The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-05 00:00:00

rliE CHURCH OF ST. G.I3OIIGE-IN-TER-

EAST.

YecAerday there was much less unst-x;xily opposi-
tion and disturbance at the services in the Church
of St. George-in-the-East than for some time past,
and the day passed over in a manner affording
ground for hope that.the fierce party spirit of which
it has long been the scene has well nigh exhausted
itself. Not that there was no irreverent behaviour
on the part of many of the congregation at all the
services, always excepting that of the afternoon
lecturer; but it was confined to a comparatively
few people, and much less remarkable than at any
time heretofore since the disturbances first com-
menced. The 'services were again, as for several Sun-
days previously, conducted under the protection of
the local divisional police of whom upwards of 40,
under the direction of Mr. Superintendent Howie,
were stationed in the pews and aisles of the church.
Some of the recent remarks of Mr. Selfe, the police
magistrate at the Thames Police-court, in which he
distinctly laid down the right, which could never
have been questioned by any intelligent person, of
a congregation to " say" the responses rather than
intone them, if they preferred, but in which he also
declined to express an opinion that they should not
be " said" aloud, were placarded on Saturday in the
shape of a handbill in different parts of the parish,
and it was apprehended that those remarks, together
with a menace held out by the crowd at the police-
court as the Rev. Mr. Lowder and his friends were
leaving it, might tend to a repetition of the dis-
turbances yesterday in a worse form than ever, but,
happily, the result proved to be otherwise. At all
the rector's services there was contention, but in a
comparatively modified form, between those who
insisted on saying and those who sang the responses.
Except, perhaps, in a few point of costume and in
reading the lessons from the old-fashioned read-
ing-desk, the officiating clergy can scarcely
be said to have abated their pretensions as to
the mode of conducting the ministrations. The
services were still choral yesterday, as usual,
and their appeared to be a much stronger choir
than there ordinarily is, at least at the evening
service. The route from the vestry to the chancel
—or " the quasi chancel," as Mr. Lowder called it,
correcting the ecclesiastical nomenclature of Mr.
Selfe, the magistrate—was lined with policemen
to protect the clergyman and choristers on
their way to and from their seats.; blat this did not
save them from the hiss with whi:ch it has become
customary to assail them alwrys at leaving and
occasionally on entering the cliurch. The Rev. Mr.
Machonochie conducted Ur., services and preached
the sermon in the mornie.g, about 400 persons being
present ; he also officia'yed at the Litany service in
the afternoon, and t.'ne Rev. Mr. Lowder intoned
the prayers and Preached in the evening. On all
three occasions tkere were interruptions from cough-
ing and jeer,i-g on the part of the congregation,
but nothinp, in comparison with the disturbance of
former Sr,ndays. The greater degree of order which
prevaNd yesterday was doubtless attributable to
the 'churchwardens, with the assistance elf the
police, preventing the people assembling in a mass,
"as formerly, in the chancel, where all the unseemly
behaviour had always before been manifested. As
the congregation arrived they were shown into
seats in the body and galleries of the church, and,
the chancel being thus kept clear, the services Pro-
ceeded with only such interruption as has been
mentioned, emanating chiefly from persons bent
upon opposition, who contrived to seat themselves,
in the vicinity of the chancel, and an occasional
sound like the lighting of a Lucifer match. From
1,500 to 2,000 people were present at the lecturer's
service in the afternoon, and at least 2,00 in the
evening. The Rev. Bryan King, the rector, who
is understood to be still unwell, was again absent.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Dec. 3.

SOUTHWARK.--EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF
ATTEMPTED RA P E.—John Pettitt, cab-driver,
badge 13,737, of No. 5, South-mews, Manchester-
square, was brought before Mr. Combe, charged
with indecently assaulting a young woman, named
Louisa Davies, with intent to commit a rape, and
Charles William Taylor, a coachman, of 18, Guild-
ford-strreet, Berkeley-square, was charged with
aiding and abetting him in the commission of that
offence.

