The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-20 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY ASSAULT.

At the Marlborough street police', court, on Wednesday,
Mr. Henry Thompson, of 29, Norfolk ft-Trace, Edgeware
road, was summoned before Mr. Beadon for an assault on
Henry Harrison, servant to Captain Alexander. The
complainant said he was passing through Park lane on the
10th inst., when he was suddenly knocked down by a blow'
on the body. The defendant, an entire stranger to him, •
was the individual who committed the assault. When he
got up he demanded of the defendant why he had struck
him. The defendant replied that he made it a rule to knock
every man down who insulted him. He did nothing whatever
to provoke the defendant, who, as he passed, sprang upon
him more like a wild beast than a man. A professional
gentleman who was in court said he was acquainted with
the defendant, who was in a highly respectable position,
and he would put a question or two to the complainant.
Solicitor: : Did you not laugh at the defendant as he was
coming towards you ? Complainant : I did not. Solicitor :
Did you not smile at him? Complainant: I did not. I
do not recollect seeing the gentleman at all. I did nothing
by word or act that could have attracted his attention.
The defendant, whose appearance and manner indicated
great eccentricity, said he was going through Park-lane
in one direction as the complainant was coming in the
opposite direction. He noticed the defendant, look at hint
and laugh. He said to himself, what is the stupid fellow
laughing at ? The complainant laughed again, and
believing that it was intended for an insult to him, he
certainly did give the complainant a push or blow as he
passed him. The complainant followed him, and said
h should give him into custody unless he obtained
his address. He gave the defendant his - address,
e ••pecting to hear no more about the affair.
'chard Goodall was in Parkiane at the time. He saw
• ie complainant coming along looking as if he was buried
I thought. The complainant did not laugh or smile. He
id not see the blow, but he saw the complainant getting
p from the ground, and he heird two men in a cart tell
li,.
he complainant to give the gentleman into custody. The
Holicitor said it was impossible to deny that an assault
had been committed. The defendant must have laboured
under some misapprehension at the time. and he did act
in a way which could not be justified. The only circum-
stance in mitigation he would offer was, that the defendant
gave his name anddress when caled uon to do so.,
Mr. Beadon said d hea should call uponl thep defendant to
find two sureties in £2O each to keep the peace for three
months. After a short consultation with the defendant,
the solicitor begged the magistrate to reconsider his
judgment, as the providing of sureties would necessitate
an unpleasant exposure of the situation in which the
defendant was now placed. Mr. Beadon said, as the case
was entirely undefended, be could do no less than inflict
the highest penalty, namely, £5, including costs. The
money was paid. ,
-

DUMAS THE GREAT.—A Paris letter in the Independanes
of Brussels states that a play, written by Alexandre Dumas
i❑ twenty four hours, is about to be performed at the
residence of M. de Girardin, and that M. Dumas, who
boasts of being the bast cook in France, is to superintend
"the preparation of the dinner which is to precede the
performance.