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

Ta 'SUN, LONDO THURS DAY Ka V ENING, OC rOIIE It 10. 1861.

EX7RAORDINARY OUTRAGE AT
SHEFFIELD.

At the West Riding Court, Sheffield, on Tuesday, a seri-
ous charge was preferred against a sergeant of the 58th, and
Michael Mason, of the Fairfield Inn, llillfoot. The ser-
geant is in custody at the barracks, but Mason was brought
up before the Bench. The prisoner, it appeared, was driv-
ing an ammunition waggon, which formed part of a baggage
train proceeding from Sheffield to Newcastle, and it was
whilst so occupied he committed the offence with which he
was charged. Abraham Frudd, the son of a farmer resid-
ing at New England, stated that about seven weeks ago he
met a cart driven by the prisoner, and three soldiers
in his company. Ono of the latter, a sergeant, forced
him off his pony, stating that he was " on the Queen's
service." The sergeant had previously smashed a bottle
the boy was carrying, and struck the lad himself on
the back with the butt end of his rifle. Witness
then ran off to his father, who was working in a field, with
several other persons, about a quarter of a mile distant.—
Mr. Isaac Frudd, the boy's father, stated that he at once
went down the road in company with several neighbours.
The prisoner was standing on the:shafts of the waggon ; one
soldier was leading the horses and another was walking a
little ahead. The last•named soldier was intoxicated, and
the prisoner seemed very "fresh." The sergeant was walk-
ing about 50 yards behind the cart, and was rolling about.
Mr. Frudd spoke to him about the assault on his son, and
the sergeant, after giving an abusive reply, ran forward and
got upon the back of the cart. Witness distinctly saw him
screw his bayonet on the muzzle of his rifle, and heard him
call out, " Now come on, I am ready for you. I'm a soldier
and I can die." The soldier that had been leading the
horses came up to Mr. Frudd and hoped he would excuse
the sergeant, who had too much drink. After some further
parleying, Frudd saw the sergeant in the act of firing his
rifle. The soldier who was conversing with him, called out
to his comrades to go on, and he .would overtake them,
but the sergeant fired again, and the prisoner also dis-
charged a rifle, both being pointed at the party. Frudd
heard something whizz past him after they discharged, and
he then got behind the wall. Six or eight shots were fired.
Luke Dearden, farmer, corroborated the evidence of the last
witness. Witness heard the bails pass him. One of the bul-
lets glanced along the wall immediately in front of him,
and left a mark. Another bullet entered the house of a man
named Peacock, and buried itself in a board in the chamber.
Benjamin Middleton said he saw a soldier fire towards the
place where Frudd and several other persons were stand-
ing. The carter fired quickly after the soldier, in the same
direction. He was standing on the shafts, but he got down
on to the road, and witness saw him load his gun a second
time, and fire it again; and the soldier fired again at the
same time. Previously to the second fire witness heard
the carter say "He would blow their heads off," and
the soldier said he would " Blow a hole through
them." The cart was then driven on, but the witness after-
wards heard other shots fired. He could not identify the
carter; but the prisoner very much resembled the man he
saw. Mr. Overend said the case must be adjourned, and
he would call on Col. Peacocke and arrange as to the ser-
geant being brought up along with Mason. His (Mr.
Overend's) view of the case, so far as it stood, was, that it
was a drunken "lark." Ho was quite willing to admit the
prisoner to bail, on his own recognisances in £5O, and two
sureties in £25 each. Mr. A. Smith said that Mr. Overend
might find occasion to modify his views of the case when
further evidence was produced, because the gravamen of
the charge against the prisoner and the sergeant was,
whether they really did or did not intend to inflict grievous
bodily harm. The prisoner was remanded for a week.