The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-17 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

CHARGE OF ASSAULT AND ROBBERY AGAINST A PUB-
LICAN.-Mr. P. Cowell, the landlord of the York Arms,
High Holborn, was placed at the bar, charged with assault-
ing the prosecutor, and stealing from him a diamond pin
valued at £lO.

Mr. W. Sleigh attended for the prosecution, and, in
opening the case, he was proceeding with some family
matters in connection with the defendant and the prose-
cutor, who had married his daughter, when the magistrate
said he had better confine himself to the charge of assault
and the felony. The following witnesses were examined
to support the charge.
Mr. Martin Lynch said ho residad at 9, Southampton-
row, Holborn, and on the 9th of October, about half-past
11 p.m., he was out walking with a gentleman named
Groves. They passed the defendant's house, the York
Arms, Holborn, and Groves went in and then came out,
and we both then went to the Red Lion, at the corner of
Lambs Conduit-street. After we had been there four or
five minutes the prisoner rushed in, accompanied by eight
or nine persons. Tho prosecutor was standing at the bar
with two friends when the prisoner rushed past them, and
coming up to him (witness) ho said, "You here ; that's my
pin you have got in your scarf," and with that he caught
hold of it and tore it from my scarf, and handed it to one
of the men who came in with him. He then struck him
(witness) over the left eye, and immediately after he re-
ceived a blow from a stick from behind which rendered
him insensible. On coming to he found himself on the
floor, and on observing his hat behind the bar he asked for
it, when the landlord told him to get out, as he did not want
him. He found the prisoner had been taken into custody
and he (prosecutor) signed the sheet which charged him
with assault. He bought the pin at a jeweller's in Hol-
born for £ll 10s. It was a gold pin horse-shoe, set with
opals and diamonds. The injuries he had sustained were
very severe.
Cross-examined—He knew a person named Parker, and
was in his house about 5 minutes before. Mr. Groves,
who was with him, resided in Eastcheap ; the second per-
son in his company was a gentleman named Preston. He
was quite sober at the time the assault was committed. He
never left any insulting message for the defendant with the
landlord of the Coach and Horses, neither did he do any-
thing to annoy him. The prisoner did not say that his
money bought the pin; he said it was his pin, and he
bought it. The defendant never gave him £2O to pay his
debts. He gave him £5O, and out of that he bought the pin.
He had only received £5O in all from the prisoner since he
had married his daughter. Before his (witness's) wedding
prisoner paid £4O for a watch for him which he (witness)
had now in his possession.
Mr. William Parker was called—he said he resided at
Wells-street, Seymour-street, and was in the York Arms
public-house kept by the defendant on the Bth October ;
that he was not in position to state positively what hap-
pened on the night in question.
Mr. John Briggs, the landlord of the Red Lion, Holborn,
said on the evening in question the prosecutor and his
friends came into his house. He would not swear he was
sober. The defendant Cowell came in with some other
person ; the prosecutor and his friends were standing.
He heard the defendant say something about a pin, and
then a disturbance took place.
Mr Warner Sleigh, who appeared for the prosecution,
here put some questions to the witness, as to whether he
saw the prisoner strike the complainant. The questions
caused a great deal of hesitation.
Mr. Vaughan told the witness he was sworn to tell the
truth, and he was asked whether he saw the prisoner
strike the prosecutor. He either saw him do so or he did
not, one of the two, and he could therefore say yes or no.
The witness, after a deal of hesitation, admitted that he
saw the prisoner strike the prosecutor.