The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-29 00:00:00

ASSAULT BY AN OFFICER.

ROCHESTER, Aug. 28.—The county magistrates were
occupied a considerable time this morning, at the magis-
trates' office in this city, in investigating a charge of a;
violent and unprovoked assault, preferred by Louisa,
Pierce, against Ennigu 3brovcr, ant:4llCM ati.aol.od
Royal Engineers' establishment at Brompton.
Mr. M. Stephenson, solicitor, appeared for the defen-
dant, who was attended to the court by several of the
officers belonging to the corps.
The complainant, a young person of prepossessing tip-,
pearance, deposed that she was returning from Chatham.
to her residence at Brompton on the night of Saturday,.
in company with two other friends, and they were pass-,
ing along the embankment opposite the Marine Bar-
racks, when they overtook the defendant in company 1
with two officers, all of whom were walking down in the
roadway. Immediately they passed them some obserl
vations were addressed by the officers to complainant,
and her friends, and thereupon defendant and his com,
panions commenced throwing stones at them. Com;
plaioant ran down into the road to ascertain the names
of their assailants, and to remonstrate with them o 4
their behaviour, when the defendant struck her twq
violent blows in her face with his fist, and anothet
with his walking stick, at the same time calling her

By Mr. Stephenson—Witness knew of no reason foi
the attack upon her, and was quite positive she threi
no stones. She.hadonly seen him once before, and that
was the same evening. The two officers who were with
the defendant also threw some stones. On complainant
going down into the road she was very excited and
frightened, but did not attempt to strike them. A gent
tleman had insulted her the same evening in Watt's-
place, by trying to pull her veil up. When the defen-
dant struck her it was about half-past eleven at night:.
She did not attempt to arouse the Marine guard, as she
did not know she was allowed to do so. The reason
she was out so late was because she had been to pay a
bill at Rochester, and afterwards partook of some re;-
freshments at a confectioner's.
Kate Owden said she was proceeding home with comL
plainant on Saturday night, and on passing the defen-
dant and two other gentlemen, they commenced swear+
ing and throwing stones at them, several of which struck
witness. Complainant ran down the steps to see who
threw the stones, and witness saw the defendant strike
her with his fist in the mouth, and again under the eye.
He also gave her a blow with his stick, and called her
a ---. On witness asking him why he did it, he said
he did not know, but it served her right.
By Mr. Stephenson —The other female's name who
was with us is Sarah, but she is called " Topsy". (A
laugh.) I have made no endeavour to bring her as a
witness. The officers commenced the disturbance by
speaking to us and throwing stones at us.
Mr. Stephenson then addressed the magistrates for
the defendant. He said he must ask them to consider
the probabilities of the case, as it affected Mr. Strover.
In the first place, if.the complainant and her companions
had been at homeas they ought to have been—at that
late hour, the assault would not have occurred. In tliti
second place, he would.. ask, was it probable that his
client and the other gentlemen, who were all officers,
would have molested the complainant without any appa-
rent reason l He was sure, then, the bench would cou-
dant.
lter 41,111.3
ere
he e
was lse
ettor be :di nuf,a,v2mr.
.defveiryi
The defendant, who had been into Chatham with some
of his friends, was returning to the barracks, when they
passed the complainant and her party, whom they asked
to walk with them in the road, instead of walking on
the embankment. Complainant's party then began
throwing stones at them, which defendant returned.
Complainant then ran down the bank and commenced
an assault on the defendant, who—he would not deny—
struck her in return. He should call the two officers
who were with the defendant, and the bench would bear
from them how the assault began.
Ensign Irwin Montgomery Greig, R.E., was then
called, and, in answer to questions put by Mr. Stephen.
son, said he saw the complainant, with two other girls, in
Watt's-place. He spoke to them, and received an
abusive answer, and one of his friends told him not to
speak to them again. He afterwards saw them near
the barracks, and spoke to them, when they gave hire
an answer which was certainly not civil. He could
not remember what it was, but thought complainant
called him " a little devil."
The Rev. Mr. Davies (chairman)—That might be a
term of endearment. •

