The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-17 00:00:00

street, Bermondsey, which place she left at half-
past ten to proceed home ; that she went to Lon-
don-bridge, and finding the Hammersmith omnibus
gone, got into a Paddington one, thinking of find-
ing the former at the Battik, but when she got there
and alighted, the, last Hammersmith omnibus had
left, and that seeing the prisoner Pettitt there with
his cab, she hailed him, and told him to drive to
Hammersmith, as she was anxious to get home.
She got inside the vehicle, and Pettitt drove her
some distance and stopped,:when he got inside and
engaged another man to drive them. They drove
about in all directions, and Pettitt indecently as-
saulted her until she became insensible,%The pro-
secutrix was perfectly sober at the time, and ap-
peared in great distress. Witness took her home
to her mother's, where she has since remained, an
the prisoners were locked up.
Mr. Herring said that he had no wish to put any
question to witness, as he had no doubt related the
story told by the prosecutrix in hevonfusion, but
he should be able to show that nearly the whole of
it was false. The prosecutrix was no stranger to
men, and on the very night in question she ac-
companied a gentleman down Chancery-lane long
before she got into the prisoner Pettitt's cab.
He understood that her mother saw her into
one of the Citizen omnibuses on Friday night, a
little after ten o'clock, and told the conductor
to put her "down at the Bank, as she wanted
to go to Hammersmith, recommending her to
return to Amelia-street if the Hammersmith
omnibus was gone. What did the prosecutrix do ?
Not act like a virtuous girl, as he should show. The
omnibus she went in went to Paddington, and when
it got to the Bank the conductor told her so, and
that she had better get out, according to her
mother's directions. She would not get out, but
went as far.as Holborn, where she alighted with a
gentleman and walked arm in arm with him down
Chancery-lane. He (Mr. Herring) had the con-
ductor here to prove these facts, and other witnesses,
which would show that very little reliance could be
placed on the prosecutrix's statement.
Mr. Combe—You can't deny the fact of her being
in the prisoner Pettitt's cab and the other man
driving them.
Mr. Herring said he could not, but that was a
considerable time after she had been walking
about Holborn and Chancery-lane with gentlemen.
When she got into Pettitt's cab she told him to
drive to Amelia-street, Bermondsey, which he had
considerable trouble in finding, and then he did not
know the number.
Mr. Combe—What have you to say about his
employing another man to drive and then getting
inside and indecently assaulting her. Pettitt
pleaded guilty to that on the first examination.
Mr. Herring could not deny that, but no injury
had been done. He called
The conductor of the Paddington omnibus, who
proved that she got into the omnibus, and instead
of getting out at the Bank, she alighted with a
gentleman at Holborn.
The girl also admitted that.
A consultation then took place between Mr. Sheen
and Mr. Herring, when the former informed his
worship that since the last examination he had
fully inquired into the case, and ascertained that
some of the facts related by Mr. Herring were true.
No actual rape,had been committed, and the medical
gentleman who examined her was in attendance if
his worship wished him to be called.
Mr. Combe said that after what he had heard and
carefully inquired into, there was no reason to call
him.
Mr. Herring observed that before his worship
gave judgment he wished to say a few words in
Pettitt's behalf. Hitherto he had borne an irre-
prcachable character, and he hoped that would be
taken into consideration, He had no right to get
inside the cab with that unfortunate female, but he
says he did not assault her.
Mr. Combe—He pleaded guilty to indecently as-
saulting her.
Mr. Herring said that Pettitt says that he was
desired by a gentleman to take care of her, and to
convey her either to Hammersmith or to her
mother's. In her state he preferred the latter, and
got into the cab with her.
Mr. Combe—You must not persuade me to that.
I have inquired into the case, and will, if you like,
hear all the witnesses ; but I don't think such a
course very edifying to the public morals.
Mr. Herring did not wish such a course to take
place. He would leave the matter in his worship's
hands.
Mr. Shaen also thought that, under the circum-
stances, such would be the better course.
Mr. Combe said that as far as Pettitt was con-
cerned, his was a very bad case, and had it been
otherwise, on the part of the girl's conduct, he
should most certainly have sent him for trial. His
conduct as a cab driver was very bad. He had a
young wsman for a fare, and instead of driving her
as he ought, he engages another man, called a
" Buck," to drive, and then he got inside and drove
about with her, according to his own account, more
than two hours. When brought before him in the
first instance he pleaded guilty of indecently as-
saulting her. It was not desirable that any fur-
ther evidence should be gone into, as it would not
improve the morals of the public. He, however,
could not pass this case over as an ordinary assault,
but would deal with it under the Aggravated As-
saults Act, by sentencing him to three months'
hard labour in the House of Correction. With re-
gard to the other prisoner Taylor, he is what they
call a " Buck," and must have known what the
other man got into the cab for with the female.
Mr. Herring assured his worsnip that Taylor was
not a " Buck,' but a respectable coachman. Unfor-
tunately he knew the other, and they mat, when he
was asked to drive.
Mr. Combo said that made him a " Buck" in
every sense of cab phraseology. He had neither
licence nor badge, and was liable to be summoned by
the police for that. Under all the circumstances in
his case he should order him to enter into his recog-
nisanees for his good behaviour for six months,
and he hoped it would be a warning to him for the
future.

