The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-10 00:00:00

THAMES.

SAVAGE ASSAULT UPON A FEMALE.—John BUTES, a
middle-aged man, and powerfully made, was charged with
the following savage assault on Mary Jones, a feeble-
looking woman with whom he cohabited.
..

Complainant, previous to being sworn, expressed her un-
willingness to press the charge ; but the magistrate ob-
serving the state of her cheeks, which were much swollen,
and that she had two black eyes, said he must hear her
statement.

She was then sworn, and stated that she had been living
with the prisoner about 12 months, and that during a great
portion of that time he had ill-used her repeatedly. He
had frequently struck her with his fists.
Magistrate—What did he do last night
Complainant—He came home when he was in liquor,
and he struck me with his fists.

Magistrate—Did he knock you down ?
Complainant—He did, sir; and when I was down he
then struck me. lam very much hurt. (She seemed in
great pain.)

Sergeant Cox, of the K division, said this was the
third time that the prisoner had been charged by com-
plainant with having assaulted her, and that she would
never press the case.

The magistrate remarked that it was a most cowardly
assault, and that he (prisoner) must be punished. I shall
send you to the House of Correction for six weeks.
The prisoner was then removed from the bar.

A SUICIDAL MONOMANIAC.—Maria Simpson, a young
woman of a pleasing cast of countenance, was charged with
being disorderly in the street.

Police Sergeant K 22, said that he was on the previous
night on duty, when he saw the prisoner, who was known
to him from her previous misconduct, causing a disturb-
ance. She had been drinking, and as he could not prevail
upon her to be quiet, he was compelled to take her to the
station-house.

Inspector Griffin said that the prisoner had not been long
in the cell before she attempted to commit suicide, as she
had done before. Only a short time ago she was charged
before your worship for attempting self-destruction.
Mr. Selfe—l recollect I sent her to prison, and after a
little while she succeeded in inducing the chaplain of the
gaol to believe that she repented the act. He wrote to me,
when I remitted the remainder of her punishment, expecting
a reformation had taken place, and this is how she acts.
The inspector stated that he believed she had attempted
suicide at least twenty times, and that, whenever she was
brought to the station-house, he was always obliged to have
two constables to watch her. On the previous night, he
placed two outside the door of her cell. They were not
there long before they suspected that she was attempting
to destroy her life. They went into the cell, and found her
with a piece of riband tied tightly round her throat. They
cut the riband.
She was held to bail for six months.

GOOD NEWS FOR SHOPKEEPERS.

A NEW AND IMPORTANT SOCIETY.

In consequence of the great increase in shoplifting
offences, some of the leading members of the drapo ry and
other trades have taken steps to prevent as far as possible
the committal of this class of crime, and to obtain the most
severe punishment possible for such persons who may be
prosecuted. Accordingly a society entitled the " Society
for the protection of Shopkeepers from Shoplifters" has
been formed under most influential auspices.
Yesterday two cases were successfully prosecuted under
the direction of the company, by Mr. Orridge as counsel,
instructed by Mr. lVarrand as solicitor, at the Wandsworth
and Hammersmith Police-courts.

Mr. Thomas Matthews, Mr. Bryant, and Mr. Nibbett,
of Notting-hill, were the sufferers in one case ; and Mr.
Banks, of Clapham-rise, in the' other.
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The prisoners pleaded guilty, and begged hard to have
the eases summarily disposed of.
Mr. Orridge addressed the bench at considerable length,
and said the prisoners ought to be committed for trial.
Shopkeepers had suffered from this kind of depredation quite
long enough, and they were determined to check it. It Wes
for this very reason that the society had been instituted,
and it was determined in every case to prosecute offenders
to the full extent.

The magistrates (Messrs. Dayman and Paynter) admitted
the force of the remarks, and appreciated the use of the
society by committing the prisoners, named Susan Green,
20, and Robert Downs, 40, respectively to the Westminster
and Surrey Sessions for trial,