The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-14 00:00:00

QUEEN- SQUARE.

THE TENDER MERCIES OF THE POLICE.
George Paskin, a police constable 92 B division, was
charged with violently and without any cause beating a
poor roan with his truncheon. The defendant had been
sent by order of the Commissioners of Police for the ad-
judication of the Magistr :te.
The circumstances of the case are briefly these :
John Bennett, a poor decrepit creature living in Jubilee-
court, on the night of Wednesday, the 2d of Septem-
ber, had a few words with his wife, when on a sudden
the defendant rushed into his house without any pre-
vious notice and dragged him out, and commenced
striking him violently across the legs with his truncheon,
and with such violence that the poor fallow was unable
to stand. Another constable came up, and they told
complainant that he must go to the watch-house. He
was quietly walking along when defendant amused him-
self, while the poor fellow was being held tight by the
collar, with hitting him violently and repeatedly with
his staff. On his arrival ht the station-house, it was
found necessary to send him to the hospital in conse-
quence of the injuries he Lad received. This was con-
firmed by Mr. Mackay, of No 3, Hospital-row, Chel-
sea. He saw defendant strike the poor man four or
five times while he was walking quietly along between
two other constables.
Mr. GREGORIE inquired whether there was, from first
to last, any necessity for using a truncheon at all?
Witness deehred most positively, not the least. The
man never objected to go to the station, nor did he
strugg c or make the least resistance.

Sergeant M'Culloch of the G dlvision, and two other
policemen, said they saw no necessity for using the
truncheon.

Mr. GRFGORIE said it was clear that defendant had
exceeded his duty. He had struck the man most vio-
lently, without the least provocation or necessity. He
must, therefore, for this excess, fine the defendant 505.,
and in default he would be imprisoned and kept to hard
labour for one month.

SELLING ILLICIT SPIRITS-100i. FlNE.—James
Morris, a labourer, who has been twice before charged
with vending illegal spirits, and who on the last occasion
contrived to elude the vigilance of the excise by throw-
ing the spirit away, was charged with vending some mo-
lasses wash to poor labourers.

Daniel Brostey, an excise officer, stated, that on
Monday last he saw the defendant accost several la-
bourers in the brick-fields near Willow-walk, Chelsea,
and supply them with so.nething from a bladder, for
which he received some halfpence in exchange. On a
sudden defendant disappeared, but a sharp look out was
kept for him during the week ; and on Saturday
about two o'clock, defendant went up to some men
who were excavating in the Vauxhall-bridge-road,
and supplied them with liquor from the bladder or skin.
Witness on a sudden went behind him, and seized him
with the glass in his hand. The bladder contained a
pint and a half of spirits made from molasses ; and having
been only run through the still was exceedingly unwhole-
some and very injurious to hardworking men.
The accused did not deny the offence, and said he
knew many of the men whom he had supplied.
Mr. GREGORIE said he saw no reason to mitigate the
penalty ; defendant must pay 100/.
in default he was committed for three months.