, 1866-12-29 00:00:00

POLICE TESTIMONY.

At the Thames Police-court, yesterday, a re-
le man, shoat 35 year+ of age, who gave the name
gortall Riehardean,
_got into the dock while the night
charges were being
_heard, and a policessonstable named
John Ready, No. 34e K, immediately said, He has *hanged
his name since last night. Be then said his name was
Thane' Clark.
The prisoner—Thonnui Clark ! I never said my name
was Clark. My name is John Richardson, painter and
glazier, of Well Partridge—Well, never mind, you are charged
with being drunk and disorderly only. I will beer all
you have to say in your defenae.
Ready said that a ►
quarter-Past one o'clock that morni4
he saw the rat the corner of High-street, Bhadwell,
very and disorderly. The prisoner's wife
was with him, and trying to pt him home. The prisoner
said, " Why don't you look after that —." Ile told
the prisoner to go home, but he would not, and made a
great disturbance. He 'Look him into custody, and on the
way to the station-house the prisoner said, " I shall
charge you with calling my wife a prostitute."
The prisoner said awaye to the court to hear the pro-
' wading. and to pass an idle hour, and was about to
pass in at one door when the police-constable said, " You
can't go in that way," and thrust him in at another door.
He bad not been in the court a minute before he was told
to stand in the dock.
Ready—He knows he is the man. Be got into the dock
directly I told him to do so.
The prisoner—Yes ; but I warned you of the mistake
you were committing.
Mr. Partridge asked the policwoonstablewas for
ban ed. erplan Betion, and he stated that the prisoner ail
went to the station-house that morning to bring the pri-
soner sway, and was informed he was bailed. kle wend
t to
to
the court, and saw the prisoner in the street.
He sai
him, You had better get in the court, and he did so.
The prisoner—Why I was in bed and asleep at the time
you speak of. Is a man to come
here to a
acrime n open
never
court
and then he charged as a prisonerhe
committed'.
Ready—He is the man I charged last night and took
to the station, and who gave the name of Thomas Clark.
Inspector Griff of the K division, an officer of great
experience and tacthere said the police-constable had made
a mistake, he had put the wrong man in the dock. He
then called Thomas Clark, and a man much older than
Richardson got into the docvel k.
Ready swore most positively that Richardson was the
man he captured on Thursday night.
Clark—No ; I am the man.
Inspector Griffin—No doubt of it.
Mr. Partridge—Really no man's liberty is safe if people
are to be charged at haphazard in this manner.
Ready was then repeatedly asked if he could
and identify
the man he took into custody on Thursday night, lie
said that Richardson was the man, and he had no doubt
about it.
Mr. Partridge said there was not the slightest resem-
blance between the two men, and that he should adjourn
the care for the attendance of the police-sergeant who took
the charge and bailed the real delinquent.
In the evening Police-sergeant Gamble, No. 49 K,
attended, end said he took the charge and entered it at
the King David-lane station-house, and bailed the rimier
Clark, whom be knew well. He had never seen Richardson
before. Clark had on the grey witney coat he was
wearinj. The prisoner was bailed at 8 o'clock that
t morn-
r-
ing. The prisoner abused him at an early perioThu
day evening, and said to the pitman at the Bull's Head in
High-street, Shadwell, "Shall I hit him onbe hi
not."s -- head?"
To which the potman said, " No, you had tter
Thomas Proctor, police-sergeaut, No. GO K, saw the pri-
soner Clark being taken to the station-house. A w
nohim,
man
who claimed Clark as her husband was hanging upo
and said be should not go to the station-house.
Ready was recalled, and said he was now satisfied he
had made a mistake, and that Clark was the person he
took into custody. He thought Richardson was the man
when he saw him that morning because he wore a white
juniper under his grey alpaca overcoat
Mr. Partridge directed Richardson to unbutton his over-
coat, which he did, and there was a white canvas wrapper
r,
wader it, in which he worked at his business as a plumbe
painter, and glazier.
Mr. Partridge said the policeman could not see more
than an inch or two of the white canvas jumper under
Richardson's overcoat.
Ready—Yes, that is all.
Mr. Partridge—You ought to make an apology to
Richardson for the great mistake you have committed.
Heady--8o I do. sir.
Mr. Partridgs—That is the least you can do. You have
exhibited considerable obstinacy in persisting th
Richardson Was the man you took into custody this
morning, after your inspector said you weie in the
wrong. I don't mean to impute to you that you wilfully
intended to charge an innocent wan with the offence, and
as you are a young constable I shall not mark the police-
sheet with any comments, but I cannot help repeating
you base shown great obstinacy. It is a most fearful
thing to persist in such a mistake. You might have
blasted the reputation of a respectable and innocent man
for lfe. I don't beeve you id i wilfully. Msioni is it was duneli by a mistdake.t lioiv long Lave you
been in the force
Ready—About two years, sir.
Mr. Partridge—And you have committed this most
serious error. I did think you were a much younger
police-constable. The two then in the dock are not at all
alike, and their apparel is different. Pray be careful in
future, and take care bow you involve the reputation
and the liberty of an innocent nein. Richardson may
leave the dock. Clark is fined ss. for being drunk and
disorderly.