The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-01 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

ASSAULT IN REGENT-STREET.—Wm. Harris and
Abel Cornwell, two young men, were charged before
Mr. Knox as follows :
Mr. Win. Stevens, a retired tradesman residing
in Stafford-street, Lisson-grove, said that he was
passing through Regent-street about ono o'clock in
the morning in company of his brother, when two
females accosted them. He zequested them to go
away, and as they did not do so he pushed ono of
them away, upon which she gave a signal, and one
of the prisoners came across the road and struc k
him. He retaliated, and then the other prisoner
came across and struck him, and also his brother.
One of the females took his walking stick from him,
and one of the prisoners took it from her and struck
him a violent blow on the cheek with it.
Mr. Thomas Stevens, brother of the previous wit-
ness, said that as soon as the female gave a signal
one of the prisoners came across the street and said
to his (witness's) brother, " Who are you ?" and
then gave a whistle, and the other prisoner then
came across. Both prisoners then assaulted him
and his brother, but it being a dark spot he could
not speak positively as to which of the two assaulted
him, but after one had assaulted him he left him and
went to his brother, and the two prisoners as3aiilted

his brother. One of the females got the stick from
his brother and gave it to one of the prisoners, who
struck him with it. A cabman seeing the prisoner
striking him with a stick lent him hi; whip to de-
fend himself with, and he did so till the constable
came up. He was positive the two prisoners were
the men who assaulted them.

Police-constable James Billett, 223 C, said that
ho was on duty in Regent-street, and a few minutes
before one ho saw the two prisoners and two females
pass him and then separate, and Cornwell went
across the road to Chapel-place, and then called
out "Bill" as loud as he could, and Harris ran
across the road, and ho (Billett) then heard cries of
" Police" and " Murder," and tho two females ran
across the road just before him, and on going into
the court he saw Cornwell and the first witness on
the ground together. He took Cornwell into cu-
stody, and on getting into King-street Harris was
recognised by the last witness as one of the two who
had assaulted him, and he was also taken into
custody.

In answer to Mr. Knox, the constable said that
both prisoners appeared to have been engaged in a
recent struggle, as there was mud on their clothes.
Harris said that he was pushed against by one of
the complainants and knocked down without any
provocation, and all he did was in self-defence. He
did not consider that it was likely that two small
fellows like him and Cornwell would attack two
such men as the complainants.
Cornwell said he was sorry for what had occurred,
but he only took his own part. He was a brick-
layer, but not in work of late.
Mr. Knox said that he was far from thinking the
assault a common one. He would like to know
whether the prisoners were known.
Inspector Bowles handed Mr. Knox a book, and
from it it appeared that Harris had been convicted
of larceny, and sentenced to four years' penal ser-
vitude, and that he was in possession of a ticket of
leave.

Harris said that he had been endeavouring to live
honestly ever since he had been at large, and he
hoped the magistrate would give him a chance.
Mr. Knox said he was not going to do anything
at present. There was nothing one would not do
to help him (Harris) in his unfortunate position, but
with such a character as he had got ho ought to
know that he should not be walking the streets at
such an hour. The case had a very serious
look about it, as nothing was more common, as was
well-known at that office, than for women to stop
men, and if the men resisted the demands for
getting in connection with the females to walk up
and attack and rob the men. He should order
strict inquiries to be made respecting the course of
life Harris had been pursuing since he had received
his ticket, and also respectingCornwell,and he would
inform the prisoners that not only would they receive
punishment for their offence, but Harris would go
back to Portland and serve the rest of his time.
Tho prisoners would be remanded.

Mr. Isaacson, laceman, of Regent-street, and
whose house is situated at the corner of Chapel-
court, stepped forward, aLd said that he had to com-
plain of tho insufficiency of police protection
at night iu Regent-street, such outrages as
the one ho had heard detailed Wing of frequent
nightly occurrence in Chapel-court. On tho present
occasion all the persons in his house, principally
fornales, were woke up by screams of " Murder !"

the court. Being a householder and a large rate-
payer, he considered that something ought to be
done to stop the nuisance.

Mr. Knox said that Mr. Isaacun's complaint
should be attended to.

AIR OF THE HOUSE OF CO3IIIONS.—MI large
attendance of members last session made it necessary to
send more air than usual through the houso. Upwards of
2,500,000 cubic feet were supplied per hour. It was ori-
ginally designed to supply air from a great height—viz.
from the clock tower, but it was not found by experience,
that the air was so pure as the air from below, and it is
now drawn from the two courts of the House, the Star-
Court and the Commons-court. Complaints were made
that a smell of tar, or a smell from something going on by
the side of the river, was drawn into the house. The ave-
rage temperatuie maintained in the house is 62 deg. In
hot weather the air cannot be kept down to that, but the
greater heat is then counteracted by increasing the velo-
city of tho air,