The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-26 00:00:00

THE LATE DISTURBANCES IN HYDE-
PARK.

INQUIRY INTO THE ALLEGED MISCONDUCT
OF THE POLICE.
The Commissioners took their sews yesterday morn-
ing shortly after 11 o'clock.
The Chief. Commissioner Wortley inquired of Sir
Richard Mayne whether, in consequence of the war or
other circnmstances, a considerable change had not
taken place in the constitution of the police by the in-
troduction of a number of fresh and young men into the
force ?
Sir R.lehard Mayne said there was no foundation for
such a supposition. He said the force at present
amounted to 5,707 men, and the dates of their joining
the force was as follows :-in 1829, 13 ; 1830, 33 ;
1831, 19 ; 1832, 25 ; 1833, 35 ; 1834, 48 ; 1835, 65 ;
1836, 55 ; 1837, 94 ; 1838, 107 ; 1839, 118 ; 1840, 281 ;
1841, 155 ; 1842, 171; 1843, 204 ; 1844, 163 ; 1845, 193 ;
1846, 281 ; 1847, 270 ; 1848, 397 ; 1849, 261 ; 1850, 274 ;
1851, 374 ; 1852, 408; 1853, 675; and 1854, 967.
Mr. Chief Commissioner Wortley-I see, then, more
than one-sixth of the force joined in 1854.
Sir Richard Mayne said a great many changes took
place the first 12 or 18 months of the men joining the
force, from their not liking the severity of the duty and
other causes. The resienations had been in 1840, 754 ;
1841, 629 ; 1842p517 ; 1843, 470 ; 1844, 525 ; 1845,
605 ; 1846, 832 ; 1847, 707 ; 1848, 548 ; 1849, 553 ;
1850, 608 ; 1851, 1,360 ; including the extra number
temporarily engaged the exhibition year ; 1852, 636 ;
1853, 896 ; 1854, 822 ; which included those who had
left the force to join the Land Transport Corps, &c.
The dismissals since 1849, since which time a registry
had been kept, were, 1849, 235 ; 1850, 195 ; 1851, 309 ;
being the exhibition year ; 1852, 231 ; 1853, 251 ; 1854,
189. 300 men were specially employed in the park on
the Ist of July, taken from the reserve of the divisions.
These were bodies of 50 men attached to the 6 divisions,
and their ordinary employment was the filling up of va-
cancies arising from sickness or leave of absence, or for
strengthening the force on any particular emergency.
The reserve were selected lien, and had belonged to
the force 12 months. Of the whole force 4,416 were
English, 370 Irish, and 145 Scotch.
Mr. Commissioner Armstrong said he was very glad
to hear of it, because an anonymous letter had been sent
to the commission stating the force to a large extent
was composed of Irish.
Mr. Chief Commissioner Wortley said the letter was
signed "an English gentleman," but it was not couched
in terms one would expect from an English gentleman.
He begged to say once for all that the commission could
take no notice of such communications. This was an
open court, and any person having a grievance to com-
plain of if he came there would be heard.
Mr. Samuel Fry, solicitor, Strand, was in the Park
on the Ist of July. He noticed that the crowd appeared
bent on giving expression to their feelings on the Sun-
day bill ; but that, being frustrated in it, their exaspera-
tion was turned against the police. He saw a young
man, respectably dressed, pocket a number of small
pebbles, which he threw into the air for the purpose of
annoyance. The police on two occasions went under
the rails to clear the people, and they did it in their
usual manner. Some persons appeared determined to
come into collision with the police, and did so. He
divided the crowd into two classes-one shouting, the
other conversing peaceably. Many were no doubt at-
tracted by curiosity to the park. There was great ex-
asperation on the part of the populace. There might have
been some unlucky blows struck that day by the p"iice
near the Serpentine when the police endeavoured to stop
the people from rushing across the road, and a female who
ought to have gone the right way go the wrong way,
she would scream and then the mob cried "Shame," and
it became necessary from the conduct of the people that
the police should use their truncheons. There might
have been individual cases of mistake by the police, and
had they not acted with vigilance and firmness serious
disasters might have resulted.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mitchell-The crowd was not
a good humoured one. He thought it would have been
dangerous for Lord Robert Grosvenor to have been there.
He saw a stone 'thrown at a four-wheel conveyance.
People in vehicles did n.l appear likely to be alarmed at
the people-as they drove along they appeared to fra-
ternise with the people. He was attracted to the park
by curiosity. He saw one man attempt to address the
people. He commenced by observing, he wondered if
Lord Robert Grosvenor had thatafternoon got his "hock
and seltza water." He wag, however, ordered by a police-
man to desist, and did so. He called the assemblage a
mob, although there were numbers of respectable people
like himself there. Bills were distributed about the
park, one called on the people to be firm but quiet in
their determination to get the Sunday bill withdrawn.
Re saw one man bleeding from a blow on the temples,
and he appeared excessively exasperated.
By Mr. Chief Commissioner Wortley-It would not
have been safe for the carriages ordinarily seen in the
park to have been there this day for few horses would
have stood the noise.. AlthOugh there was a large
number of persons disposed to be quiet, there were suf-
finient to have created a serious riot. There was a ne-
oessity for 'some means being used to protect the people
usually in the park, but as to the quantity of power was
another question.
Mr. W. Tidd Pratt, son of the celebrated Mr. Tidd
Pratt, reviser of friendly society's rules, was at his
father's residence, 12. Upper Grosvenor-street, which
was opposite Lord Robert Grosvenor's house, on the
afternoon in question. He saw a large crowd of persons
approaching from various directions assemble in front of
Lord Robert Grosvenor's house. They shouted very
much, and the roadway was impeded by the number of
persons congregated. At first there was only a few
policemen there. Afterwards a larger body suddenly
appeared, and asked the people to move on. About
three minutes after they took out their truncheons,
and the street was speedily cleared. He was
on the balcony, and distinctly heard the police
ask the crowd to move on. He saw them strike
about a dozen men, those who would not move, and
continued arguing with them, or remained in the door
ways, or clung to the lamp-posts. He saw a policeman
struck with a piece of tile thrown at him by a man in
the crowd. That was after their truncheons had been
drawn. He considered the conduct of the police ex-
tremely good on this occasion.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mitchell-He considered from
the placard he had seen the week previous there would
he a gathering in front of Lord R. Grosvenor's house on
the Ist. There were ladies in the balconies of some of
the houses near, but they did not appear alarmed at the
crowd.
By Mr. Commissioner Henderson-It would have
been unsafe for Lnrd Robt. Grosvenor to have wall-ed
through the crowd.
Rev Leonard Sedgwick, 14, Westbourne-place, was
in the park between half-past three and four o'oclock, and
remained till half-past six o'clock. He went there from
curiosity to see the class of persons who were opposed to
the Sunday hill. The crowd appeared to be of two
cineeee -one from curiosity, and the other with a deter-
mination to do something, and appeared to he acting
under orders. They were between the receiving house
and the end of the Serpentine. He saw six er seven
sticks or pieces of hurdles and some stones thrown at
two or three gentlemen who were riding along the road ;
they were thrown from behind the persons immediately
leaning on the rails. He Paw one of the stones strike a
policeman, but not, he thought, to hurt him. The
crowd near the receiving house was composed
of " half-crown boys, and men." (Lsughter ) He
saw the police surround the crowd, as if desirous of
apprehending some one. Their truncheons were drawn.
but he could not say if he struck any nersnn. He heard
the police ask the people to go back from the rails, and
he saw them pushing the second row to allow the front
row to go back. The crowd in the Park was such as
required the interference of the police, and he though
the police had been unjustifiably accused for their co',
duct on that occasion.

