The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-03 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

VIOLENT ASSAULT By A FRENCIIMAN.-ViCtOr Sebastian,
a French writer, of 48, King-street, Soho, was charged be-
fore Mr. Knox with violently assaulting a young man
named John Neal by striking him on the head with a basin.
_ _

The prosecutor, whose head was bandaged, said that at
one o'clock that morning he was standing by the corner of
St. Giles's Church with two friends, when the prisoner,
with a female, passed him. The prisoner stepped back, and
said he was mocking and laughing at him, at the same time
swinging a basin, tied up in a cloth, as if to strike him. He
told the prisoner that if he struck him he would give him
in charge, and the prisoner then struck him on the head
with the basin, and also on the back. He then ran away
and the prisoner ran after him, but as soon as he saw that
he (prosecutor) was bleeding, he ran away. Some persons
pursued the prisoner, and took him to the station, and he
(prosecutor) was taken to the University Hospital, and had
his head dressed.

George Smith, of Noel-street, who was passing at the
time, corroborated the prosecutor, and said the blows were
violent ones. He pursued the prisoner with others and
took him to the station.

In answer to Mr. Knox, the witness said the prosecutor
did not laugh at the prisoner.
The prisoner said the prosecutor squared up to him, but
the witness said that was not the case, the prosecutor
stepping back from him.
Daniel Sullivan, 34 E, said that while on reserve at the
George-street Station, the prisoner was brought there by
some men. He took the prosecutor, who was bleeding
from a wound on the head, to the University Hospital,
where the wound was dressed, the surgeon stating that it
was a deep cut, and that the prosecutor was to attend on
Saturday.
The prisoner made a statement in French that he was
under the impression the prisoner laughed at him.
Mr. Knox said he thought it very likely that might have
been the case. -He would remand the prisoner on a£s bail
for a week, and by that time the result of the injury the
prosecutor had received would be ascertained.
A CONTRACTOR AND lIIS CARMAN FINED FOR ILL-
TREATMENT OF A HORSE.-Mr. Bartholomew O'Connor,
contractor of Pimlico, and James Larking, a man in his
employ, were yesterday charged (the former on a summons)
the first named with having caused a horse to be tortured,
and the other with torturing it.

Mr. W. Love, chief officer of the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, by whom the charge
was preferred, attended to prosecute.

It appeared from the evidence of two constables, and
Sinclair, officer of the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, that they found the defendant Larking
working the horse in question, which was attempting, with
another, to draw a heavily laden cart in Piccadilly on
Saturday last. The roads on that day were in such a slip-
pery state from the frobt and snow that the strongest horses,
though roughed," were falling about the streets. The
horse was described by the officers, and Mr. Cherry,
the veterinary surgeon, as an aged one, suffering from a
disease of the spine and lungs, having old sores on it, and
altogether used up and past work.4lad not been "roughed,"
its shoes being as smooth as glass, the consequence of which
was that the poor animal had several times fallen in its
fruitless endeavours to draw the load, and lay on the
ground prostrate from exhaustion. It was ultimately got
up by means of ropes, and it then had to be held up. On
Larking afterwards being found in the act of putting
it to work again he was taken into custody, when
having stated that Mr. O'Connor sent him out with it
in the state described, a summons wag* obtained by Mr.
Love against Mr. O'Connor.
Yesterday the case was gone into against the defendant
O'Connor. Mr. Edward Lewis, of Great Marlborough-
street, appeared for him, and contended that there was
nothing to show that Mr. O'Connor either sent the horse
out or knew that it was sent out ; that it was only sent
out on an emergency to help another horse, and that it was
intended by Mr. O'Connor to be killed ; and that he was
willing, with the magistrate's consent, and that of Mr.
Love, who was really the prosecutor, to have it at once
destroyed. On the part of Larking, he wished to say that
he only took the horse out by order of those above him.

Mr. Knox said he considered it one of those cases, where
a master was made responsible for the acts of his servant,
as much as a publican was liable for the acts of his ser-
vants. A more hideous sight than the horse in question
he had never seen. It could scarcely carry its own weight,
and to work it was cruelty of the direst kind.
In answer to Mr. Knox, Sinclair said the Green-yard
fees would be 295. 6d.

Mr. Knox said he should fine O'Connor 30s. and costs,
which, with the Green-yard fees, would amount to £3,
and Larking Gs. or three days.