The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-03 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

Abdul Hamid, Post-Captain in the Egyptian navy
and Egyptian Commissioner for the Royal Exhibition,
attended on Saturday at this corrt to prefer a charge
against Benjamin Barrett, a cab driver, for the fol-
lowing disgraceful conduct :
Captain Abdul Timid, who was sworn upon the
Koran, stated that having received an invitation to
dine, with his wife, at a friend's house, Rutland-lodge,
Brixton—he sent his servant on the afternoon of
Thursday week for a cab ; and shortly afterwards
defendant drove up to his house, 26, Thurlowe-square,
Brompton. Complainant asked him the fare to Brix-
ton church, when defendant replied 6i. Complainant
observed that he had gone a short time before for
half-a-crown, and had been brought back for 2s. De-
fendant declared that the thing could not be, and no
one would tike him there under 65., and added that
he would not go for less. Saying this he jumped
down from his riding box, and, planting himself right
in front of the complainant, demanded Bd. for
being called from the rank in Sloane-street.
Complainant considering that in consequence of
his exorbitant demand he was not entitled to Bd.,
refused to give it to him, upon which defendant de-
manded his address. Complainant gave him his name,
and told him that the house opposite to where the
cab was standing was his residence. As this did not
stisfy the defendant, complainant's wife, who was
standing by his side, repeated the name and address,
but with no better effect, as defendant still persisted
that he would have the 83. at once. Complainant
asked him to accompany him round the corner to
find a policeman, and expressed his willingness, if he
said the demand was just, to pay the money, but de-
fendant would not let him go, and detained him forci-
bly. lie persisted in his demand with increasing in-
solence, and said, " I'll be d—d if I don't have the 81"
Complainant endeavoured to walk away from him to
get a policeman, but defendant stopped him which-
ever way he moved by keeping in front, so that he
could not pass. Complainant at length pushed him
on one side with his hand, upon which the defendant
squared up to him and inquired whether he meant to
strike him, and again demanded the 83. Complainant,
in allusion to his Cause of refusal, repeated that
he had upon a recent occasion only paid half-a-crown,
upon which defendant called him a liar. Defendant's
manner was so boisterous and violent that complainant
becoming alarmed paid the money.
A solicitor, who attended for the defendant, en-
deavoureicitdionr, cross• examination to show that com-
plainant had asked the fare to Brixton and back,
that complainant bad applied some offensive epithet
to the cabman, and in removing him had grasped him
violently collar, but failed in every respect,
the gentleman by thelemanmost positively denying the whole. So
far from taking anything by his motion the case for
the prosecution became et rengthened by complainant's
declaring that he was delayed in .the street in the
manner be had described by defendant's disgraceful
conduct for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, and
that when defendant mounted his box after receiving
the Bd., he looked complainant full in the face and ex-
claimed "Liar I"

The captain's servant Was called in confirmation of
his statement. _

Defendant's solicitor, in reply to the charge, said
that according to his instructions his client ought to
have been the complainant: The defendant had driven
during the whole time the Exhibition was open,
when perhaps there were greater opportunities, if a
person in his line had liked to take advantage of
them, to overcharge, without any complaint of that
description being made against him, and in the pre-
sent instance understood the gentleman to
ask the f
n clearly
and back, and the gentleman
a fare
to b
Be r
x to
had caught hold of him and shaken him violently. If
defendant had done wrong, he hoped the character he
could receive from his master would be taken in mi-
tigation.
The master said he bad worked for him about
twelve months, and was a very good servant to him.
He was a very respectable man, and bad only been
fined once for improperly plying for hire against the
regulations.
Mr. BRODERIP said that this was a very bad case
indeed, and unless the public were to be entirely
without protection an example must be made of the
defendant. He might truly have been a very good
servant to his master; but what sort of servant he
had been to the public was another matter; and it
was well known that people commonly put up with
extortions from cabmen because they did not like the
trouble, or could not spare the time to come forward
with their complaints. He should be wanting in his
duty to the public unless he committed defendant for
one month to hard labour in the House of Correction.
Committed accordingly.
William Smith, remanded from Thursday, was
fully committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court
for the wilful murder of Mary Elizabeth Reynolds.