Capt. Leopold Paget, R.A., was in the Park from
half-past 3 until half-pa 4 5 o'clock. He heard a great_•
shouting, and he placed himself in front of the railings
by the Serpentine. He with the people were tw•o or
three times removed back by the police, who had their
truncheons in their hands, when there was more than
ordinary shouting. The removals were made decidedly,
but with no unnecessary violence. He saw pieces of
hurdle fall into the carriage drive where the police were
standing. There were three or four foreigners standing
near him. They said they knew better how to manage
things in their country ; they would soon upset the cab,
and form a barricade. One mechanic said " they did
not want the little commotion made worse." (Applause.)
One red-haired woman was for putting everything down.
He believed the police acted temperately and fairly.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mitchell—The police appeared
to he acting all day under orders.
By Mr. Commissioner Armstrong—He saw no one
struck by the police.
By the Chief Commissioner Wortley—Was there
much crowding 9

Witness-le°, very 174.1 eh ; and he stepped so hard
on a gentleman's toe that lie found his hand in his
pocket. (Laughter.)
Captain F. T. Parsons, 3d Regiment Middlesex Mi-
litia, was in the Park about an hour. He saw six or
eight carriages pass along the drive, and each was re-
ceived according to its appearance—the more respect-
able the more the noise. He saw one carriage that he
thought the horses would have started from the noise—
cat-calls, &e., similar to that heard frequently in theatres.
The police behaved in the most respectful manner to.
wards him. He thought the oolice performed their duty
admirably during the time he was in the park.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mitchell—He saw no stones
thrown. The noise was more than was heard on Derby
days. He should have been afraid to have taken a
valuable horse along -the drive. He did not see the
police struck, nor any persons removed in custody, or
struck by the police. He went to the park from curio-
sity. He thought it an organised assembly.
James Henbery, park-keeper, occupying the Dairy-
lodge, near the receiving-house, described the crowd as
being partly violent and partly civil. The man taken
from the Serpentine was very violent, and had to hH
brought to his house by four men. A boy was brought
there whose head was cut severely either by an oyster-
shell or a stone. The boy said be had not been struck
by a policeman's staff. After his head was dressed by ;4.
medical man who was there he went away. There was

a large number of macadamised stones in the drive near
the receiving.house.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mitchell.—He bad some hand-
cuffs in his house, and he saw one pair put on one man,
and gave another pair to a policeman to use. He sug-
gested the handcuffs being put on the man who was
taken out of the Serpentine on account of his violence.
He did not see the policeman strike the man. Witness
was blind in one eye. (Laughter.) He did not see
any person struck by the police. He could not recollect
whether he told the policeman he never saw such a va-
gabond in his life, hut there were plenty there. Th.
crowd surrounded his_place, and he was afraid the%
would have pulled the fencing down. It win the dead