The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-19 00:00:00

THE TOWN AND GOWN ROWS.

John Freestone, a strong and powerful man, about 30,
pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with as-
saulting and beating Arthur Walsh with a staff, on the 7th
of March last, in this town.
Mr. Sergeant Byles and Mr. O'Malley conducted the case
for the prosecution ; Mr. Burcham appeared for the de-
fendant.
Arthur Walsh—l am the eldest son of Sir John Walsh,
On the 7th of March, I went to the Rose-crescent. I was
behind the body of gownsmen there assembled. I could
see two or three police at the entrance. There
was " a row " when I first came up from Trinity-
street. I should say there were not 100 gowns-
men altogether. There was a rush, and we were driven back
to Trinity street ; we retreated to Trinity-gates. I did not
see any weapon in the hands of the gownsmen. There were
eight or ten policemen between us. The gownsmen were
quite quiet, and so were the townsmen then. We tried
to get into college, and while my back was turned to the
gates there was a rush on us by the police, backed by the
town's-people. I saw Freestone come towards me. I had
my gown on, and had retreated to the gate, but could not
get in. I had no weapon, and used no exciting actions. I
was going_sideways, trying to get to the wicket-gate, when
—T was struck fly the defendant on my shoulders so hard
that I fell on my knees While I was down I felt him lay
his staff on my forehead, as if to take aim, and then he
knocked me quite down. He stunned me. When I re-
covered the wicket was open, but choked up with men. I
got up, and was drawing towards it, and looking back, saw
Freestone coming up to me again. He said, "You are up
again, are you? Take that;" and struck me again with his
staff over the head. I was stunned, and, staggering through
the wicket, fell on the grass inside. I was in the hands of
two surgeons afterwards, from the effect of theie blows.
There were about seventy gownsmen with witness. Walked
up and down the Crescent when out of breath, and then
pushed again. Think. the gownsmen would have kept the
Crescent against the town if the police had not interfered.
The town would not have beaten us.—(Laughter.) The
Crescent was a good position for us. If we had been attacked,
could have made a good defence. Thinks it was the duty of
the police to interfere, but was angry with them for prevent-
ing them fighting in the town. Pushed against them be-
c,use he heard they were beating the proctor. The row com-
menced at Tom Thnnib's exhibition. Did not see a gowns-
man knock out the teeth of a respectable tradesman in the
Crescent; heard of it. In Trinity-street there were about
eight policemen and about seventy gownsmen. The gowns-
men did not run from the eight policemen.
Re-examined—The police appeared to be leading on the
townsmen ; they were using their staves upon the gownsmen.
Mr. Bridgman—ls a pensioner. Was in the Crescent on
Saturday, the 7th instant. About seventy gownsmen were
there. On the bill were three hundred or four hundred
townsmen. Witness was among those who retreated from
the Crescent from Trinity. They called out to open the
gates. There was then a cessation of hostility. Saw no
weapons with the gownsmen. Offensive language was used
on both sides. The police made use of dreadful language.
They rushed upon the gownsmen and knocked „indiscrimi-
nately right and left with great violence. While the gowns-
men were trying to get through the gate, the police were
using their staves. Saw Mr. Bruce knocked on the head
with a bludgeon, and afterwards there were two policemen
striking him on the head and face. He is now ill in London
from the effects of blows. Saw Mr. Walsh knocked down.
Saw him brought into college almost insensible.
Cross-examined—First saw bludgeons at the time of the
retreat into Trinity. Saw gownsmen pushing towards the
hill. Sawa townsman strike a gownsman, and a policeman
follow up the blow, and then protect the townsman back again.
Re-examined—Saw bludgeons in the hands of the towns-
men, none with the gownstnen. Can't tell whether the
bludgeons produced are townsmen's or gownsmen's.
Mr. John Fletcher corroborated the statements of the
two former witnesses.

Mr. Williams, pensioner of Trinity—Was close to Free-
stone when he struck Mr. Walsh at Trinity-gate. He said,
" That's the man I want. I've marked him, and will kill
him if I can." Witness was himself struck twice by the
police.

Cross-examined Left his rooms because he heard a
gownsman was being killed.
The Rev. John James Smith, Fellow and Tutor of Camas—
On the night of Monday went on to the hill. Saw one stick
among the townsmen. Saw the police using their staves on
the gownsmen. Witness was struck by the police. Was
urging them not to use their staves. Saw a townsman beat-
ing the gownsmen with a stick. Urged the police to disarm
him, but they paid no attention.
The Rev. John Craufurd, one of the deans of Camas, Mr.
John Deighton, surgeon, and Mr. Rowe, jun., were called in
corroboration.

John Whittaker, porter of Trinity, deposed to admitting
the gownsmen on their retreat to Trinity-gate. There were
several broken heads and much blood.

Mr. Lestourgon, surgeon, deposed that he attended Mr.
Walsh on the night of the row. Mr. Walsh had a severe
blow on the side of his head, but no wound. He was much
excited.

This was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Buncuam proceeded to address the jury for the de-
fendant. After commenting upon the evidence the Learned
Counsel called several witnesses. _ .

David Arnold, police-constable—There were nearly two
hundred gownsmen. Witness was knocked down and struck
several times. Did what he could to protect the gownsmen,
drove off the townsmen.
Cross-examined—Have known the defendant for six years.
Thomas Chapman, police-officer, was in the Crescent and
was knocked down. The gownsmen were very violent. Saw
police-constable Barker struck with a poker by a gownsman.
Cross-examined—Did not see the man's face who knocked
him (witness) down. Saw his arm only, but looked up and
saw his face when on the ground. Knew it to be the man
from the resemblance of his fist to his face.—(Laughter.)
The skin was alike.—( Immense laughter.)
Thomas Howlett, police-constable--Several gownsmen had
sticks. Was knocked down three times in the Crescent.
James Fletcher, a bricklayer—Saw the gownsmen strike
the police with sticks. Saw Mr. Walsh rush from the body
of gownsmen and strike Howlett, whose hat was knocked
off. When he struck Howlett he said, 6. you, policeman,
get out of the way, we want a row with these snobs."
Richard Barker, a police-constable, produced a poker with
which he was knocked, down by /I gownsman.
Mr. Henry Smith—ls a member of the watch committee.
Saw the disturbance on Saturday on the hill. Thought the
conduct of the gownsmen very violent.
Mr. Sergeant BYLES replied, commenting in a humorous
manner upon the evidence for the defence; after which
His LORDSHIP summed up the case, observing that the only
casa for the jury to try was, merely whether the assaults
complained of by the prosecutor had been committed by the
defqadant, and whether such assaults were justifiable? As
to the first question,_ no doubt existed that an assault had
been committed. No evidence was offered as to any assault
being committed on the policeman by Mr. Walsh. The other
ground of justification was, if the defendant had committed
the assault in order to quell the riot. It was for the jury to
consider if there was evidence to show that this was the case.
The jury, after considerable deliberation, returned a ver-
dict of Guilty.
Mr BYLES said, that on the part of the prosecutor there
was no wish to press for any severe punishment, as the pro-
reacation was only induced by a sense of public duty.
His LORDSHIP said, that the prisoner must stana commit-
tal, and be brought up for judgment the nest morning.