The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-30 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

GUILDHALL.—The poor soldier, whose injuries,
received in endeavouring to save the life of Sergeant
Patterson of the City Police force, at the late fire on the
premises of Mr. Button, the chemist of Holborn, have
confined him to the hospital during the last three weeks,
applied to the sitting magistrate for some assistance,
when, from his statement and that of Police-constable
White, 24, who accompanied him, it appeared that he
belonged to the 7th company of the 9th battalion of
Royal Artillery stationed at Woolwich, to which place
he was returning at the expiration of his furlough on the
night of the fire, when, perceiving the danger to which
Sergeant Patterson was exposed, and no one offering to
relieve him from his burning garments, he rushed to
Patterson's assistance, and, although suffering from the
burning phosphorus which fell continually upon him, he
persevered until he had torn off all the unfortunate man's
clothing. Notwithstanding this act of magnanimity,
Patterson was only saved from the peril of the moment,
for he died within a few days afterwards, leaving a widow
and an orphan child to lament his loss ; and the worthy
individual, who had acted with such courage and forti-
tude, was so severely injured that for several days after
his admission to the hospital his life was despaired of,
and even when the crisis was over it was apprehended
he would have to lose both his arms, and with such a
fearful anticipation before him he said he had only done
his duty, and if it were to occur over again he would not
shrink from it. Amputation has,;however, been avoided ;
but in consequence of the contraction of the muscles and
tendons, he will never be fit for service again, which is
the more unfortunate, as he bears four stripes of good
conduct on his arm, and a good character in his regi-
ment, and six months' more servitude would have en-
titled him to a pension, of which it is probable his gene-
rous act of assistance will deprive him, as he was not on
military service when disabled.
Sir R. W. Carden inquired if Mr. Button had com-
pensated the poor fellow ?—•White said no application
had been made, as the soldier had only just been dis-
charged from the hospital ; but he thought nothing might
be expected from Mr. Button, for he had done nothing
for the widow of Sergeant Patterson.
Sir R. W. Carden asked the applicant what he in-
tended doing ?—The soldier said he was returning to his
barracks at Woolwich to be tried by court-martial.
Sir R. W. Carden (much surprised)—Tried by court-
martial ! For what ?
The soldier said it was merely a court to inquire how
far he had exceeded his duty in being absent from his
regiment, after his furlough had expired, without leave.
Sir R. Carden said the poor soldier's conduct was ex-
tremely meritorious, and he would reward him with 2/.
from the poor-box. The worthy alderman expressed his
regret that the funds at his disposal would not enable
him to render him assistance that might be of some per-
manent benefit to him ; but he hoped, through the me-
dium of the press, who never refused their aid in works
of charity, to place the applicant's case before the public,
and he doubted not but that a second appeal to the sym-
pathies of the benevolent in behalf of so deserving an ob-
ject would be unnecessary. Sir R. W. Carden then
gave the poor soldier 21. (for which he appeared exceed-
ingly thankful), and said he should be happy to receive
any donations that might be forwarded to him.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—Edward Taylor, a
well-dressed young man, was brought before Mr. Hard-
wick, charged with maliciously stabbing Jane Hall with
a carving-fork.
The prosecutrix deposed that she was a widow, and
lived at No. 10, Grosvenor-mews, and that she had been
living with the prisoner as his wife for five or six years,
and had had one child by him, now five years old. Sbe
left him about three weeks ago. On Saturday night last,
about eight o'clock, she mot the defendant at the post-office,
and as she was putting a letter in the box he snatched it
from her, and told her the child was ill, and she went to
his lodgings to see it, and after some conversation with
him, she agreed to pay the sum of 3s. a week towards
maintaining it, and to pay 4s. in advance.. On Monday

night she took the money to his lodgings, and before she
gave it to him she told him she would have her watch
that he had got. He said he would not give it up, and
they quarrelled, and used a great deal of aggravating
language towards each other. He then said he would
finish her, and that one plunge would be enough. He
then picked up a carving-fork from the table. She said
if he finished her he would leave her child without a
mother. He then stabbed at her with a fork, and the
two prongs entered her shoulder. She seized his arms,
and told him she would be a long time dying with a fork.
he had better take a knife. He then took up a knife,
and her hands got triflingly cut, but being stronger than
the prisoner, she held him, and he threw down the knife
and fork. She then got a policeman, and gave him into
custody. At the station-house she looked at her shoulder
and saw it was bleeding. The fork prodUced is the one
he did it with.

Hawes, 31 C, said he took the prisoner into custody,
and at the station he examined prosecutrix's shoulder,
and found blood oozing from the wounds. He applied
the carving-fork to them, and found that •the prongs
matched the wounds. He also found holes in her shawl
and gown which corresponded with the fork. The pri-
soner denied stabbing her, and said she was drunk. They
were both perfect!), sober.

In answer to the charge, the accused said they had
had a quarrel, and she took up the knife, and he seized
the fork to defend himself. He then took the knife out
of her hand, and that was the way she had got herself
cut, if at all. She struck at him with the knife, and he
retaliated with the fork.

Mr. Hardwick said he should send the case to a jury,
and committed the prisoner for trial.