The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-31 00:00:00

became so violent that ho had him taken to the station-
house ; his intention, at first, was only to have cau-
tioned him ; energy of voice and manner was frequently
required ; to a very large extent, the people were obsti-
nate ; he considered it necessary to interfere with them,
and he considered now, what he did was right, and was
clone at the prOper time ; it would not have been safe to
have left the people to act as they liked.
Mr. Commissioner Henderson—What in your opinion
would have been the result if they had ?
Witness—lt would be difficult to say. It was neces-
sary something should be done to keep good order and
control, and prevent breaches of the peace. He only
drank half-a-pint of small beer that day with his dinner,
and during the afternoon and evening he drank only tea
and water. He waS not excited, but merely positive in
word and maner. He saw a respectably dressed
female when the railings were cleared partly fail
down. He bad heard a good many constables were
struck that day. He occasionally saw stones in the air.
It was a common thing where there were large 'lumbers
congregated for the men to have their truncheons
drawn. It was done at the Botanical fetes. If /1301'0
violence was used by the police than necessary it was
not done by his orders. He had no young men there.
He neither struck man, woman, nor child, nor swore
t hat day but once as above stated.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mitchell—lf Superintendent
May had not been ill witness would have been in the
Park with his men. He received on Thursday morn-
ing verbal orders from Sir Richard Mayne to
clear the rails if the crowd in front were turbulent. He
believed he was in the room alone with Sir Richard
Mayne. No further conversation took place between
them relative to the day's proceedings than that above
stated. His impression was that Sir Richard Mayne
did not anticipate any disturbance in the park that day.
Some of the placards alluded to by Sir Richard Mayne
in his evidence, were brought to his office. He believed
they were taken from the hoarding and not purchased
at a shop. He was not aware of any one having sur-
veyed the park before this day ; but Sir Richard
Mayne gave orders if any stones were there to
have them guarded. He passed the place where
they were twice before he noticed them. Had he seen
them the day before he should have reported it. It
was the duty of the constable on the beat to have re-
ported it the previous day. If he had-been the super-
intendent of the A division, he did not think he should
have sent an inspector to survey the ground. Inspector
Darkin was the acting-inspector during Superintendent
May's illness, when he gave instructions to the men to
move the crowd back 30 or 40 yards. It was intended
to keep the line then, but it was difficult to keep a line
after the collecting of the people ; probably, in
that respect, the number of police was too
small. A small body of police with a large assemblage
of persons required extra exertions to be used. The
number of the police might easily have been increased
by 300 or 400 men. He did not know if Lord Alfred
or Lord William Paget was struck by the police. After
the eel was taken away the crowd became very
tumultuous. He thought there was rather more
hooting and hissing at the carriages in the Park
than at the police cabs. A large number of the crowd, in-
cluding some well-dressed persons,appeared " to be imbued
with disturbance in their mind, and obstinately inclined."
It was necessary, when the police had anything to do, for
them to do it resolutely. He did not think more per-
suasion and less force advisable on this day. When he
ordered the men to use their staves he meant moderate
use only, and if the people would not move when re-
quested to strike them moderately. There was nothing
offensive in the manner in which he used his whip. He
had had some experience in crowds. He had been pre-
sent twenty-two times on the Derby course. The noise
there was very different to that in the Park. Trifling
circumstances were as likely to make a crowd mischie-
vous as jocular. He was in the disturbances of 1848,
and was the second man who went up Calthorpe-street
on that occasion. A policeman was stabbed there. The
truncheons were more fully used there. The men were
not at all disgusted with their day's work. He thought
Mr. C:arkson was rather too lenient in withdrawing the
charges before the magistrate. He had been en-
gaged in many cases of emergency, and that
made him positive in his manner. An individual police-
man, although acting in a body, might exercise discre-
tion in using his staff.
Re-examined by Mr. Ellice—The report of the men
seen with stones and sticks was made:before the police
were mdved off the grass.
By the Commissioners—He ordered the rails to be
(geared once on the Serpentine side, and three or four
times on the other side. He saw persons partly fall
when the rushes took place, but he saw no one on the
ground. He requested a picket should be sent for
to get some soldiers out of the park. He posi-
tively denied that he was excited that day, or that
ha struck man, woman, or child. He received no other
instructions than those put in by Sir R. Mayne, and the
verbal communication witness bad above stated. He
male a report of Sunday's proceeding a few days after-
wards to Sir Richard Mayne, a copy of which was
handed to the Commissioners, and read by the officer of
the Court.
Superintendent May has been in the force 26 years
this day, entering it as a superintendent. Previous to
that he was 25 years sergeant-major in the Guards. He
was at the police-office on Saturday, and was to have
had command on the let, but he was taken dangerously
ill on Saturday night, and was unable to go on duty on
Sunday. Sir Richard Mayne gave him the general in-
structions on Saturday, and he was to receive his final
instructions on the Sunday morning.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mitchell—Sir Richard Mayne
did not in any conversation with him the previous week
contemplate a riotous meeting on the Sunday. Eight
men were generally on duty in the Park on Sunday
afternoons. Sir Richard Mayne did not consult him
relative to those proceedings. He had a conversation
with him relative to the number of men to be stationed
in the Park. He inquired of the superintend-
ents what was likely to take place, and referred
to the placards that had been issued. The placards
wore read at the police-office, but witness did not believe
there would be a "tea party" in the park that after-
noon. (Laughter.)
Superintendent Martin has been 22 years in the service,
and was appointed superintendent in 1850. The ground
assigned to him was very quiet, which was contrary to that
on the east side of the Serpentine. The conduct of the
crowd there was very disorderly. This witness
gave similar testimony to Inspector Hughes
as to the character of the crowd, and the
means taken by the police to preserve order,
adding that a carriage and pair of horses which ran off
nearly came in contact with him. The carriage drive at
one time was impassable from the number of people con-
gregated there. The mare he was riding was struck in
the head with a stone, which made her stagger and feel
uneasy for a considerable time after. He wade no ob-
jection to his men drawing their staves, because
the people of London were used to it. (Loud
laughter.) Nothing more was done that day than
was necessary to preserve order. He saw no one struck
that day. It the people could have been kept altogether
away from the railings it would have been better.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mitchell—H any acts of vio-
lence have been committed by the police, it was not by
its order, and they must abide the result. He reported
in the Friday previous that he believed a large number
)f persons would assemble in the Park on the Ist, to ex-
press their abhorence of the Sunday Trading Bill,
ind others from curiosity. The number of po-
icemen to be sent to the Park rested en-
drely with Sir R. Mayne. There were ten times more
people in the Park that day than he had ever seen before.
Lo have carried out the order stricly, to keep the people
from the rails, would have required 300 or 400 more men.
The crowd was not so good tempered as crowds gene-
rally. lie did not order any rushes of the police to dis-
perse the people as deposed to by so many witnesses.
rile police would not take the advice given them, and
iring out six-pounders on another .occasion. He did not
see Superintendent Hughes strike any one with
nor did he appear unusually excited ; Superintendent
Hughes was a cautious man when on duty.
Superintendent Gibbs has been 19 years in the force,
end three years superintendent. He was in the Park on
:he Ist July. He described the general conduct of the
crowd that came under his notice in similar terms to the
tut two witnesses. He saw pieces of wooden hurdles
brown into the Drive. His men were not called into

