The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-12 00:00:00

EPSOM RACES.

MALTON, Tuesday.—The fol'ovring boves left here
this day fur Li>atherhad :—Target, Rose de Florence,
Bird-in-the-Hand; Grwculus Esuriens, Hepatica, Four-
-I.aved Shamrock, Vanity, Queen Charlotte, Azim, and
Manvrieff.
x ipholite, Longrange, and Warlock are expected
to leave on Weclae.day (this day).

SERAPE'S CHARGE AGAINST 7 Tro OFFICERS.—
EXTRAORDINARY MAGISTERIAL DECISIoN.

On Monday two officers of the Royal Engineers
at Btompton B►rracks, Chatham, named Lieut.
George Mansell Collings, and Lieut. Robt. Hamil-
ton Vetch, were charged before the county magib-
trates at Rochester with having each preserved a
loaded gun at George Edward Osborne, a market
gardener at Gillingham, and thrt atoned to shoot
him. _ . .

The statements made by the proF,ecutlr in pre
ferring the charge was to the effect that on the pre-
vious Friday aftein)on be saw the two defendants,
each with a gun, in a field through which there
was no thoroughfare. There were two dogs with
them engaged in trailing. Prose tutor sent one o 1
his men to older them away on which Lieutenant
Collings acted in a very disgusting manner, and at
the same time made use of a ally expression to
him. He then demanded what they meant b 3
such conduct, when they both became greatly ex-
cited, and flew into a violent passion, asking pro-
secutor what right he had to say anything to them,
and threatened to shoot him if he spoke another
word. They at the same time cocked their guns,
which were capped, and presented them at him,
repeating their threat. Fearing they would carry
their threat into effect, prosecutor called for assist-
ance and gave them into custody, but on the con
stable attempting to take them they knocked him
down, and were so violent that another police-
constable had to be sent for, when they were both
handcuffed and taken to the s'ation-house.

The magistrates, without hearing any evidence
in support of the complaint, and without calling
on the accused for any answer to the charge, re-
fused to allow the prosecution to proceed, and de
dined to entertain the charge against the defen-
dants for threatening to shoot the prosecutor. The
prosecutor then stated his intention to employ
counsel, and make the charge against the defen-
dants on the next court day, but the magistrates
told him if he did so, they would not entertain it.
The two officers were then charged with assault-
ing the constable who took them into custody whilst
in the execution of his duty. The bench, how-
everfdeclined to receive this charge also, saying that
as they had refused to allow the charge of attempt-
ing to shoot to be proceeded with, the constable had
no right to take the accused into custody, and there-
fot e had exceeded his duty. The two defendants,
who had been seated near the bench, then left the
court.

The names of the magistrates on the bench were
the Rev. G. Di-tvie, J. Smith, Esq., W. M. Smith,
E-q., M.jor H. Bop, and the Rev. J. J. Marshate.
We aro i•<formed the whole matter is to be laid Le-
&To the Home Sectet,ry.

DISCOVERY OF A ROMAN FORD.—Last week, during
the progress of the works for the improvement of Upper
Witham, the excavators laid bare the Roman ford on the
Foss road from Lincoln to Newark. It is eight chains
south of the Braoebridge•bridge. The floor or bed is corn-
posed of stone, gravel, and concrete, so very hard that al-
though only 20 yards long (the width of theriver) and 30 ft
in breadth, the men were engaged two days before they
lowered the bed 18 inches. There is every reason to sup-
pose that the causeway may be found on the low land
le tditiw from the fotd B, ,te:l-,ridge village. Several wood
bridqesi app, ar to hive bt.en created over the Witham
at different periods near the present and be-
tween it and the ford mentioned above a number of
piles were discovered in the excavation. Several spear
heads have also been found—two in beautiful preserva-
tion. They are now in the possession of Mr. Padley, of
this city, the surveyor to the Commissioners of bowers.
—Lincoln, Notts, and Nortli tdlond Times.