The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-20 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Oct. 19.

MANSION-HOUSE.—John M'Crow, a fero-
cious-looking fellow, was brought before the Lord
Mayor, charged with having stabbed Win. Witham,
a fish-dealer in Whitecross-street, under the follow-
ing circumstances :
The prosecutor having been sworn, said—On
Saturday afternoon last I was in ;!, coffee-shop in
Botolph-lane, eating a haddock. I asked the pri-
soner to pass me the pepper-box, and he made a
dirty observation in reply. A young man who was
standing by commenced larking with the prisoner,
who immediately took a table knife from his pocket,
and said, "This is how I serve people who interfere
with me." He placed the knife on the table and
took up a stick, saying he would strike any low-
bred fellow who did anything to him. I said to
him Why, you are the first that ought to be hit
with4it, for the expression you used just now." The
prisoner took up the stick for the purpose of strik-
ing the young man, whom I was anxious to protect
from violanc:?, and upon my endeavouring to assist
him, the prisoner again took up the knife, and
stabbed me in the hand in two places. I then pro-
ceeded to St. Thomas's Hospital, where I got my
wounds dressed.
Cross examined by the prisoner—I did not at all
interfere with you. You made use of a very bad
expression when I asked you to pass me the pepper-
box.

Henry Wooster, it costermonger, raid—l was
present in the coffee-shop when the prosecutor was
stabbed. He was eating a haddock, and asked for
the pepper-bor. The prisoner replied "You don't
want it," and made use of a filthy expression. He
then began larking, and got out of temper, and
tried to give me a crack on the head with a stick.
He bawled out, " The fast man who uses bad lan-
guage ought to be hit on the head with the stick."
I iaplied, "Then you are the first that ought to be
hit on the head." I got larking with him and he
got upon the seat-for the purpose of striking me.
The drosecutor tried to stop him, upon which ho
took up the knife which he bad previously taken
from his pocket, and stabbed him in the hand. He
"jobbed" the knife at him twice, and I imme-
diately saw the prosecutor's hand covered with
blood.

Cross-examined-1 did not throw any tea or
coffee at you. The prosecutor was trying to pro-
tect me when you stabbed him.
Mr. G. Grabham, house-surgeon, at St. Tho-
mas's Hospital, said—The prosecutor came to the
hospital on Saturday, when I examined his hands,
which I found had been wounded in two places.
They wereincised wounds, and had been very cleanly
cut, evidently by some sharp instrument. One was
in the palm of the hand, the other in the middle
finger. The one in the palm of the hand I consider
a dangerous wound. The danger of bleeding has
not passed by yet.
Croat-examined—One of the wounds is very
deep, and both have been inflicted by "jobbing"
with a knife.
Monger, police constable 564.—1 was sent for to
take the prisoner into custody. I asked him for
the knife, and he said he had thrown it away. I
received the knife produced from a waiter, who
found it under a scat. I aftetwards found a white-
handled knife in the prisoner's pocket, upon which
he said, " That's not the one I stabbed him with,
it was a black handled one, and.l would serve any
one the same who interferes with me."
The prisoner, in reply to the charge, :MA that the
prosecutor had been wounded accidentally, in at-
tempting to take the knife from him.
Ide was fully committed for trial at the Central
Criminal Court.

GUILDHALL.—CRUELTY. —Alfred Allan and
George PAU were brought up before Sir George
Carroll, charged with cruelty to a cat.
It appeared from the evidence of several wit-
nesses that the prisoners, with a number of others
with dogs, were worrying a cat from arch to arch of
the new street leading from Farring,don-street to
Clerkenwell, after which Allen caught the cat, and
held it imp by tip tailfor the dogs to snap at,and a forge
sheep dog, which belonged to one of theprisoners, bit
the cat across the loins, and the weight of bo h ani-
mals made Allen dropths cat, upon which the pri-
soner Pond took up a brick, and beat the cat to
death. They then called off their dogs and ran
away.

The prisontrs said they were looking for rats,
and had no idea that a cat was in any of the arches.
They denied having any hand in killing the cat.
Mobt,s, the officer, and several other persons,
said it was a constant practice among boys of the
prisoners' description, having dogs, to meet upon
Sunday afternoons for the purpose of worryingany
stray cat they might find, and they even Went so
far as frequently to bring a cat with them for the
purpose.

- Sir George Carroll 'strongly condemned the in-
human practice, and fined the prisoners 40s. each,
or one month's imprisonment.
CHARGE OF ASSAULT.-Mr. James Fowler, warer
houseman in the employ of Mr. Whitewick, carry-
ing on business at 98, Farringdon•stre4t, under the
name of the Irish Linen Company, appeared to a
summons charging him with assaulting Ann Dono-
van, under the following circumstances
Mr. Buchanan, of Basinghall-street, appeared for
the defendant.

