The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-03 00:00:00

rrRICD 4D. STAMPED SD.

flection on the Court. I want only to know why my
Client is incarcerated.
Mr. Ballautine—We will not get into a discussion
- about stone-throwing ; the question involved in these
proCeedings is of infinitely more importance. Depend
upon it that the gross neglect which Government have
shown towards these subjects of the queen, whom they
have ventured to order into
,custody, will not fail to be
noticed.
At this stage of the proceedings two persons were
placed at the bar, charged with assaulting the police in
the front of the court. The prisoners gave the names
of William Flowers and George Hedding.
Police-constables C 190, and C 197, deposed to the
effect that they saw both prisoneri throw stones nt the
police. One constable had his face cut.
The prisoners denied the charge.
Mr. Lewis cross-examined the police, hut failed in
shaking their evidence.
Mr. Hardwick inflicted a fine of 40s. on each.
The father of Flowers made an appeal to the Court on
behalf of his son, who had been marked out by the police
because. he was known to be the son of a, publican.
Mr. Hardwick could not refuse to convict on the evi-
dence on oath of a policeman.
Mr. Herring amain. protested at the delay.
Mr. Hardwick said the business of the Court would
close at 5 o'clock. If any one had any complaint to make
against the police, he must resort to the proper autho-
rities.

Mr. Ballantine would ask the magistrate to call upon
the police to bring up the prisoners. There were about 90
persons in custody ; it was how half-past 3 o'clock, and
no one was there to prefer any charge. Anything more
insolent towards you, sir, 'or the public was never before
lbeard of. Government,must know of the number of cases
in custody, and yet no one comes forward to offer an ex-
planation or an apology for the bad -conduct that has
been exhibited. It is, however, a matter of satisfaction
to know that the amount of insolence shown by the
police to your orders, sir, is equally ready to be shown
towards yourself.
There was another pause during which the mob out-
side were occasionally disposed to be noisy and riotous,
but a smart shower taking place they dispersed.
About a quarter to 5 o'clock Superintendent O'Brien,
of the C division, and other superintendents entered the
court, and in reply to a question Mr.O'Brien said he had
not been to the court before that day.
The first case was against Edward Copas, a yoath
about 18 years old.
Superintendent Hughes, D division, was called and
examined.—Was in Hyde Park at a quarter before 2
o'clock on Sunday, near the south side of the Serpentine.
A large mob had assembled. By 3 o'clock there were
from 40,000 to 50,000 persons present, and they lined
both sides of the road. Could not say whether the de-
fendant at the bar was among the mob. Whenever a
carriage or a person on horseback passed there was great
tumult, shouting, hooting, .and cries of "Go to church,"
" Who bought yon that horse ?" Had 250 constables
under him. His orders were to disperse the crowd as
soon as any disturbance arose. The police were also to
keep back the mob from the rails. Some stones were
thrown at the constables. One or two struck witness,
but not so as to hurt him. Shortly after 4 o'clock
several persons were taken into custody and conveyed
to the station-house in cabs. Was aware that hand-
bills had been extensively circulated and posted
up in the park by order of the commissioners. One
of the handbills was posted at Albert-gate. On several
occasions he had spoken to the assembled persons to
induce them to go away quietly. No one paid any at-
tention to him—neither the wellslressed nor the evil-dis-
posed.' The latter class of persons impeded the police
as much as possible.
Mr. Clarkson who, with Mr. Reynolds, the Treasury
solicitor, were in attendance (as understood) on the part
of the Crown, asked the superintendent if the assembly
in Hyde-park, was of such a charaoter as to prove a
terror to those who did not form part of such assembly ?
Superintendent Hughes—l should say it was. The
mob were swaying about and making much disturbance.
Later in the day an application was made for a body of
constables, as the mob were .throwing stones at the sol-
diers in the barracks. When it was getting dark he con-
sulted with his brother officers as to the best means of
getting the people quietly out of the park, and formed
100 constables in a line, and paraded thevi towards the
throng, and by that means the park was tolerably well
cleared.
Cross-examined by Mr. 13.illantine—Were many
people injured ?—Yes.
How many ?—I did not see how many.
Was there a child halt crushed ?—I heard so.
Did not several people sustain ',serious wounds from
the police heard some persons were injured.
Don't you know that several were wounded ?—Yes.
Did you not see the police use their truncheons I—l
gave orders to the constables to use their truncheons.
They obeyed you, and struck right and left at the
people, did they not ?—Not right and left.
Vio:erAly ?—Not violently, in my opinion.
What were the people doing at this time ?—They had
assembled at the north side of the Serpentine.
Was that the whole offence ?—No ; they were hooting
and shouting.
Then the crime the people were committing was hoot-
ing and shouting?—They were aiao using language cal-
culated to produce a breach of the peace.
Was there any carriages in the park ?—Very few.
There were na other expressions used by the people
than those you have told us of until after the police used
their truncheons f—There had been stone-throwing. I
was struck on the shoulder with a stone.
How long have you had the defendants in custody ?
—Since yesterday afternoon, I believe.
Why were not the cases brought on earlier ?—We
were waiting for orders, and we had no orders until half-
past 4 o'clock.
Cross-examined by Mr. Clarkson—Unc:er his orders
the police used their truncheons. The people obstructed
the footpath and carriage-road and would not disperse,
Had been ordered by Sir R. Mayne to disperse any
rioters if they assembled. Found the mob obstinate and
riotous, and told the constables to use their staves. Had
appealed tothe people repeatedly to go away-- told them
five or six times it would be wise if they went away be-
fore telling the constables to use their truncheons. Was
on horseback and rode among the people, making ob-
servations of the state of things between Apsley-house
and the receiving-house. Saw two vehicles run away
with by the horses in consequence of the noise and
hooting. There were rings of persons in several parts
of the park, as if sons persons were addressing the-peo-
ple, but could not hear what was said. Considered that
the conduct of the mob was calculated to excite terror,
and that the mob was a tumultuous assembly.

