The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-02 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

DESPERATE ASSAULT.—Three ram named Lawler,
Murphy, and Connor, were placed at the bar on remand
charged with committing robbery with assault.
One of the prosecutors, Smith, said on Saturday last,
about half-past 10, he was near Cursitor-street, in company
with his friend Willams, when they were surrounded by a
number of men and women, whose object was robbery.
He struggled to prevent the prisoners taking anything,
when he was felled to the ground by a blow on the head.
He was rendered quite senseless by ill usage. He was cer-
tain Lawler was one of the men who attacked him, and he
thought Murphy, but he could not speak positively to him.
He had been having a little drop of beer, but he was quite
senseless enough to know what was going on."
Williams, the other prosecutor, said he was in company
with Smith when he was surrounded by some men and
women. In addition to being violently assaulted, he had
lost his watch and chain.

Police-constable, F 80, said, about twenty minutes after
the occurrence he heard a man had been robbed. He went
to Cursitor-street, where he saw Williams and Smith both
bleeding from the face. The latter was scarcely able to
stand, and after hearing the story, he went to Church
Building with both of them to see if he could find any of
the men who had committed the outrage. A cap was
picked up which was given into the care of Police-constable
40, and they proceeded eo Plough-court, where they found
the prisoner Lawler in bed. He was taken into custody.
As they were leaving the house Lawler could not find his
cap, and the other constable showed him the cap he had
in his possession, which he said was his and held out his
hand to take it. The cap was, however, lost as they were
going to the station. When Smith saw Lawler at the dock
at the station he at once identified him as the man who
had knocked him down.

Mr. Sutton, a licensed victualler, of Cursitor-street, said
on the day in question he heard a rumbling noise in a pas-
sage near his house. He went to the door, when he saw
Lawler, Murphy, and two other persons rushing towards
hks house. Williams was pursuing them. He refused to
allow them to enter, and they went to another public-house
which had a private way into the adjoining street. The row
was of that description which was so frequent in the neigh-
bourhood, that he took no notice of it. -
Inspector Mackenzie said he had another person in
attendance, but he had the greatest difficulty in getting
persons to come to the court to give their evidence. He
should have to ask for another remand.

Charles Bebouchy said he kept a coffee-house in Cur-
sitor-street. He was in the public-house kept by Mr.
Sutton on Saturday last, when he heard a great noise
coming through the passage which adjoins the house. He
went to the door and there he saw Smith being pulled along
by the hair of his head by a woman, while two men, of
whom Lawler was one, were violently assaulting him.
Lawler had his arm round Smith's neck, and the other pri-
soner who ill-used the prosecutor was very much like
Connor. A cry of police was raised, when they dropped
the man and ran away. He also saw two men ill-using
Smith, but he could not say who they were. There were
five men and one woman engaged in the assault.
Inspector Mackenzie said that was all the evidence he had
to offer to-day.
Mr. Wontner, who appeared for Lawler, asked whether
there was sufficient evidence to justify the further deten-
tion of his client.

Mr. Henry said there was not only enough for his deten-
tion but his committal, as he (the magistrate) had quite
made up his mind to send the case before a jury.
The prisoners were then remanded for a week.