The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-07 00:00:00

T.HE OUTEAGE ON A FEMALE.

GLOUCESTER, SATURDAY NICKT.
The magistrates sitting in Petty Sessions at the
Shirehall here to-day, have been occupied ten hours
in investigating a charge of gross outrage upon a
young girl by seven youths from Chaltenham,
named William Bowen, Charles Adcock, George
Cox, Henry Chandler, Joseph Parker, Thomas
Wheeler, and William Haines. The magistrates
present were C. Brooke Hunt and W. C. Lucy,
Esqs.
Mr. Coren appeared for the prosecution, and Mr.
Tayntou and Mr. Cooke, attorneys, for the prisoners.
The case has caused considerable excitement, and

is pointed at as an illustration of the evils attendant
on the custom of holding " mops" or " statutes?'
Dorcas Davis, the proseeutrix, aged 16, a good-
looking girl, was the first witness examined. She
was under examination a considerable time, and
stated in effect that on Monday last she went to
Gloucester Mop, and spent the day there. She met
a young man living in her own village (Church-
down, midway between Gloucester and Cheltenham),
in Gloucester, and went to two public-houses witlY.
him. Witness partcok of some beer. They started
from Gloucester about ten o'clock at night, with a
girl named Tombs, to return to Churchdown, and
the three had got some three miles on the road when
a party of ten or twelve men and boys overtook
them at a point on the road about 200 yards from
the Hare and Hounds public-house. She recognised
the prisoners Adcock, Bowen, Parker, Wheeler, and
Chandler, amongst the party. They commenced
byasking Hopkins for some tobacco. He said he
had none, and they then took his hat off his head,
after which they set upon her and her female com-
panion, attempting to throw them down and pull
up their clothes. Tombs and Hopkins ran awitY)
leaving the witness with the men. One of then;
threw her down on her back, and while another sat
on her chest the whole party, one after another,
thrust their hands up her person, lacerating her and
causing blood to flow. They tore her drawers off
her person, crushed her bonnet, and tore her other
clothing, leaving her on the ground bleeding and
exhausted, when her companions returned to the
rescue with some assistance from the public-house.
While she was on the ground one of the men held
his hand over her mouth to prevent her screams
being heard. Adcock was the first to assault her.
Rosanna Tombs, aged 14, the daughter of a car-.
penter at Churchdown, corroborated the testimony
of the prosecutrix, and said the men attempted to
take similar liberties with her, but she escaped
from them, and ran with Hopkins to the Hare
and Hounds, where they found the people all danc-
ing, as usual at this annual revel. There was
consequently some delay before assistance was ren-
dered. When they got back to Davis, they found
her lying on the footpath, very much hurt and
frightened.
On cross-examination, this witness admitted that,
after all this had occurred, and her companion had
been sent home, she went back to the Hare and
Hounds, and joined in the dancing there until four
o'clock in the morning.
Mr. Pleydell Carter, surgeon, of Gloucester, was
sent for the same night, and visited Davis about
three o'clock next morning. She was in a state of
great exhaustion, and could hardly speak.
Mr. Carter described the results of his examina-
tion, which are unfit for publication, but which fully
bore out the statement of the prosecutrix. Con-
siderable violence must have been used.

Henry Hopkins, who accompanied the girl, and
ran away from them when the attack was made,
corroborated... their statement, and excused himself
for running away, by saying that there were too
many for him, and that he thought it best to go for
help. When the men asked him for tobacco, he told
them he had none, on which they said, " Then we'll
have the wenches." As he ran away he heard
stifled screams from Davis, and saw some of the
men pulling at her clothes.

Aified.Carter was at Gloucester wake, and left
to*44lne in company with Chandler, Harris,
Patket; and a young man (his cousin) named Turk.
On the way they were overtaken by Bowen, Ard-
wick, and Cox. When near the Hare and Hounds,
Cox took hold of the girl Tombs, whom they over-
took with Davis and Hopkins, but she got away,
and he thou took hold of the prosecntrix, Davis, and
put her on the ground. The others got round her,
and witness heard her say once or twice, " Oh, pray
dont't," but did not hear her scream. Witness was
frightened at what his companions were about, and
made off home with his cousin.

Some corroborative evidence was given and at the
close of a tedious inquiry the magistrates fully com-
mitted all the prisoners for trial on the charge of
inflicting grievous bodily harm.