The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-14 00:00:00

THAMES.

BRUTAL ASSAULT ON A POST-OFFICE LETTER-CARRIER.
Wm. Fowlerand Edwd. York, seamen, were brought before
Mr. Partridge, charged with assaulting Wm. Grove, a post-
office letter-carrier, and intercepting him in the execution
of his duty.

Mr. Osborn, from the office of the Post-office, solicitor,
said that it could not be too generally known and im-
pressed on the public that the stealing of a letter, or any
attempt to steal a letter, from any person in the employ of
the General Post-office, or from any mail or letter-bag, was
a felony, and the party guilty of the same was, upon con-
viction, liable to be transported for life. Mr. Osborn read
the 28th clause of the Ist Victoria, cap. 36, in verification
of his statement, and said that if the magistrate
should be of opinion the prisoners intended to
steal the letters in the possession of the complainant, or
had stolen any one of them, the Post-office authorities
would prosecute. He would leave it to the magistrate's
discretion whether the prisoners should be summarily con-
victed of an assault or committed for trial.

The complainant Grove said that he was attached to
the Bow district Post-office. He was delivering letters on
the evening of yesterday in the Bow-road, at 20 minutes
to seven o'clock. The piisoners and three or four others
came up to him in a disorderly condition and pushed him
about. Fowler swore at him, and said, " - your eyes,
give me a letter, for No. 36," which was not the prisoner's
address. He passed on, and took no notice of the party.
Fowler came behind him and pulled his cape. He got
away from him, and the prisoner struck him with a largo
parrot cage. He was struck a third time. One of the
party said, " Pitch him up and get his letters."
York caught hold of the letters he had in his
hand, and endeavoured to pull them away from him,
He grasped the letters very tightly and struggled with the
prisoners. He did not think he lost any of the letters ;
while he was scuffling with tho prisoners they were strik-
ing at his head. A gentleman came out of the North-
London Railway station to his assistance, and the pri-
soners ran away. He fell over Campbell in the Campbell-
road, Bow, and he was taken into custody. York came to
the court to inquire after Fowler, and a summons was
taken out and served upon him.

Robert Stewart, 329 K, took Fowler into custody. He
had been drinking, and said he wanted a letter for No. 95.
The prisoner lived at No. 2, Amiel-place, Bromley.
Fowler, in defence, said he was tipsy when the affray
occurred, and was sorry for what ho had done. York
denied that he laid hold of the postman's letters at all ; he
interfered because he thought that Grove was about to
strike Fowler.

Mr. Partridge asked the prisoners if they could give any
account of themselves.

Fowler said he had been third cuddy servant on board
the auxiliary screw steam sloop London on a voyage from
London to Melbourne and back. Before that he was in
the Shannon. York said he served in thy London as
ordinary seaman.

Mr. Partridge looked at the prisoners' certificates of ser-
vice and discharge. The two belonging to Fowler from
the captains of the Shannon and London were each
marked "Character for conduct very good; character for
ability very good." York's only certificate was marked in
the same manner. He should take the good characters of
the prisoners into consideration. They bad been engaged
in a gross outrage on a respectable man in the public ser-
vice. They no doubt thought it was a good lark to upset
a postman. It was a foolish and disgraceful proceeding.
There was no reason to suppose that the prisoners in-