Witness continued—They commenced throwing stones
at defendant, which witness returned. Complainant
then ran down the steps towards them, as if intending
to strike them. She ran towards the defendant with her
clenched fist, and a scuffle took place. It was dark,
and on the'return of defendant to the barracks, witness
went into his room, and there saw the skin cut off his
face, as though done by a stone. There were three or
tour marks, which had not the appearance as if done
by a scratch. His face was covered with blood.
By Mr. Davies—Witness spoke to complainant first
in Watt's-place, and received an uncivil answer, and
was not surprised when he received an uncivil answer
again. He did not hear her make use of any expressions
of vengeance when she ran down.
Ensign Salusbury T. Trevo, R.E., said he saw com-
plainant as be was going into the billiard-room, and
afterwards saw her knock a man's hat off for insulting
her. There was a great deal of abuse, and complainant
said she would not be insulted by such a ---- fellow.
Witness afterwards saw complainant and her companions
as he was going to the barracks, and told them that
they were fond of " exalted" places, and invited them to
come down into the road. Complainant and the others
then began to abuse them, and' threw stones at them.
Complainant afterwards ran down into the road, and,
1 picking up a stone, advanced towards them and struck
defendant about the head and face. Defendant took
hold of her arm and struck her with his fist about the
head, where all the blows were delivered. She screamed
out and tried to strike him, when he twisted her round
and struck her again. He did not look at defendant's
cheek that night, but next morning he saw that it had
three or four scratches on it, as if done by a flint.
By the Bench—lf a blow were given by a flint, it
would depend on the angle it was aimed at as to whether
it would be deep or not. Complainant could not have
inflicted the marks with her nails. Witness saw the
defendant strike her, and he called to him to desist,
and to remember he was striking a woman.
This being the whole of the evidence, the court was
then cleared, and on the public being admitted in about
five minutes, •
Mr. Davies, addressingithe defendant, said the magi-
strates convicted him of an assault inflicted under most
unjustifiable circumstances. The bench carefully re-
frained from calling it an aggravated assault, because,
had they done so, the defendant would have been com-
mitted to prison, and thereby endangered his commis.
sion. Although the present assault closely answered to
one of those aggravated offences, yet the magistrates
would not in his case put the wise provisions of the law
in force against him. As an officer he was bound to
protect the weak, and especially those helpless creatures
who were thrown, as it were, on the public for protec-
tion. It was a most unmanly thing to assault those
females after associating with them.
Defendant denied that he associated with them.
Mr. Davieshdessired defendant not to interrupt him.
Re
therhad been convicted of an assault, and the magistrates
hfirmieotdos id
p.
ay
afipnaeo,f ands defendant left
1
the
T penaltyfeoreordered i
Was immediately
courtwith

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V.:DrSBURGII. ---We regret to have to announce an ad-
dition to the number of cases of cholera in Edinburgh,
of which several have proved fatal.
REPRESENTATION OF WIGAN.—The subject of the re-
sl,l.e n t aTt
iiloengoefn
etrhael
fe boroughiing pointsis e engrossing Rl\ nigt:. much
Acton,a t tteini
the
shoemaker, tiro'
Fariinf/t",
SOUTH WA RK.—Peter
or, who is now looked upon as the of
was brough
t before Mr. A
beer and spirits, in a
Beckett,'. charged with un- may
stable in Moreton- Liberal party, and who chairman
such
being an ofl leader the
p was
lawfully selling
on Sunday, , committee at the last election, and the proposer of him
street, Newington-causeway,
at the hustings. A requisitio ' • h '
nbeing got up desiring
_unlicensed place.
shoemaker, said, on him to be a candidate. Mr. Henry Woods, nianufac-
• Henry Richards, a journeyman
-Sunday morning, about eleven o'clock, he was walking
purer and coal proprietor, is also spoken of, and will
.with a friend along Newington-causeivaY,
when a mart robably offer himself for the suffrages of the electors, as
accosted them, and asked them if they wanted any gin.
he is known to entertain the wish to represent the
or beer. They replied in the affirmative, and the maa
borough. He is now inißavaria on a tour, having been
took them into a stable in Moreton -street, where be- married to the only child of Mr. C. Hindley, M.P., a tween thirty and forty persons were drinking beer and
few weeks since. A telegraphic message has been for-
spirits. The prisoner came up to them warded to him, and he is expected to return in a few
, and served them ,
r.,
with a quart of beer, for which witness paid him four- (I
ay'. Should Mr. Acton consent to become a cancii.:
and should Mr. Wood also stand, the Liberai
pence. Other persons were then served, and witness date,
strong, will be disunited, and feeling will
and his friend had another pot of beer. They had after- ‘ party, now
On high. Mr. F. S. Powell, the defeated
wards a quartern of gin from him, and paid him five- • probably r
in 1852, is now at home, and it is generally
pence for it ; and as they were leaving, witness pur- candidate
I 0 would stand on the Conservative lute
-
chased another quartern of gin, and put it into a bottle, believed that i
any encouragement.—Jian-
which he sealed up at the police statio.o'clockrest if there should appeal'
At one

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