The Sun.
London, England, 1830-07-22 00:00:00

UNION.HALL.

Yesterday u poor woman named Riordan, who has
jwst come out of one of the Borough Hospitals,
owing to injuries alleged to have been inflicted on
her person by a serjeant and constable of the new
police, attended to prefer the complaint against her
assailants. The case was postponed over from
Thursday last in consequence of the illness of the
complainant, who, on the present occasion, exhibited
severe bruises about the head and arms.
The complainant stated, that on Wednesday night
last, while waiting at the Mint-gate for the purpose
of obtaining the numbers of two policemen who
had ill-treated her about three weeks previoesly,
Serjeant M'Craw, and police constable 161, came
up to her. The former, on seeing her, asked her
what she had in her lap, and she replied a few old
bottles, upon which he exclaimed with an oath that
stie was the woman who had hurt a policeman of
his division, and immediately seized her by the arms.
She struggled to get loose from his grasp, and he
then called No. 161 to his assistance, and told him
that she was the -- that kicked one of their men.
M'Craw and the other defendant then seized her by
both arms, and on attempting to extricate herself,
the former struck her a blow under the ear, and she
fell to the ground. She got up, and was no sooner
on her legs than she was struck again, and the de-
fendants dragged her along the street towards the
station, the serjeant repeatedly desiring the other
defendant not to spare her. She cried out for mercy
several times, but the more she besought their pity
the more cruel they behaved to her, and when she
endeavoured to break loose front them, they both
fell upon her, beat her, and Mille she was on the
ground one of them gave her a violent kick in the
side, and broke owe of her ribs. After this inhu-
man treatment she lay extended on the ground in
a state of insensibility, covered with blood, which
flowed from her head and face. She was ultimately
carried to the station, and the next morning taken
to this office, and from thence to the hospital, where
she had been confined since.
The defendants declared that on the night in
question their attention was attracted by seeing the
complainant lying in the street with her face and
clothes deluged in blood. They were anxious to as-
sist her under such circumstances; but the moment
they attempted to raise her she became qidte-furions,
and swore that they should not interfere with her.
It was evident that she was intoxicated at the time,
and us their instructions were to convey persons
found drunk in the streets, and incapable of taking
care of themselves, to the station-house, they were'
only anxious to do their duty, and fulfil this order.
On their way thither she kicked and plunged most
violently, and it was only after great labour they suc-
ceeded
in their object. With regard to her state-
ment that they had kicked and beaten her in the
manner she bad described, there was no truth ; they
were under the necessity of using some force to take
her to the station-house, and the only injury she re-
ceived from them were the bruises in the arms,
which were done in keeping her up as they carried
her along.
A woman who heard the complainant's screams
on the night in question, stated that she went to the
window, and saw two policemen dragging her along
in the most shameful manner. She (witness)
called out to them riot to kill the woman, but they
disregarded her entreaties, and still dragged her as
if they were dragging a dead dog instead of a human
being. The witness added, that she could not iden-
tify the persons of the policemen.
The inspector said that the complainant was drunk
when she was brought to the station-house, and was
exceedingly violent in her behaviour. She certainly
appeared to be much beaten and ill-used, but the
men who brought her there declared that she was in
that state when they first saw her.
Mr. SwAnEY—The complainant asserts that

those two men formed an aversion or hatred to her,
Owing to her having issatilted a poliesceenAila
some time ago, and that was the reason they
attacked her on this occasion. The Magistrate slid
that he perfectly recollected the morning' she vas.
brought before him, she was in a dreadful c,Onditiont,
and appeared bruised all over the body. He ha!!
her taken to the Dispensary next door, and the .or.
nion of the medical officer there was, that the bralfn
visible on her person were not produced by felling
down, but were the effects of blows. It was td:;
the opinion at the time that her ribs were broken.
Under all the circumstances, the Magistrate added,'
that he should refer the case to the Commissionerni
and if they, on investigation of the affair, found the
statement of the complainant borne out by the let,
timony of other witnesses, they would no doubt 4M1,,
charge men capable of conducting themselves atoll
such violence towards a female from the service..
The complainant said that she should be enabled'„',:
to prove the truth oilier statement. ;
flie defendants declared that for the sake of till!
own characters, they wished the affair to be fullynnt
vestigated before the Commissioners.