action.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mitchell—He was unable to
say whether the hurdles were broken wilfully or by ac-

cident.
By the Commissioners—He only saw one wounded
person, a boy, in the Park. He was wounded in the
head, and was being taken to the hospital.
Inspector Coombes was in charge of Vine-street sta.
ion on Sunday. 72 prisoners were brought there
crom the Park, charged with riotous conduct and resist-
ng the police, and 10 for felony. 13 prisoners were
previously in the cells, charged with various offences.
11 of these were disorderlies and 2 felonies. The cells
had been cleaned in the usual course. The
rioters were put in the upper cells, which were
cart previously occupied with the disorderlies. When
These cells were filled he put the rioters as they came in
in the lower cells. He caused the doors of the cells to
be opened to admit air in consequence of the complaints
made.
Mr. Commissioner Armstrong—Did it not occur to
you that some of these persons might have been allowed
to be in the passages ?
Witness—He opened the doors one at a time, and al-
lowed them to walk in the passage, a privilege which
some availed themselves of. The long cell was wet in
the centre, which was the fault of the occupants. He
gave them the best accommodation he could.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mitchell—He thought it was
not such as a gentleman would like.
Mr. Chief Commissioner Wortley—No distinction
should be made of persons in such places.
Mr. Commissioner Armstrong said the commissioners
thought it exceedingly wrong so many persons should
have been locked up in such a place.
Witness said he was surprised at the large number of
prisoners brought to the station from the Park. A
number of reserved policemen occupied rooms in the
station, which by a little arrangement might have been
made available for the prisoners. He did not say as the
prisoners came in " Sir Richard Mayne is gathering in
his harvest." (Laughter.) If comfort compatible with
safety could be given at thelstation it was granted. Mr.
Mail. appeared comfortable. He was lying down, and
as he was violent when be came in witness thought it a
reaction.
The Court adjourned at 4 o'clock till the following
morning at eleven,

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.—It is not true, as has
leen stated by several of our contemporaries, that the
Ministerial white-bait dinner will take place on Satur-
day mext.

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