The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-19 00:00:00

ADVANTAGES OF COMBINATION.

Towards the conclusion of this document Sir Richard
points out the advantages which would result from a com-
bination of the City and Metropolitan police forces. He
says :—" I beg leave, in conclusion, to state that the exist-
ence of a detached police force in the heart of the metropolis
is at variance with the principle on which the police is esta-
blished in every other town in the kingdom. The continu-
ance of such an extraordinary exception in the metropolis
has, after lengthened inquiry and carsful considera ion,
been condemned by two select committees of the House of
Commons, and by two Royal Commissions appointed to
inquire into the state of the Corporation of the city of Lon-
don. On the last occasion, in the year 1854, the commis-
sioners, the Right Hon. H. Labouchere (now Lord Taunton)
the late Sir George C Lewis, and Mr. Justice Patteson, in
their report to the Queen, thus express their deliberate
opinion with regard to the police We believe that the
incorporation of the City with the larger district by which
it is surrounded is a measure recommended alike by consi-
derations of efficiency and economy.

The Charges of Indecent Assault against

Clarke.

William Henry Clarke, 17, painter, was indicted yester-
day at the Central Criminal Court for c,)mmitting an inde-
cent assault upon Mary Ann Baxter, for a like offence upon
the person of Sophia Allen, and for a third and similar
assault on the person of a young girl named Lambert.
Mr. Clerk, specially retained on behalf of the Government,
assisted by Mr. Orridge, appeared to support the prosecu-
tion; Mr. Dickie defended the prisoner.
The court was densely crowded during the hearing of the
trial, and the utmost interest was manifested in the pro-
ceedings. It will be fresh in the recollection of our readers
that the prisoner was first arraigned at the Clerkenwell
Police-court on the charge of murdering a little girl named
Elizabeth Hunter, whose remains were found in a nursery-
ground at Islington a short time ego, but the case being one
of very great suspicion only, that charge was abandoned
and the present one brought forward.
The whole case haring been so recently and so fully re-
ported, it will be unnecessary again to give the evidence in
detail, as the facts of the case will be found fully narrated
in the opening speech of the learned counsel for the prose-
cution.

Mr. Clerk, in his opening, said that though the case as
read from the indictment did not appear to bo so serious as
some which had been tried before it this session, yet it
would be found to be the most important of any which has
as yet been brought before them, In each case the prose-
cutors were little girls, all under the age of ten when the
offences were committed ; and by the indecent conduct of
the prisoner towards them, he was guilty of a erime which
might have the effect of ruining these young children for
life by corrupting and tainting their whole existence. For
certain reasons he (the learned counsel) would not refer to
the charge out of which the present case arose, as by so
doing he might infuse a certain amount of animus into the
minds of the jury, which he was most desirous of avoiding,
The first charge to which he would refer occurred some
considerable time back, and was one of indecent assault
upon a young girl named Mary Ann Baxter, who was
only about nine years of age when the occurrence
took place. About the end of September, 1861, she was
going down a street in Hoxton, when the prisoner met her,
and asked her to take a letter to William-street, in which
is situated the nursery-grounds where the prisoner was
was employed. Ile then took her by the hand, telling her
that he would get her the letter, and led her through the
nursery-ground to the toll-houee at the bottom of the
garden, where he was guilty of very indecent conduct. He
took her on his knee and put his hand up her clothes, when
the child screamed out. He gave her a fourpenny-piece,
but she threw it down, and cried to go home. He then took
her to a place where glass was kept, and tied a handkerchief
over her mouth, and tu!cl her if she screamed out he would
murder her. He continued to keep her some time longer,
when he let her go, and she ran home and told her mother
what had occurred. The latter afterwards went to Mr. Roe,
and the child at once pointed out the prisoner as the men
who assaulted her. At first he denied all knowledge of the
child, but afterwards, under a promise, he made a statement
to his master which he (the latter) took down in writing.
All this occcurrcd as long ago as September, 1861, but it
was not the only case where the prisoner had been guilty of
this kind of conduct ; for some time in the January tollow-
ing he met a little girl named Mary Ann Lambert, not
more than eight years old, and to her he made exactly the
same proposal as he had done to the other girl, telling her
he would give her a penny to take the letter. He did not,
however, give her a letter, but took her by the hand to the
nursery grounds, and when in the glass-house told her to lie
down, but she said she could not, " as her mother told her
not to dirty her frock." The prisoner then took his coat off,
and forced the poor child to lie upon it, and then in spite of
her screams he behaved in a most indecent manner towards
her. They could not tell whet had been done to the poor
little thing; but when examined by a surgeon shewas found
to be very much injured. The same little girl had after-
wards identified him from a number of other men as the
person who ha i assaulted her. Besides these two cases there
was a third charge against him. This time the little girl,
nam-d Allen, was walking along Bishopsgate-street, when
the prisoner accosted her, got into conversation with her,
on his knee,
would
imbede
douisttinaentdlyrparnavaewdabye.
and ultimately took her into an ice shop, when he took her
and put his hand 'LID her clothes till she
fol:rehtehemwh, oalued oitfwtahsebsey
ocradseers
of the Government that he was there that day, as it was a
cruel and a monstrous thing that any man or lad should
act in such a corrupt and debasing manner towards poor
little children, who were quite unable to protect themselves.
A large number of witnesses were called to prove the
statement of the learned counsel, alter which
Mr, Diekie addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner,
contending that the children were all mistaken with regard
to identity,as he had several witnesses who would prove an
alibi on two out of the three occasions referred to, At first
the prisoner had been suspected of umrder,and the Govern-
ment Lai prosecuted; but finding that that charge had
failed they had raked up all the evidence they could possibly
scrape together to try end convict tb e
Governmentprisoneren sthtceosei
paltry charges. He did not think the
-
less boy, who had already suffered le lieht in thus prosecuting a poor fatner
in auy very enviable
a long imprisenment,and
who unfortunately liarpened to rose .able some other person,
for whom he had been mistaken.

A number of witnesses wire called, who gave evidence
to the effect that the prisoner was with them and in their
houses on two of the occasions referred to in the evidence,

and that he could not possibly have been in the green-house
and committed the assaults imputed him.
Mr. Clerk then replied upon the whole case. With regard
:o the alibi, it was but natural that friends end relations
should try to screen ihe young man at the bar. It was a
most diraeult thin; to pove an clibi to the sa-is,action of
a Jury eo long a time atter the, assaults took place.
The Common Sergeant then summed up the wbole claw
evulvac.?l Puttiz t4o poiLtu with tc‘at c!cz,:x.;w4