The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-19 00:00:00

The prisoner was then remanded for a week.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET. THE ASSAULT
ON THE POLICE ARISING OUT OF A DOUBTFUL
CHARGE.—;\Ir. James Darcy, licensed victualler,
of 18 George-street, Grosvenor-square, charged with
being drunk and creating a disturbance in Davies-
street on the morning of the 17th ; and hlr. Henry
Govier, of No. 1, Clifton street, Finsbury, insur-
ance agent, with assaulting C 122 (Stevenson) in
the execution of his duty, attempting to rescue the
other defendant from custody, and subsequently
assaulting other constables at the station-house,
were again brought before Mr. Beadon, in discharge
of their bail and for decision in the case.

Mr. Beard, of Basinghall-street, as berore, ap-
peared for the defence.
On the last examination it was alleged, not
alone by the defendants but by witnesses called on
their behalf, that the policeman, Stevenson, 122 C,
had directly perjured himself in denying that he
was at Weipperts's Rooms, were the defendants
were, or had accepted any description of drink or
refreshments preceding the defendants' arrest, either
from them or others; the witnesses for the defence
swearing, and the defendants asserting, that be was
in the rooms more than once during the night, and
had partaken with another constable of spirits, and
in the way of eating a portion of a pork-pie. It
was in consequence of this conflicting evidence that
the magistrate granted a remand, and it is due to
the police to state that Inspector Webb, of the C
division, expressed himself anxious for this course.
On the case being called on, Mr. Inspector Webb
said he wished to stat 3 at once that Stevenson,
the constable, was not in court. He made strict
inquiries after the last examination, and ascer-
tained beyond any question of doubt that the con-
stable, notwithstanding his repeated and deliberate
denial on oath that be was in the rooms at the time
the ball and entertainment was going on, that he
was there, and had partaken of refreshment, and
this while on duty, and the place off his beat. In
consequence of this discovery, and clear confirma-
tion of evidence in this court, the constable was
taken before the Commissioners of Police the next
morning, who immediately dismissed him.
Mr. Beadon said he felt sure a fair inquiry
would be instituted by the police authorities, and
that dismissal would be the result.
Mr. Webb—As tar as the assault on the police
by the defendant Govier is concerned, I now, on
the part of the police, with the permission of the
court, wish to withdraw the charge.
Mr. Beadon said the assault was certainly
brought about by very aggravated circumstances,
and he felt sympathy for the position in which the
defendant Govier was placed. He had been greatly
ill-treated. Anything more disgracefnl than the
conduct of the now dismissed constable, could
hardly be conceived. It was a truly cruel thing to
the force and the public that a man should so per-
jure himself in the character of a policeman as
Stevenson had done. He would take the oppor-
tunity of saying that it was the duty of conductors
of rooms taken for public entertainments as well as
that of the public, to refrain from giving drink to
constables in uniform while on duty. Giving them •
drink at such times was doing considerable mischief
to the force, besides rendering them liable to dis-
missal.

Mr. Beard, in the course of some lengthened re-
marks on the defendant's behalf pertinent to the
case, observed that he had to thank the police for
the way in which this case had been. met. His
client, Mr. Govier, who was a man of well.known
quiet habits, and had several gentlemen
present, if necessary, to prove the fact, ex-
ceedingly regretted acting in the way he did
in the cell, but he was at the time suffer-
ing acutely from his naturally excited feelings,
having been dragged from his dear children, who,'
he might • remark, had recently lost their mother,

to a police station, a prisoner—those children while
this was being done awaiting his return in a cab to
be taken home. Mr. Govier had geone to the ball-
room as secretary to a charitable institution, en
whose behalf the entertainment had been got up,
and had merely left the cab door at the request of
a friend, to learn the cause of the disturbance,
when he was pounced upon and locked up. He
should have been well prepared with a defence to
the charge if needful.
Mr. Beadon said the defendants were discharged
and they left the court with their friends.

IVESTMINSTER.—BRUTAL ASSAULT UPON A
BOY.—Patrick Shannon, a rough-looking fellow,
was charged with the following brutal assault upon
John Dakin, a little fellow 11 years of age, whose
mouth was very much cut.
Complainant said that on Tuesday night he was
playing in the waste ground in Victoria-street,
Westminster, when the prisoner came down into
the ground and "clouted" his ears several times,
without his having done anything to provoke him,
and he then kicked him in the mouth, inflicting
the wound which he exhibited.
&wall Bicker, a respectable-looking woman, said
she happened to be passing down Victoria-street,
when she saw the prisoner striking the boy, first on
one side of his head and then on the other, till he
knocked him down. The boy presently got up and
asked one of his companions to give him a stone,
when the prisoner rushed at him again, knocked hire
down, and then kicked him in a most brutal man-
tier while he lay on the ground. She remonstrated
with the prisoner on his conduct, when he made a
blow at her. He was drunk.
Defendant said that the boy threw stones at him
when he certainly struck him, but did not kick
him. He cut his mouth in falling.
Complainant denied that he had done anything
to annoy the defendant, and the boy's mother said
she had never heard any complaint made against
him.
Prisoner's wife stepped forward and begged the
magistrate to be lenient with her husband, as she
had four small children wholly dependent upon his
support.
Mr. Paynter thought his conduct the more re-
prehensible. Had the boy provoked him he should
have remembered he was very little, instead of
knocking him about in this brutal way, and then
kicking him while he lay on the ground. One
would hardly imagine a man with a family doing
such a thing. He should send him to prison for
three months, and require him to find sureties.
On the wife making a subsequent appeal,'
Mr. Paynter said he should remand the case until
the evening, and if her husband bore a good charac-
ter he might lessen the sentence, but should cer-
thinly send him to prison.

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