The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-30 00:00:00

MANSION-HOUSE.

• _
THE CITY OF LONDON AND STANDARD THEATRES.—
George Hamilton, a comedian, was charged before Mr
Alderman Lutk, M.P., with assaulting Edward James
Bennett, formerly prepay maker to the City of London
Theatre.
The complainant said that last evening he was leaving
the Primrose Tavern, Primrose-street, and that the prisoner
called him back and said, "You sconnarel," and then struck
him on the face. He had been vary kind to the prisoner, and
had given him a bed when ho had no home to go to. After
he was struck by the prisoner, he was seized by some
others present and knocked down, and hold by the legs
while the prisoner assaulted him. The prisoner had been
employed at the Standard Theatre before it was burnt
down. He was very sorry to be obliged to prosecute the
prisoner, but he did so in self-defence,' as the latter had
threatened him that morning in the presence of some
°the!. persons.
By Mr. Beard—He was not present when these threats
were used. The prisoner was one of those employed at
the City of London Theatre, and since it had been taken
he and about 30 of the company had been thrown out of
employment. He had received his wages from the late
proprietor of the City of London. He had never spoken
against the prisoner or any members of the Standard com-
pany, and he gave no provocation whatever for the assault.
He had no witnesses.
Mr. Beard said he would call evidence to disprove the
charge, which was totally unfounded.
Henry Walton said he was a comedian, and had been
employed at the Standard Theatre. He was in company
with the prisoner, and some other gentlemen, at the Prim-
rose Tavern last evening, and saw the complainant there.
The latter had come to the committee-room to annoy the
other parties.
Mr. Beard explained that the tradesmen of the neigh-
bourhood had taken a great interest in the sufferers by the
destruction of the Standard Theatre, and had formed them-
selves into a committee to relieve them.
Witness—The prisoner asked complainant why he had
made insulting observations against him and his colleagues,
and some blows were given. He held the prisoner to pre-
vent his striking the complainant, and there was a scuffle
between them, in the course of which the complainant was
knocked down.
Mr. B. Wright said he was a comedian, and acting ma-
nager to Mr. Douglas, of the Standard Theatre. He was
in the Premise Tavern last night, and there were other
gentlemen present. There were some words relative to
statements which the complainant had made respecting
him, and he would have tried the legality of his conduct,
but that he did not consider him worth powder and shot.
These statements had reference to a statement that he
had lost £lOO by the fire at the Standard, which was a
misprint, and should have been £lO. He would have liked
to have punched his head. (Laughter.) The complainant
and other men employed at the City of London were not
getting their salaries, and if the Standard had not been burnt
down the city of London would have been shut up. He
c3rroborated portions of the evidence of the preceding
witness.
Alderman Lusk said that he had paid groat attention to
the case, and, as complainant appeared the bigger man, he
could not do better than bind them both over to keep the
peace for 6 months.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
WANTONLY ENDANGERING TIIE LIVES OF TWO GENTLE-
MEN IN REGENT-STREET.—George Hickley, carman of No.
6, Hiron's-mews, Manchester-square, was charged before
Mr. Tyrwhitt with being drank and furiously driving a
horse attached to a van in Regent-street.
Mr. W. Wigginton, architect, of County-chambers, Corn-
hill, said that about 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon ho was
riding
down Regent-street in a cab, accompanied by the
Rev. W. 11. Pritchard, rector of Charlton, when the cab-
man drove very close to a van )eing driven by the prisoner,
and he believed touched the van shaft, the cabman having
done so in trying to avoid anther vehicle. Tho prisoner
directly afterwards drove at full gallop after them, and
drove his van right in front of the cab-horse, and had they
(Mr. Wigginton and the Rev. W. Pritchard) not jumped
out of the cab their lives would have been endangered. Not
content with this the prisoner struck the cabman with his
whip.
The prisoner said that the gentleman who was with the
complainant yesterday said ho would not attend.
Mr. Wigginton said that but for the cholera being so bad
in the district Mr. Pritchard would have attended.
Police-constable Masters, ‘,)7 C, deposed to seeing the
prisoner driving a van at a furious rate along Regent-
street, and driving in front o 1 the cab horse and step it.
Seeing two gentlemen jump out of the cab ho went up,
and finding the prisoner was dunk took him into custody.
The prisoner simply denied 'tieing drunk.
Mr. Tyrwhitt said he considered the prisoner's conduct
so wanton and dangerous, that he should fine him 405., or
a month's imprisonment.

WESTMINSTER.
UNFOUNDED CHARGES AND FALSE IMPRISONMENT.—
Thomas Thomas, a labouring wan,
was charged with vio-
lently assaulting Elizabeth Perry
The police handed in a certificate from St. George's
Hospital,
stating that the woman was an inmate there,
suffering from injuries which ccnflne4 her to her bed, but
said that defendant might not be the man who inflicted
them, as there was another person charged with afterwards
assaulting her.
Burlow, 111 B, proved that he was sent for to 19,
Eccleston-place, and found the woman with blood upon
her face. He did not know any thing about her mother,
but took the defendant upon her charge.
Mr. Arnold—Where is the other man ?
The second party, named John Perry, a respectable-
looking man, stood forward, and said that ho was the
woman's father.
Mr. Arnold—flow came he in custody ?
Policeman—After she had charged the first man she
went back again, and very sharply afterwards accused her
father of beating her.
Thomas said the man had been drinkiug with the woman
all the afternoon, when she suddenly attacked him, and
after throwing herself about the place charged him.
The father said that learning the wild state of his
daughter ho went to endeavour to appease her, and also
was locked up by her without the least justification.
Evidence was called, and it having transpired that the
woman had committed a violent assault on a woman
named Rant, the magistrate issued a warrant against her,
arid defendants were discharged upon their own recog-
I nisances.