The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-16 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.--Isaac Rich, a middle-aged man,
was placed at the bar before Mr. Henry, charged with
killing his wife, Margaret Rich.
The prisoner was taken into custody on Friday week,
and was remanded from that day until yesterday upon
the charge of assaultino, his wife, who had been removed
to the infirmary of St. Giles's workhouse in a dangerous
condition. She died two days afterwards, and conse-
quently the charge assumed the more serious form of
manslaughter. Owing to some misunderstanding or
negligence, the woman's dying statement was not taken
by a magistrate, and the only witnesses of the assault
are evidently anxious to screen the prisoner from injury.
Charles Macarthy stated that he was a tailor, and
lived at .8, Clark's-buildings, Broad-street, St. Giles's.
The prisoner, his wife, and four children, used to
occupy the second-floor back of the same house. In the
afternoon of Thursday week he heard the prisoner and
his wife quarrelling on the landing. They appeared to
be wrestling together, and desiring each other to let go.
Presently he saw the woman fall backwards down the
stairs, but the prisoner did not push or kick her down.
Two women, named Sullivan and Small, came to her
assistance, and they took her to the workhouse. He did
not know what the quarrel was about.
Elizabeth Nunn, head nurse of St. Giles's Workhouse,
stated that she attended upon the deceased from the
time of her admission to the infirmary, and had frequent
conversations with her. Deceased told witness that
she and her husband had some words—that be com-
menced beating her very much, and that while she was
trying to get up and escape from him, he kicked her in
the throat. She said it was the eighth time he had ill-
treated her in the same way, and that she had been in
St. Pancras Workhouse in consequence of the injuries
she had received from him. She added that this was the
last time he would do it, for she should not recover. _

Mr. Henry—Were you examined before the coroner?
Witness said she was present but not examined.
Police-constable E 20 said that another nurse, named
Hall, was examined at the inquest, and was present in
court.

Mary Hall corroborated the evidence of the head-
nurse, as to the statements made by the deceased. It
also appeared that the prisoner visited his wife in the
infirmary on Friday morning. He spoke with apparent
kindness to her, saying "You know I did not do it ;"
to which she replied, "You know you did." He said,
" I will take you home again when you ate a little re-
covered." She replied, " That will never be." She
did not speak after this.
Mr. Henry remarked that if he had been informed of
the dying condition of the wife he would have attended
to take her statement in the presence of the prisoner.
This course was always adopted at hospitals, and, if any
such case again occurred in the workhouse, he hoped
proper intimation of the fact would be given him, when
death was expected. Although some nice questions had
arisen upon the point, the statements of a dying per-
son—if made in the expectation of approachinr, death—
were held to be receivable as evidence, although made in
the absence of the accused ; and he should, therefore,
feel it his duty to send the case to a jury. Were there
any other witnesses who were in the house at the time
of the quarrel ?
Ellen Sullivan said that she lived in the same house,
and heard the quarrel. When she got to the spot she
saw Mrs. Rich (deceased) with her sleeves tucked up,
smelling of drink, with a poker in her right hand, say-
ing to her husband, " Come on, you b , and fight
fair." The prisoner never once laid hands on her, and
how Mrs. Rich got her fall witness could not imagine,
but it was all owing to herself.
Another Irishwoman stepped forward and begged to
be examined, because she had known the prisoner four
years, and he bad never once laid hand on his wife.

Mrs. Small lived in the same court. The prisoner's
child, a little girl, came to her and said her father and
mother were quarrelling, but when witness got there
she saw no blows on either side. She had known the
prisoner a long time. He was a little given to drink,
but no more than his business compelled him.
Mr. Henry—What is his business, then ?
Witness—Selling fowls in the street. The wife was
fond of drink also ; a little now and then.
Sergeant Hughes had known the prisoner and his wife
eight or nine years. They were always drinking, fight-
ing, and quarrelling.
Prisoner said—On Thursday, at 4, ho asked his wife
to get his tea. She told him to get it himself. He
told her she had been drinking. She replied that ske
had, but not at his expense. They got to words. She
took up the poker. He took it from her, and then she
fell backwards down five stairs. He went to see her at
the workhouse, and she admitted it was her own fault.
The nurses spoke false.
Mr. Henry committed him for trial, and sent his chil-
dren to the workhouse.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Edward Bryant, conductor
of omnibus 6,429, was charged before the Lord Mayor.
Mr. Buchanan appeared for the prosecution.
Miss Catherine Moses, of Gracechurch-street, frui-
terer, said—On the 4th of September I was going to
Sydenham by train, and I hailed the defendant's omni-
bus on this side of London-bridge. I said, " To the
railway, if you please. He said, " my eyes if I
would have taken you if I had known where you vi ere
going to." I was no sooner seated than he asked me in
a rude manner, "Do you want change ?" I said, "No."
Re then said, " I'll take your money," in the same rude
manner. I said, " You'll take my money when I get out,
if you please ;" and he went on, and then took up a pas-
senger on the bridge, at this side of the Hibernia-wharf.
He then said loudly and rudely to me, "Railway, railway,
I tell you." I said, " This is not the railway, and I shall
not get out here." Ile then said, "I'm if I don't take
you right on to Dulwich, I'll stop no more ;" and a gentle.
man spoke to me and stopped the omnibus, and I got nut,
and in paying him, the money fell to the ground. The
omnibus was in motion when I got out. He then said
as he was picking up the money, "I'll give you a slap
across the eye for a half a pin, you nasty stinking strum-
pet. I know you, you come out of Gracechurch-street ;
and -- your eyes, I shall know you when you again
stop my omnibus."