Thomas Potter, D 84, was in plain clothes. Heard
bad expressions from the mob, such as " The will
have their work to do to-day." Saw several carriages
stopped. Saw hats rattled against the horses, which
caused them to take fright. Saw bushels of :St nes
thrown, Saw persons take up stones and put them in
their handkerchiefs and pockets. Saw the prisoner pick
up a stone and throw it at a police-constable. Kept his
eyes on the prisoner until he met a constable in uniform,
and then he laid hold of the prisoner, and helped to con-
vey him to the receiving-house.
Cross-examined by Mr. Ballantine—Several of the
constables had got marks to show from being struck by
stones. The police did not interfere before stones were
thrown.

Mr. Ballantine, for the defence, said; he thot4lit it
right, first, to state under what circumstances he ap-
peared for the defendants at the bar. He bad been in-
structed to attend for the accused parties by Messrs.
Travers and Smith, most respectable persons, who had,
though not acquainted with the defendants, from cer-
tain circumstances that had come to their knowledge,
arrived at the opinion that the present charge ought to
be watched, and that persons in the condition of the de-
fendants ought not to be left entirely unprotected. He
had not been instructed by those who wished to see a
continuance of rioting or a breach of the peace commit-
ted, but by persons who held a strong opinion that, un-
less a change took place in contemplated interferences
with the people's comforts, great and serious evils would
occur and dangers arise of more serious moment than
those of knocking off policemen's hats. These gentle-
men felt it to bo their duty, as loyal subjects of the
Queen, to call the attention of the magistrates to those
proposed changes which bad driven the people to ex-
cesses, which would go on increasing unless common
sense were allowed to rule in place, as at present, of
prejudice, bigotry, and folly. It was impossible to treat
this as a slight question. With reference to the bills
before Parliament, he would not express any judgment.
He firmly believed, however, that the cause of the riot,
on Sunday, was that feeling entertained by every Eng-
lishman, however temperate the way in which he de-
veloped it, that he would not have his fair pleasures in-
terfered with, his immunities crushed, or be prevented
from meeting openly in a rational manner, by an Act of
Parliament. Further, that if interfered with by
authority, it was a matter of the last importance
that power should be placed in discreet bands, who
would prefer to teach and instruct rather than to drive
—a course which must end in a way that all would
regret. The silly manner in which an obnoxious mea-
sure had been brought into the House of Commonst
made the people justly anxious, in a quiet w
show that their comforts must not beabruptlyareYi' nitteerod-
fered with ; that they felt they were not fairly represented
sacrificed
friCficoemdmaonnds
iwnertehneotHtooubsee yhadtestthreoiyredinbteyreasntys
in-
to
dictive feelings, but in good humour not commit a
person or party. They went to Hyde Park with no v.
recklessly caknl eds stl
crime, but to teach a useful lesson quietly. They went,
in short, hoping to drive a little sense into the silly head
of the author of this most ridiculous measure. Had this
proceeding been taken kindly and in good humour the
day would have passed over peaceably,
acid , not have
ended, as it did, in quarrelling, in blasphemy,
and with
80 or 90 people incarcerated in cells, and several persons
wounded. And yet, with these serious matters before
them, nobody appeared to know anything, there was no
one to bring a charge, and the court had just had a speci-
men of the ignorance and indifference of people in autho-
rity, and their utter unfitness for having authority in-
trusted to them. If such qualities were exhibited in the
House of Parliament,
couldit be wondered at if out-
breaks were sometimes seen ? Anything more disgraceful
than what had occurred that day could not be imagined.
All sorts of tricks and traps bad been resorted to in or-
der to get the 94sea to Bow•atreet, 44 if as independent