The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-25 00:00:00

ASSAULT BY A POLICEMAN.

Yesterday week, at the Lambeth Police-court, a
ietter-carrier named Skinner and his wife were charged
with being drunk and dliderly, and creating a dis-
turbance. On the investigation of the charge the
testimony of the constable did not support it, and
it appeared to have originated in a snore squab-
ble with a cabman. The postman complained that
his wife had been insulted and assaulted in the most vio-
lent manner by Pegram, the constable 161 L, and that
they were both looked up in a cold cell, on an inclement
night, and without the, slightest prospect of getting bail.
His wife was kept away from her baby, who was suck-
ling, and he himself from his duties at the Post-office,
so that his situation, which was the only thing himself
and his family had to depend on, was seriously impe-
riled. Mr. Filiott feeling at the time that he could not
allow so gross a ease to pass unpunished, directed the
matter to stand over, and that each party was to come
prepared with witnesses.
Pegram 161 L appeared yesterday as the defendant,
and bad Mr. Solomon as his legal adviser.
Skinner and his wife were each examined separately,
and at length, but the substance of their testimony was
briefly this. On the evening of Tuesday week they,
accompanied by three friends, went to the Victoria
Theatre, and when the performances were over at
a quarter to one o'clock, they went to a public-house
to have some refreshments, and ultimately at a quar-
ter to three they agreed to engage a cab to take them
to their residence at Chelsea. Skinner left his wife and
friends at a pie shop in the Westminster-road, while
he went to the cab stand in the Palace New-road to
hire a cab. He made terms with one of the drivers to
take his party for half-a-crown, and all having consented
to it they went round to get into the vehicle. Another
cabman told them that the man that had been engaged
had left the stand, but that he would undertake the job
for 3s. 6d. This latter sum their friends refused to pay,
and said they should walk home, and bade them good
,
night. They, the Skinners, having determined on having
a cab to themselves
and having bargained for one for
two shillings they were about to get into the vehicle
when the defendant calling out to tbe cabman" If
I was you I would have my
money first," and the cab-
man said he should. Skinner then took two shillings
from his pocket and tendered them to the driver, when
the defendant again said, " I should not take them at
all," and the cabman refused to do so. Mrs. Skinner,
addressing the defendant, asked him if 2s. was not the
cabman's proper fare, and the reply was, "You go on,
ma'am," and gave her a violent push, which sent her
from the footway to the carriage-way. She remon-
strated with him upon his conduct, upon which he
pushed her a second and a third time, until at length he
drove her quite across the road to the end of York-
read. On giving her the second push, Mrs. Skinner
said Pegram accompanied that violence with a kick
of so severe a character that she still had the mark
and felt its effects. The injuries and the indignant
treatment she had received caused her to cry, and
her husband came to her and endeavoured to soothe
her as much as he could. The husband said he
should go to the station-house to seek for redress,
when Pegram
told him he must go there, and catching