The complainant stated that she bad been about
nine months in Mr. Whitewick's service, and about
three weeks ago she was discharged at a moment's
notice, but as her master went home without pay-
ing her wages, Ehe resolved to sleep in the house
that night ; after she had retired to bed the defen-
dant came up, to her room, broke open the door, and
struck her a violent blow on the eye. She screamed
"Murder," and two policemen shortly after came
up, but they said they could not interfere, as she
had not been paid her wages, and after they left two
other policemen came, and one of them knocked
her down and knelt upon her chest, while they tied
her hands. Her wages were paid on the following
morning.
Mr. Buchanan said the complainant had ad-
mitted shehad a very kind master, and Mr. White-
wick found it necessary to discharge her in conse-
quence of information he had received relative to
her having had a man in her bed-room during the
night on one occasion. At the same time he gave
' the defendant instructions not to let the complain-
ant remain in the house on the night in question,
and he saw her leave at an early hour in the even-
ing. She, however, returned, and on gaining ad-
mission she hurried up to bed, and when the de-
fendant ascertained she was in the house ho went
up and desired her to leave, but she positively re.-
fused, whereupon he broke open t4e door in the
presence of another young man, and was immedi-
ately assailed by the complainant, who hurled
everything moveable in the room at his head, and
when the police came in she was so violent that .
they were obliged to hold her to prevent her injur- I
ing herself.

IlfrOAilobSOU said he accompanied the defend-

CLERKENWELL.---ORIISADE AGAINST HAW-
KERS.—For some weeks past the Court has been
occupied by the hearing of summonses taken out
by the police, more especially of the N division,
against the vendors of fruit and other commodities
in the public streets. When the first cases were
heard before Mr. Tyrwhitt, that worthy magistrate
went into the matter at some length, and, in the
most feeling manner, said he was sorry to see so
many who were doing their beat to help themselves
brought before him, but le could not help it ; the
police had taken the matter up, and he was bound
to administer the law ashe found it. The parish
authorities, he also obsened, should look into the
matter, for they it Wag WllO would ultimately feel
it ; for the rates being raised the parishioners
would, as a matter of course, begin to grumble.
The fine for such offences was 405., but he only
mulcted them in the costs : but many of them, not
being able to pay, were locked up until five o'clock,
and were then discharged. But what was the con-
sequence ? The very same evening they returned,
were again summoned, and were ordered to pay the
costs and a fine of one or two shillings, which being
unable to do, they were sent to the ouse of Cor-
rection as felons for four days, thus depriving their
young families of their care and attention for that
period, besides adding to the already high expenses
saying
and expressed a
for the maintenance of the county gaols. In the
later cases which lave been heard, upon ono of the
defendants
be better employed, Me. Tyrwhitt remarked that
h
hope the law- in
this matter wouldshortly be repealed.
thought
u g h t
so oo- that he thought the police might
CHARGE OF SACRILEGE.--Edward Milford, aged
20, who described himself as a mason, residing at
20, Mott's-lane , Ball's-pond, but who has before
been in the custody of the police, on a charge of
breaking and entering a church, and Jane Bruton,
alias the Dutch Qock, aged 19, of no home, were
charged with breaking and entering Maberley
Chapel, and stealing therefrom six bottles of port
wine, a pair of sheets, six table-cloths of the value
of 30e., the property of Mr. Charles Ovenden, one
of the deacons.
Some particulars having been stated, the pri-
soners, in defence, said they knew nothing of the
matter, and were remanded.
A SUIT= lIPON THREE CONSTABLES.—W. !Bre w er,
aged 55, of
14, Bowling-ally, Whitecross street,
a bricklayer, and Thomas Brewer, his son, aged
19, were charged with being drunk and assaulting
police-constable:3loore, 142 G, Batchelor, 340 A,
and Bidgood, 43-G, in the execution of their duty,
The younger -
pr loner was further charged with in-
decently assaulting Mrs. Sarah Clea.l, the wife of a
hairdresser, residing at No. 2, Dove-court, Old
Je wry.
The latter charge wasnot pressed, but the former
being fully prol-ed,
The magistrate fined the elder defendant 1013.,
er tan days ; aad the younger prisoner 305., being
10s. for each a%ault.

