The Sun.
London, England, 1835-12-07 00:00:00

KING'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.)

Sittings at Nisi Prins, before Lord DENMAN and a Special
Jury.)
• THE KING V. LUCAS, ESQ.

, .
This was an indictment against Frederick William Lucas,
a gentleman residing at Kensington, for having indecently
exposed himself in Kensington-gardens on the Ist of August

No Counsel appeared for the prosecution, the witnesses
being examined by the Court. For the defendant there ap-
peared the Attorney-General, Mr. Maule, Mr. C. Phillips,
Mr. Adolphus, And some others.
John Turner—l am a corporal in the Coldstream Guards.
I have been five years in the service. On the Ist of August
I was on duty as sentry outside the Princess Sophia's green-
house in Kensington-gardens. On that day I saw Frederick
William Lucas, the defendant. He passed and re-passed
several times, and kept making motions, rubbing his bands
about his person. He went a few yards, and then indecently
exposed his person. The Princess Sophia came up, and he
then went behind the green-house, in the direction of Bays.
water-gate. The Princess's carriage drove into the Palace,
and I told Mr. Jones, her Royal Highness's porter, of the
circumstance. I also told Mr. Bishop, the keeper of the
Park. I saw the defendant again the same evening, and
had him taken up.
Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL.—Before
I joined the service, I worked in Chadwick's cotton factory
at Ashton-under-Lyne. I worked at Harrop's factory for
three or four months after leaving Chadwick's. I knew
John Handwick a constable—he never was after me. I
was in the Derbyshire or some other militia as a substitute
before joining the Guards. I was sworn into the Guards,
but cannot say that I was sworn into the Militia. I was
sworn into the. Guards at Oldham, and was asked on my
oath if I belonged to the Militia, and said I did not. I
cannot say whether that answer was true or not. I re-
ceived 2/. 10s. bounty from the Militia, and 21. 10s. from
the Guards. I never joined the Militia. There is an iron
railing with a shrubbery round that part of the gardens
where the Palace is. Aly:beat is ten yards from the sentry
box—the time I saw the defendant was between 12 and
1 o'clock in the day.
The witness was here examined at great length as to the
locality of the place where his sentry-box stood, and the
direction of the different walks, of which he professed en-

Ire Ignorance.

Tile foreman of the Jury here intimated to his Lordship
that if there were no other witnesses, the case need not be
proceeded with any further.
Lord DENMAN said it was better first to see what the
other witnesses could prove.
Robert Jones—l am porter to her Royal Highness the
Princess Sophia. On the day in question the witness Tur-
ner made a communication to me similar to that given in
his evidence. It was about three quarters of an hour after
the circumstance occurred that the communication was
made. He described the person of the defendant.
Robert Bishop, gate-keeper—l was told by a working-
man, named Plant, that a soldier had been insulted by a
gentleman. I afterwards saw Turner, who was on duty.
He beckoned to me, and described the occurrence. I did
not know the defendant personally, but saw him in the
evening before the Magistrates.
Thomas Rice, policeman T, 65—1 was sent for to the
gate-house at Kensington, and saw the defendant, who was
given in charge by Turner. Mr. Lucas said at once
that ho would go to the station-house. I believe he is a
gentleman residing at Kensington.
John Collingford, serjeant of the Coldstream Guards, was
informed by Turner of the circumstance about one o'clock,
and in the evening, when going the patroles along the Ken-
sington-road, Turner, who was with him, pointed out the
defendant, who was coming towards them reading a news-
paper, as the person who had insulted him. I asked him
was he positive that the defendant was the man, and he
said he was. Turner then took the gentleman into cus-
tody, and brought him to the lodge in the gardens. I asked
the gentleman his name, and he gave me his card. He
appeared to be between thirty and forty years old, and he
requested that his father might be sent for. I saw nothing
remarkable about him, but he was trembling and shaking
after he got to the lodge.
This was the evidence for the prosecution.
Lord DEMNAN, addressing the Jury, said, if they were
still of the opinion they had already given expression to, it
might be as well if they said so. There was nothing incon-
sistent with the statement of the principal witness in the
evidence of the others, but there was nothing that could be
considered directly corroborative of it. The case rested
entirely upon the evidence of the soldier Turner ; and if
they were still of the opinion they expressed, that they could
place no reliance'upon his testimony, there was no necessity
to go into a defence of this detestable charge. If, however,
they had the least doubt upon their minds, it would be
much better that it should go on to the close, than to have
it prematurely put an end to.

The Jury having consulted for a short time, the Foreman
said they were unanimously of opinion that they could place
no reliance whatever upon the evidence of Turner, and
immedigtely acquitted the defendant.
The ATTOREY-GENERAL, in justice to the defendant,
would observe that he had witnesses to rebut, in the most
complete manner, several material points in the evidence of
the soldier ; he had upwards of 100 most respectable wit-
nesses to testify to the irreproachable character of Mr.
Lucas ; and he had just been handed the attestation of
Turner on joining the militia.