The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-23 00:00:00

ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A

POLICE-CONSTABLE AT DEPTFORD.
During the whole of Saturday the towns of Greenwich
and Deptford were in a state of excitement, from its
having been reported that a murder had been attempted
upon a police-constable of the name of Hastie, in a retired
part of Deptford. The rumour was that he had been set
upon by four men, in consequence of his interference on
behalf of a girl, who they were at the time indecently
molesting, and after one of them had struck him a severe
blow upon the head with some deadly weapon, they all
left him bleeding, and in a hopeless condition, where he
might have died if it had not been for an-
other constable, who- had shim conveyed to Guy's
Hospital, and there are no hopes of his recovery.
The following evidence was-given before Mr. Grove,
the magistrate, at the Greenwich Police-office, during
the course of the day. The following men, now in
custody, William Sullivan, William Brozen, Michael
Collins, and Timothy Driscoll, were placed before the
magistrate.
Edward Ford deposed that he knows all the pri-
soners. Ile was at the Rodney Arms with them on
Friday night, and' was turned out with them by the
landlord at twelve o'clock, when he heard a girl abusing
one of them for taking liberties with her person. She
had been drinking with them, and the policemen told
them all to go home, or he must lock them up.
Thomas Purnell, ,a dockyard labourer, stated that he
saw a man pulling about a woman who remonstrated,
and that he heard the policeman tell him to go home.
He went on, and left the prisoners at the corner of the
James
Usher
asttwl-edveer
when, as
as be passed the Rodney, hehat he was going home at a
quarter
saw a man leaning against the wall in a helpless condi-
tion, and upon his trying to arouse him he found, by the
light of his lamp, that he was deluged with blood. He
ran off for assistance, and the poor fellow was taken to
the station-house.
Mary Ann Harding, of No. liock-street, Deptford,
stated she was. at the Rodney en the night in question, in
company with two, young awn, and left them a few
minutes after twelve o'clock. The prisoners left the tap-
room at the same time, and one of them pulled her about
indecently who*: she got into the street. She told them
if they did not leave her alone.she would get thorn locked
up. She called them rogues. The policeman told her
to go home, and to prefer a charge against the party in
the morning. He said so three or four times She then
Went home, and left the men and the officer at Tinderbox
court.
The pike-sergeant and one of the constables deposed
that. Hastie stated on his way to the hospital that Sulli-
van and a thick-lipped man had done it. They went to
Sullivan's lodging, and, opening'the door, he said, before
a word was uttered, "It was' not me that did it ; and
when one of them took hold of him, and asked, " Done
what ?" he replied, "" I know nothing about it."
Sergeant Lovell deposed to taking the other pri-
soners into custody, and to :finding some blood on Pro-
san's trousers.
Upon being asked 'what they had to say in an-
swer, Sullivan simply replied that he had not been at
the Rodney on the previous night, and the other pri-
soners denied having any knowledge of the assault.