A policeman proved that on the subsequent day he
heard the defendant say he was innocent a the offence,
but he would rather pay something than have to appear,
and if he got a month it would be the death of him. The
defendant also said to the witness, " You know Miss
Moses, and when you are talking to me speak to her."
Cross-examined—Witness recollected that Miss Moses
was turned out of Guildhall Court, having made some
remark offensive to one of the aldermen.

It was proved that the defendant, accompanied by the
coachman, called on the brother of Miss Moses, to in-
tercede with him to stop proceedings.
A man who was in the omnibus at the time, and who
was in the habit of travelling with the conductor, said
he had not heard that person use any offensive or uncivil
language at all. (Laughter.)
Another man, who was on the omnibus, said he saw
the complainant throw—not drop—her money upon the
ground, but did not hear a word or a sound except that
of the copper on the ground.
Mr. T. F. Balls (omnibus proprietor) said the defen-
dant had been in his service four years and a half, and
had been summoned once.

By the Lord Mayor—lt was the defendant's duty to
take up a short passenger if there was room. The defen-
dant had been fined 51., and his licence had been stopped.
The Lord Mayor said the case was an extremely aggra-
vated one, and he did not know whether he would be
justified in inflicting a merely pecuniary penalty. He,
however, was willing to make some allowance for the
excitement of the moment, and he was also disposed to
take into consideration the fact, that the defendant bad
been in Mr. Balls' service for so long a period. The
sentence of the Court was that he should pay the fine of
31. and costs, or be imprisoned for one month.

THAMES.—Mary Ann Field, a woman of the town,
was brought before Mr. Ingham, charged with assaulting
and wounding Elizabeth Johnson, who presented
hideous sight, with her face torn, and her nose strapped up.
The complainant, who was in a weakly condition from
loss of blood and the injuries she had received, stated
that she was going along Ratcliff-highway with a young
man, a sailor, when the prisoner and three other women
attacked her. The prisoner accused witness of taking
her young man away, and commenced beating her, and
tore her bonnet, The other girls "pitched into her"
also, and she defended herself as well as she was able,
until the prisoner got her down and fell upon her, and
swore she would be her butcher. "Witness called out for
help, and the prisoner, using a dreadful exclamation,
said "I'll help you !" rand after tearing her face and
mouth with her nails, got her nose between her teeth,
and bit it in a savage manner. The end of it was only
hanging on by a piece of skin. She was taken to a
doctor, 14,ith the blood streaming from her nose and
mouth, and he strapped up her nose and told her to go
to the hospital.
The prisoner, in her defence, said she was in the Duke
of York public-house, in the highway, talking to her
sailor chap, when the complainant led him away, and
left the house with him.

The complainant—Why he gave her a quartern of gin
to get rid of her, and said he would keep my company.
Search, a police constable, No. 300 K, said the com-
plainant's nose was dreadfully lacerated, and the end of
it almost bitten off. He found the prisoner in bed and
very tipsy in Bluegate-fields, and he made her turn out,
and took her into custody. The prisoner, whom he knew
to be a most desperate woman, said she did not care
about what was done to her ; she had had her revenge,
and did not care if she had twelvemonths' imprisonment
for it. Both women had fought desperately and were
very disorderly.
Mr. Ingham said the two ill-conducted and wretched
;70tnen before him had been fighting, and he should not
have punished the prisoner if she had confined herself to
the -ase of her fists, but when she had recourse to such a
diabolical act as biting her rival's nose, and then ex-
presein, her satisfaction at what she had done when she
had cooled satisfaction
payment, upon it, he was determined to punish her
severely.
Ile fined, the prisoner' 51., and, in default of
committed her to the House of Correction for
two months.
Richard Repath, a
William Repath, a
halflittle urchin, 9 years of age, was
a powerfulel-'4ast.
(charged withs tealingashs.oN:ereign, the money of his
father,
12, John-street, St. George.ir,.Tl 8 carpenter,. residing at
gi,in, Tl:built man, appeared
The prosecutor,
hieedltfears profusely.
I terribly moved ; whilst
ievidence his breast
heaved with a heart-quake, and he's
haisnrieotnurtnh
He said that during his last voya,es
with a friend to take charge of his son, beutto3nl.
he was much disturbed by being informed that the boy
had contracted bad habits, mixed with the worst of '
pany, and stayed out until very late hours. On Tllerdnal:
last witncs left half a sovereign on the mantel-piece tdi;
have some refreshments procured apin,-3t Ilia return
home, but when ho did return neither his son nor the
half-sovereign were to be found. He gave information
to the police, and 266 K took the boy into custody. He
. .