The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-18 00:00:00

The Pitman or the Eel ?

At the Worship-street Police Court on Saturday, William
Pitman was charged before Mr Cuthbert Ellison with an
indecent assault upon Isabella Israel, a young Jewess,
living in Lamb-street, Spii.alfields.
Complainant said—About an hour since I was in the
market purchasing a piece of sta.mon, when I suddenly felt
something on iuy leg just below the knee. Some eels were
being weighed, and I first thought that one of them had
fallen and wriggled up my dress, but on brushing it down
I distinctly felt a hand. Defendant was on his knees, and I
am certain it was he who committed the offence. I told my
father, and then preferred this charge.
Cross-examined by Mr Graves—Not any cf the eels were
on the ground. The hand held me tight—the eels were
flying about on the stall.
Saunders, 9111—When I took defendant into custody he
said that he was innocent of the accusation—:hat an eel
had been taken from the scale, and that ho picked it up, in
doing which it certainly might have touched her leg or
thereabouts.
Mary Swan (describing herself a "market widow").--..T.
was weighing 21b of live eels for a gentlemen—one of 'em
wriggled out. Mr Pitman, which he has a wife and six
small children, picked it up and flung it on the stall, say-
ing, " There it is where it was."
Mr Stafford (clerk)—Did you lose eight of defendant's
hand while be was looking for the eel ?
Witness—No, I didn't ; and if ho did anything wrong
I must have seen it. The eel might have touched the
young lady just above the boot; but no higher—oh, no—
no higher I
Thomas Hart—l am a shopkeeper in Spitalfields-market,
and Mrs Swan's stall is just opposite me. I saw the young
lady standing on the pavement buying some salmon, and
her hoops, when she leaned forward, reached right across
to my shop front. I could see all her legs quite high, and
I said to a customer, " What a disgusting fashion this is I"
Just then an eel slipped away, and this young man (de-
fendant) snatched it up from close by her legs, but I swear
he never touched them ; the fish might, they knows nothing
of manners. (iluch laughter.) I've known this person
twenty years ; he is a moral man with a large family.
Mr Ellison—All this may be true, and yet he might
have committed such an offence as is charged against
him. However, upon the strength of tLe combined evi-
dence, I conclude that the eel was the guilty party. and
therefore order the discharge of tho person who held it.

AMERICAN MAIL STEAMERS DUE AT LIVERPOOL
THIS WEEK.—Thero are three steamers due at Liverpool
this week, with the mails from Uanada and the United
will no doubt reach
States, viz. :—The City of London, from New York on the
9th, may be looked for off Cape Clear or Queenstown this
evening (Monday) or early to-mor morning ; the fiber-
may be
nian, from Quebec, also on the 9th,
Londonderry in the course of to-morrow ;on Saturday, the
Cunard steamer Arabia, from New Y)rk on the 13th,
expected to reach Queenstown.
rp
THE HERUING FISHERY.—The Cornish boats
engaged in the herring fishery on the Irish coast were very
fortunate last week, having made from £5O to 465 per boat ;
Mr Corsbie, salesman, of Newlyn, Cornwall, reports having
theirTe lrish
u t.
principal
of
f and
t he catches
aSe eaoaeuh.
dbwioesarptee as
taken disposed
ve
ef La
shortly2lB,sOh awde,oigood
ot
ihceokror,ra
rai herrings.