Broderick, 43 M, informed his worship that the
young woman was so much injured that she was
unable to leave her bed. He, however, could state
the facts as far as he knew. About a quarter-past
three o'clock that morning, he was on duty in Snow's-
fields, Bermondsey, when he saw a cab driven by
the prisoner Taylor, pass him. The other prisoner
was inside, and put his head out and called to the
other. They went up Melior-street, but there
being no outlet, they came back and drove towards
Gay's Hospital. Witness suspecting that some-
thing was wrong, followed them as far as Maze-
pond, when Pettitt got out, and said he had dropped
a shilling. He opened his lamp and looked, but
no shilling was to be found. Pettitt then jumped
into the cab again, and Taylor was about to drive
off, but witness perceived a female lying inside in
a helpless state. He stopped the vehicle, and saw
that Taylor had no badge, but Pettitt had
one on his breast, No. 13,737. He also per-
ceived that the female's dress was much dis-
ordered, and that she was partially insensible.
He took them all to the Bermondsey Police-
station, and, as soon as she recovered, she told wit-
ness that Pettitt had grossly assaulted her.
Mr. Combe—Where is she now ?
Constable--At her mother's, in Mellor-street,
Bermondsey,
Mr. Combe—Was she sober ?
Constable-0 yes, sir.
Mr. Combe—How came she in Pettitt's cab ? "
Constable—l understand that she resided at
Hammersmith, and had been on a visit to her
mother in Melior-street, and being too late for the
omnibus she hailed Pettitt near the Bank of Eng-
land, and instead of driving her home he got the
other prisoner to take the reins while he got inside
and attempted to ravish the young woman. The
mother and her brother are both in court.
Mr. Combe—Let the mother step forward and
state what she knows of this outrage.
The mother, a very respectable looking elderly
female, said she was a widow, and resided with her
son in Melior-street, Bermondsey. Her daughter
was in the service of a family in the Broadway,
Hammersmith. On the previous evening she paid
her a visit, and left a little before ten o'clock.
Witness accompanied her to London-bridge and
' put her into a twopenny omnibus to go to the
Bank, where she expected to find the Hammer-
smith omnibus, but unfortunately for her the last
omnibus had left. Feeling anxious to get home to
Hammersmith as soon as possible she hailed Pet-
titt's cab near the Bank, and told him to drive her
there, but instead of doing so he engaged the other
prisoner and got inside. They must have driven
her a great distance, and great violence was done
to her.
Mr. Combe—What state is she now in ?
Mother—She is very ill, sir, but I don't think
that she has been ravished. She has continual fits.
Mr. Combe—Did she make any statement at the
station-house ?

Acting Inspector Wise said he was on duty at
the Bermondsey police-station when the prisoners
were brought in by Police-constable Broderick.
The female, as soon as she recovered her senses, told
him, that when she got out of the omnibus at
the Bank she found that the Hammersmith
omnibus had left, and seeing the prisoner Pettitt
with his cab, she engaged him to drive her to Ham-
mersmith, and she then got in. After going a short
distance Pettitt got into the vehicle, and the other
man drove. She was so frightened that she could
not call out. She was driven towards Peckham
instead of Hammersmith, and when the constable
stopped them Pettitt had nearly ruined her. She
then fainted away, and witness had her conveyed
to her mother's.
Mr. Combe—What is Taylor?
Wise—He is what is called a "buck," He has
neither badge nor license, sir.
Taylor—l had nothing to do with assaulting the
female. I thought it was Pettitt's sweetheart, and
at his request I drove them about. The young
woman never called out.
Pettitt—l own to indecently assaulting her.
Mr. Combo._. when is it likely that she will be
able to attend ?
Wise—Most likely in a few days.
Mr. Combe—Then I shall remand both prisoners
until Thursday next.
ROBBING A LAWYER.—Miranda Gibson, a fashion-
ably attired female, Vile keeper of a brothel, 8, Wil-
liam-street, Newington-causeway, was charged with
being concerned, with two men not in custody, in
stealing a gold watch and breast-pin from the per-
son of Mr. Wm. Stafford, solicitor, 17, Wellington-
street Nortb, Strand.
The prosecutor, a middle-aged man, said that
about nine o'clock on Friday night he met with a
female in Newington-causeway, and after some con-
vin•sation he accompanied her to a house kept by
the prisoner. Soon after he got in he felt very un-
well and drowsy. At that time his watch was safe
in his waistcoat-pocket, and his gold pin in his shirt.
Some time afterwards he was reused up by being
violently pulled about, and he then saw the prisoner
rifling his pockets, while two men had hold of List.
His watch and chain were gone, and as soon as he
recovered himself the men rushed out of the house.
He detained the female and went to, the front of
the house, when a constable came up and he gave
her into custody. On returning to the room he
picked up his chain.
Smith, 72 M, said he was on duty in William-
street on the night in question, and about 20 minutes
past nine he eaw Ur. Stafford in the front garden