WOOLWICH.—WiIIiam Thompson, a seaman,
was placed at the bar before Mr. Traill on a charge
of refusing to serve on board the sloop Forest Fairy.
after duly signing articles, and receiving an ad-
vance mote.
John Ould, captain of the vessel, stated on Sa-
turday last he went to the Sailors' Home, in Wells-
street, St. George's East, and agreed with the pri-
soner, who signed articles for the voyage to St.
Michael's. On arriving at Erith the prisoner had
some dispute with the mate, and he refused to per-
form his duty, or proceed with the ship. The voy-
age was consequently delayed, and witness was
compelled to return to London, and obtain a substi-
tute for the prisoner.
Mr. Traill—Will you ship the prisoner again if.
he consents to per form his duties ?
The Captain—No ;as he endeavoured to persuade
the other hands to be as obstinate as himself.
The prisoner now stated that he was afraid to
proceed with the vessel, as the mate had threatened
to take his life, but this statement was denied by
other witnesses.
Mr. Traill committed him for 21 days' imprison-
ment.

GREEN WIC M.—EXTRAORDINARY APPLICA-
TION TO A MAGISTRATE.-Mr. Rogers, one of the
officers for the parish of Shadwell, applied to Mr.
Traill for assistance under the following circum•
stances :
Mr. Rogers stated that three weeks ago a man
named Welsh was taken suddenly ill at Rother-
hithe, and was removed to Shadwell, where he im-
mediately afterwards died. Having no relatives, a
body of the deceased's fellow-workmen, excavators,
subscribed a sum of 30s. among themselves for his
funeral, which sum was paid over to Mr. Albion,
an undertaker residing at Neptune-street, Rother-
hithe, who was engaged to superintend the in-
terment. The coffin was supplied by Mr.
Albion, and the register of the death ob-
tained by him, but after this he had refused to
proceed and.carry out his duties as undertaker.
The remains of the deceased were then kept in a
house inhabited by a large number of persons, for a
fortnight, when it became so offensive that, for the
health of the inmates, it was removed to the dead-
house of Shadwell Church, where it was then lying,
awaiting interment. He (Mr. Rogers) had since
called upon Mr. Albion repeatedly, either to bury
the deceased, or allow the parish to do so, by deli-
vering the registrar's certificate of death, but bad
been put off from time to time, and as the death had
taken lace now three weeks, it was necessary the
body should be removed from the deadhouse and
immediately buried.
Mr. Traill, on referring to the act of Parliament,
said the law only empowered a magistrate to inter-
fere in cases where the registrar refused togive the
requisite certificate as to death. Here the registrar,
it appeared, had given the certificate, but, under
the circumstances, he (Mr. Rogers) had better ap-
ply to the registrar to give a second centr fiiceatestrar,
Mr. Rogers said he had applied togi
who had declined to give a second certificate.
Mr. Traill remarked that it was an act of great
obstinacy, both on the part of the undertaker a
and
the the registrar;. and the applicant could inform
registrar that he was bound to give the parish the
certificate.
- Mr. Rogers thanked his worship for the advice
givem, and left the court-

ACCIDENT ON THE LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN
RATLIVAY.—An accident occurred on the above line last
night, about iuth• past uiue' hear the Wolverton. station. It
appears that a passenger train ran into a goods train, but
whether any lives have been lost has not yet been ascer-
tained.