WESTMINSTER.—AssAuLrs ON POLICE CON-
STABLES.—WA. Scanamerton and Dominic) Scam-
merton, brothers, were charged with committing
the following violent assaults upon constables of the
metropolitan police :
Mr. flumpireys, an inspector of the B division,
before the evidence was taken, stated that Finnis,
ono of the constables, 174 B, was so seriously in-
jured as to be unable to attend to give evidence.
He produced a certificate from Mr. Pearce, divi-
sional surgeon, -which was to that effect.
Policeman Mayer, 214 B, stated that about half-
past one o'clock on Saturday morning he was on
duty in Great Peter-street, Westminster, when he
was informed that a brother officer was being mur-
dered in Reading's-place. He went there with
another constable, and found a great mob of per-
sons. Re was there told that a policeman named
Finnis had been nearly killed, and that he had gone
into a shop for protection. Witness wont there
and saw Finnis sitting in a chair, and he was almost
in a state of insensibility. His great coat was much
torn, and he had a large swelling on his forehead.
He was scarcely able to stand, from kicks he had
received from the prisoners. He told witness who
had assaulted him, aitd added that William Sc am-
merton had knocked him about his head with his
(Finnia's) staff, which was broken to pieces. Wit-
ness went with Deer, inr, 868, ito No. 2, Earl's-place,
where Dominic) Scammerton lived, and took him
oHe made
lodged in the station.
most determined resist-
ance,witness went in search of
William Scammerton, who was living at No. 8,
Ai into custody.
buthe
waswas
secured,
ioclrequired the exertions of six
IL to the station-house. He
some other constables, and
kicked
ki policemen
Holland-street.mento i
witnessa
ea I t n d
when at the station hots° remarked that when he
got out of prison he would kick his guts out,
if he got twelve months for it.
Other constables supported the evidence.
Mr. Paynter asked what led to the assault upon
the constables ?
Deering stated that a woman, who was drunk
and disorderly, was taken into custody, when the
prisoners interfered to rescue her.
The prisoners were remanded on bait, in two
sureties of 40/, each. •
ANOTHER AssAuLT.--Charles Tozer, a plasterer,
aged 21, was charged with assaulting police. con-
stable Baruham, 39 B, and with rescuing a prisoner
from his custody.
It appeared that on the previous afternoon there
Hospital. In the was a fight between two men, on a vacant space of
ground adjoining Chelsea
pre-
sence of the combatants a large crowd of disorderly
characters was assembled, and there was a consi-
derable uproar. Barnhans, with another police-
man, went to stop the proceedings, and took a man
Into custody. The prisoner stepped forward and
attempted a rescue, in doing which he assaulted the
complainant. The conduct of the prisoner led
others to come forward, and in consequence_ the
man in custody got away.
The evidence of Dunham' was confirmed my
another officer, and two witnesses fori the prisoner
deposed to show that the. prison.er was wrongfully
charged, but without effect.

Inspector Freer said that on Sunday afternoon,
some of the lowest characters in Chelsea assembled
them, to the annoyance of the neighbourhood. The
previous afternoon the station-home was completely
besieged by a mob.

Pay-nter remarked that he should fine the
prisoner this time in a mitigated penalty, and that
if any person from that locality were brought before
hiTh on a Eimil9r complaint he would inflict the full
fine of 51.

The prisoner was fined 40s. or in default one
month's imprisonment.

- .
MARYLEBONE.--' PIXTRAORDINARY CIIA.ROE OF
ROBBERY.—A very respectable-looking man,
• about
40 years of age, described as Mr. John Probed, a
farmer at Llanfelly, Abergavenny, was charged
with being concerned, with another, in stealing pro-
perty to the ameent of 100/. from the shop of Mr.
Stradth, a jeweller, •) in London-street, Pad-
dington.
Mr. Grange appeared for the prosecution, and
Mr. Herring for the prisoner.
said—On thSophia .A prisoner.
in the service of Mr. Stradth,
e 3d of this mouth, between eight and
nine in the morning, while in the kitchen, I heard
a penny drop in the area. I went and picked it
up, and saw a man looking down, and on my ask-
ing him what he was looking for, he said, "It's
and gave the penny to a man whom I believe to
be the prisoner. He seemed much agitated. He
went
I went up stairs, opened the door,
at
wh
ae rye,.'a'nd watched as far as the corner of
Sussex-gardens ; and last Saturday evening I was
walking with a young fiend, and saw him cross
went
over towards an oyster stall. I said to my friend,
"I believe that's the man," and she ran home to
my rei,tresg, and I went with her, and we came
back with a Folicenaae. On returning, I looked in
at the window of a coffee-shop, and went in with
the constable, and there saw the prisoner. I and
the policeman had some coffee, and while there
I bad a full view of the prisoner.
Mr. Broughton—Are you still of opinion that he
is the man to whom you handed the penny ?
Witness—l am, sir. Witness added that she
thought she was doing no more than her duty in
giving the prisoner in charge, her master and mis-
tress having been spoken to by her previously.
Mr, Herring cress-examined the witness upon

ant to complainant's room, and as soon as the door
was forced open, she flung four chamber utensils
and their contents at both of them ; but the de-
' fant never touched her the whole time.
Policeman 378 said he heard cries of murder, and
on going up stairs he found the floor strewn with
frag,monts of crockery ware andsaturated with water.
The complainant was undressed and exceedingly
violent ; but none of the ill-usage she described took
place except such restraint as was necessary to pre-
vent her doing herself mischief. She made a great
noise, and continued calling out " Murder" all the
time the police were there. She was, in fact, what
is termed screaming drunk, and, by her violent
conduct, attracted a crowd of about 200 persons
round the house.

Sir George Carroll said it appeared the complain-
ant had misconducted herself ; but, as she had held
a responsible situation for nine months, it would
have been better to have allowed her to remain till
g. He did not approve of the course
breaking into a room where a female was
adtheopmteodrninin
undressed
was
a and and he did not think the de-
fendantjustified in doing so. However,
adhered to the truth with
tcomplainant
eqquite
tn
eh
baed d ,
not
and be therefore dismissed
runal'
and granted a certificate to the de-
fendant regard
summons, to the a
mfeantdtaenr, to stay any farther proceedings in the