The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-28 00:00:00

SOtrTHWARIC.

BRUTAL ASSAULT ON A FEMALE.--ilenry Robson, an
ill-looking fellow, employed, it appeared, at a rag-shop
in Gravel-lane, was brought before Mr. Coombe charged
with most violently assaulting Maria Wallis.
Maria Wallis, whose appearance plainly showed the
ill-treatment she had received, deposed that she had
lived with the prisoner as his wife for upwards of nine
months, but in consequence of his continued ill-treat-
ment of her, several times blackening her eyes, and
otherwise injuring her, she was obliged to leave him
about nine weeks since, and had never met with him
till last night, about ten o'clock, when he came up to
her in Charlotte-street, Blackfriar's-road, and said—
" Oh, here you are, you h—h ! I'll be d—d if I don't
give it you now." Upon which he knocked her down
and,kicked her most violently upon the abdomen. A
policeman then came up and took the prtsoner into
custody.

Police-constable 78 L stated that hearing a disturb-
ance in Charlotte-street last night he proceeded to the
spot ; the prosecutrix was clown upon the ground, and
he Saw the prisoner kick the woman most violently on
the abdomen.

Mr. Coombe, to the prisoner—You appear to me to
be a niost cowarily rascal and a great brute, and I will
make an example of you. You are corn mitted to the
House of Correction at Wandsworth for three months.

The prisoner withdrew grumbling at the decision of
the magistrate.
ANOTHER ASSAULT ON A FEMALE.--Alfred Forster, a
rather respectable-looking man, who described himself
as a plate worker, was charged with violently assaulting
his landlady, Mary Ann Smith, this morning about one
o'clock.

Mary Ann Smith, whose face presented a most terrific
appearan3e from the bruises she had received on it,
stated that she resided at 28, Surrey-row, Blackfriars.
The prisoner was a lodger at her house, and upon his
coming home this morning about one o'clock and some
words occurring between them he beat her most vio-
lently, and disfigured her face in the manner the magis-
trate might see. . .

The prisoner said that the prosecutrix was a most
violent woman, and as great a proficient with her fists as
any man going. (Laughter.) On his coming home this
morning about one o'clock she began to quarrel with
him and threw a large pie-dish at him, which cut him
severely. Upon this he struck her, for which he was
sorry, but be was so exasperated by her conduct that he
hardly knew what he did.

Mr. Coombe fined the prisoner 40s. or one month's
imprisonment.

SIR B. HALL'S LOCAL MANAGEMENT ACT.—Last
evening an adjourned public meeting of the ratepayers
of St. Pancras was held at the Vestry-hall, Camden-
town, for the purpose .of considering the propriety of
appointing a committee to co-operate with a committee
appointed by the vestry to draw up a plan for a fair sub-
division of the parish into wards, to lay before the asses-
sor to be appointed by the Secretary of State for that
purpose, under the provisions of Sir B. Hall's Act for
the Better Local Management of the Metropolis. Mr.
Churchwarden Firrer presided. Mr. Garvey moved a
resolution to the effect, "That a committee of 24 inde-
pendent ratepayers be appointed from the body of the
meeting, to co-operate with the assessor iu a fair subdi-
vision of wards," which, having been seconded, Mr.
Goodwin moved as an amendment, "That a list of 15
names (which he nominated) be adopted by the meet-
ing." Mr. Ross seconded the amendment. A long and
stormy discussion ensued, and the amendment nominat-
ing the 15 names was ultimately carried, and the meet-
ing separated.
The harvest has been an average one for most kinds
of grain all over the north of Italy, and the Indian corn
promises great abundance ; but the vines, especially in
the Venetian provinces, are again sorely afflicted with
the dhease, and, as there is no bilk made in those dis-
trict', which affords a compensating crop in Lombardy,
the people are likely to suffer much privation in the
approaching winter, as wine, bread, and oil are already
at unusually high prices in all the markets of that coun-
try, even though the exportation of corn is strictly pro-
hibited,