The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-08 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.

Dennis Sullivan, John Muir, and Joseph Callaghan,
three powerful-looking young fellows, well•known
thieves, were placed at the bar before Mr. Seeker,
charged with two others not in custody in rescuing a
prisoner from the custody of the police, and smashing a
policcman's head in with brickbats, besides dreadfully
injuring several others.

-It appeared from the evidence that on Sunday even•
ing &me of the prisoners' companions earned Witty (who
has since been transported for seven years) stole a quan-
tity of cigars from a shop in Gravel-lane Southwark.
He was taken into custody a short time after the rob-
bery in the Red House public house, when he was res-
cued by the prisoners and his associates. After Witty
was rescued, a mob of two or three hundred persons
surrounded the police, mostly thieves and bad charac-
ters, and commenced throwing brickbats and stones at
them. Richards, 44 M, perceiving Muir throwing a
brickbat, and knowing him to be one who rescued the
other prisoner, caught hold of him, when he was kicked
by several persons behind, and was struck in the fore-
head with a brickbat, which rendered him insensible.
He was carried in that state to Guy's Hospital, when it
was ascertained that his left eye was cut across, and that
a portion of the bone above had been forced in. So
frightful was the wound, that his eyesight was despaird
of, and he was ordered to remain in the hospital. Police-
constable 134 M was struck with a brickbat on the head
while assisting the last witness. He also received
several kicks on the lower part of the body, which ren-
dered him incapable of performing. his duty.
Police-sergeant M 7 said that when he was informed
of the riot he proceeded to Gravel-lane, and found up-
wards of 200 persons surrounding the constables. As
soon as he arrived they attacked him, and while he had
Muir in custody a brickbat struck the latter (evidently
intended for him), and rendered kim insensible. Witness
was.compelled to convey him to a surgeon's to restore
him to his senses. The other prisoners and those who
escaped were the worst.
Wm. Morgan, a lad about ten years of age, said
that he saw bricks thrown about from all parts. Sul-
livan threw a large one at Richards, who instantly
dropped down like a dead man. He saw the prisoners
and the others who escaped throw stones and kick the
police.
In answer to thecharge the prisoners said they knew
that Witty was not guilty of the offence they charged
him with, and that was the reason they rescued him.
They did not deny committing the assault, but they did
it in self-defence.
It was stated by one of the constables that the
prisoners were most desperate characters, and had been
frequently in custody for felony and other offences.
Mr. SECKER said that it was a most diabolical and
brutal outrage on the police. The officer was in such a
state that the loss of his eye was expected from their
brutality towards him. He should commit them for
trial, but, as other men were implicated, he would re-
mand them for a week to give the officers an opportunity
of apprehending them.
Nine hearty-looking, but dirty young fellows, were
brought up in custody, from Christchurch workhouse,
charged with committing a series of offences in that
workhouse, such as breaking the pails, bedsteads, win-
dows, and assaulting other inmates weaker than them-
selves.

M`Ray, the porter of the workhouse, said that the
prisoners were admitted into the casual ward on the pre-
ceding evening, and supplied with food and lodging. In
the middle of the night the inmates were alarmed by
hearing cries of " murder " and " help" proceed from
the casual ward. Ho immediately proceeded to the spot,
when he saw the prisoners throwing filthy water over
the other lads, breaking up the buckets placed for their
use, and throwing pieces of bedsteads at them. Several
of them surrounded him, and would have knocked him
down had not assistance arrived and endeavoured to
quell the riot. Two of the prisoners, however, attacked
the night porter, and kicked him on the body, and called
on the other inmates to assist them in beating the officer.
The police were, however, called in; and, after a despe-
rate resistance, the prisoners were secured.

. -
Several witnesses were examined, and from their evi•
dente the prisoners were proved to be the ringleaders.
Some of them were, however, much worse than the
others.

The porter of the workhouse said that most of them
had been punished for creating disturbances in the work..
house, and inciting the other inmates to follow their
example. They were indeed, a terror to the others who
sought admission.
Mr. SEeKER committed the two who were foremost in
the disturbance to three months' imprisonment, and three
to two months, and the rest from one month to seven
days each.