The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-17 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

WORSHIP-STREET.—Willium Smith, a French
polisher, and Benjamin. Buck, a journeyman bricklayer,
were placed at the bar before Mr. D'Eyncourt, charged
with having criminally assaulted a deaf and dumb girl,
named Mary Kenny, in a gravel-pit near the entrance
of Victoria-park, at Old Ford.

Police-constable Pender, K 321, stated that while on
duty near the park-gate at Old Ford, between four and
five o'clock on the preceding afternoon, he observed the
prosecutrix running along at a rapid rate, with a man's
hat in her hand, and in a state of evident terror and
agitation. On questioning her as to the cause of her
excitement, he at once perceived that she was deaf and
dumb ; and she directed his attention by a motion of
her hand to the two prisoners, who were slowly ap-
proaching from the same direction, and one of whom
was without his hat. At the appearance of the pri-
soners, the complainant, who was greatly terrified,
uttered a gurgling cry of distress, at the same time
pointing to Smith, and indicating, by a series of vehe-
ment gesticulations, that he had thrown her down and
subjected her to a shameful outrage in the adjoining
gravel-pit. On making his way towards the prisoners,
they attempted to effect their escape, but he speedily
overtook them, and was about to convey them to the
station-house, when it was intimated by Smith that he
wished to give the woman into custody for stealing his
hat. Witness then insisted that the whole party should
accompany him to the station, on reaching which the
complainant preferred the charge against them by sig-
nificant gestures, and in confirmation of her complaint
bared one of her arms, which exhibited a severe contu-
sion, and raising the lower part of her dress, directed
their attention to her stocking, which was saturated with
blood.

The proseoutrix, an interesting-looking young woman,
about twenty-years of age, was then placed in the wit-
ness-box, and the magistrate inquired whether she had
any friends in attendance, or if any one was present
who was capable of explaining her evidence.
Police-sergeant N 17 stated that he was well
acquainted with the girl, whom he believed to be a
street-walker, although she was under the protection of
her sister, an honest, hard-working woman, living in
the neighbourhood of Hoxton..

Mr. D'Eyncourt said that, from the statement of the
officer, it did not appear that the prisoner Buck had
taken any part in the alleged outrage, he should order
him to be dischargod, but the other prisoner must be
put back for the attendance of the girl's sister, who
would probably be able to interpret her evidence.
In the course of the afternoon the sister of the
prosecutrix arrived in court, and having been sworn in
the usual form to act as an interpreter, she proceeded
to question the girl by a course of unintelligible sounds
and manual signs, and elicited the following facts :—lt
appeared that ou the afternoon of the previous day
the prisoner and another man met the complairant
at the back of Shoreditch Church, and induced her
to accompany them to a public-house, where they
plied her with liquor, and afterwards led her along
until they arrived at Victoria-park. On reaching
the gravel-pits near Old Ford, she was suddenly seized
by the prisoner, who threw her to the ground and
accomplished his purpose in the presence of the other
man, who quietly looked on, but took no active part
in the outrage. She made all the resistance in her
power, and
she
schheedsuhciscehedaetdfroinm ehaitsrihcaeatidnf
in
nhoerrdseelrf
ftroohmanhdimil over to the first policeman she met, to enable
hseuna t
him to identify its owner as the man who had maltreated
her.

o n being
called led upon for his defence, the prisoner
positively the charge, and said that the injuries
which the complainant exhibited on her person had been
occasioned by the wanton brutality of some boys, who
had pelted her with stones.
Mr. D'Eyncourt said that after the evidence he bad
heard he should order the prisoner to be remanded for a
week, and it would be necessary for the police to secure
the attendance of the man Buck at the next exami-
nation.

LAMBETH.--In the absence of any direct medical
testimony respecting the injuries and the actual state of
Mr. Ker on the day before, Mr. Elliott did not wish to
adjourn the case beyond the following day at three
o'clock, and at that hour the accused parties, the
Messrs. Newton, were in attendance, and were brought
into court for further examination. At that hour also
Mr. Edwin James, Q,C. and Sir Robert Price, M.P.,
were present, and
were Lcommodated with seats on the
bench.

addressing the
Mr. Wontner,_who was present for_tho_pr,osecution,
should attend
the desire expressed by his worship at the conclusion of
magistrate, said that, in ciinaphance with
the examination the day before, that Mr.lChristian
mined, and would state upon oath that, so far from his
patiLnt being , that gentleman was present to be exa-
g improved the day before, he was much
worse. He (Mr. Wontner) had also in attendance Mr.
James and Mr. Johnson, two eminent surgeons, the
former of the Lying-in and the latter of St. George's
Hospital, and both these gentlemen would tell his wor-
ship that such was the present state of Mr. Ker that the
chance of his recovery was only a chance, and that a
fortnight must elapse before they could give any decided
opinion on his case, or pronounce him out of danger ;
and, under these circumstances it would be his duty to
request, after the evidence of the medical gentlemen was
taken, a further remand of a fortnight.
Mr. James Stanley Christian, M.D., and surgeon, of
No. 1, Ovington-place, Brompton, was here sworn, and
said--1 am Mr. S. Ker's medical attendant, and was
called in to that gentleman at half-past H on Friday
night last. He was then at his own house, and I found
him suffering from wounds on the head, which had been
previously dressed. I have attended him ever since.
The wound did not 'appear severe, but the results are.
I continue to attend Mr. Ker still, and saw him this
afternoon, a few minutes past two. He is suffering from
an injury in the head, produced by violence.
Mr. Wontner—Will you be so good, Dr. Christian, as
to describe the injuries on the head ?
Mr. Elliott—l do not think it necessary at present to
trouble Dr. Christian with a description of the injuries,
as we have evidence of their having been inflicted.
Mr. Wontner—very well, sir ; then I will ask Dr.
Christian whether the present state or condition which
Mr. Ker is in does not result from a concussion of the
brain

Dr. Christian—ln my opinion, it does—from an injury
to the brain, and infi tmmation consequent on the injury.
I consider his life in danger. Since yesterday the symp-
toms have caused me to change my opinion. An un-
favouraide change has taken placo, so that at present
Mr. Ker is quite unconscious. Taking his present state
into consideration, I could not, under a fortnight, pro•
nounce him out oldanger, though his change might be
favourable.

in cross-examination by Mr. Salter, the barrister, Dr.
Christian said the unfavourable change was incre tse of
want of consciousness and sinking of pulse. No matter
hew iiimarable the Wane, he Mot thialc