The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-31 00:00:00

THAMES.

DISTRESSING CASE.--A TALE OF MISERY.---This
morning, previous to the hearing of the night charges, a
poor widow, who appeared quite heart broken, was in-
troduced before the magistrate, and her i loess and
anxiety preventing her addressing him, a gentleman at
the tat le interceded, and said the afflicted woman in the
witness-box was the widow of a police-constable named
Chapman, who was the victim of a ruffianly and das-
tardly attack male upon him in February, 1856, by a
drunken fellow, who twisted his leg' and broke it. The
unfe rtunate constable also sustained other serious injuries
on that occasion, and was a patient in the London Ho,
pital for several months. lie was never able to do duty
after he was injured, and lingered until Sunday week,
when he expired, and was buried yesterday. The poor
widow who now applied for assistance wa-i in a state of
utter destitution, with a family of ten children depend-
ing on her for existence.
Mr. Yardley—l recolect the case of the police-con-
stable Chapman, and a very sad one indeed it was. Is
he dead ?
The gentleman at the table replied in the affirmative,
and said his death was accelerated by the serious injuries
inflicted upon him in February, 1856. He could as-itnre
the magistrate that Mrs. Chapman was a very deserving
woman, and in great distress.
Mr. Yardley—Chapin-,n was a very respectable man,
and I took great interest in the case. The poor woman
has ten orphans to maint tin. It is a vtry lamentable
case.
Mrs. Chapman who was sobbing loudly said that 7 of
her chi:d:rn were under twelve years of age, and that
she gave birth to the last a month ago and taen after-
wards her husband died.
Mr. Yardley—l recollect he suffered a good deal of
pain. What can Ido for you, my good woman ?
Mu. Chapman, who was very feeble and could scarcely
be heard said, she bad not a meal for her poor children,
and was unainle to work for them.
Mr. Yardley—l shall b© very glad to do some perma-
pent good for you, but I have not the funds at my dis-
po
lSefeor y%hoautryporuersefnrit use.
friends can do, 1 will give you a
sovereign
Mrs. Chapman expressed her thanks, and was led out
of the court crying loudly.

SOUTHWARK.
DANGER OP WEARING LONG DRESSES.—S. Thomp-
son, a nymph of the pave, was charged before Mr.
Burcham, the sitting magistrate, with committing an
assault upon Mrs. To w nsbend and her husband, formerly
an inspector of the M division of police.
The evidence of Mr. Towns, nd clearly proved that
on Saturday night he was walking with his wife, when
they accidentally trod upon the defendant's dress, for
which they both made an apology. The defendant
however followed them and made use of the most ob-
scene and disgusting language, and laid hold of his wife
by the shoulder, and he was obliged ta call for the as-
sistance of a policeman, and even in his presence she re-
peated the same filthy expressions. Mr. Townsend ad-
mitted that either he or his wife had trodden
on the defendant's dress owing to its extreme length, but
it was purely accidental, and they both apologised, and
were willing to pay for the damage if any had been
done. The defendant said that the prosecutors did not
make any apology, but laughed at her after treading
, upon her dress.
Mr. Townsend said that the police-officer beard the
I language the defendant had used which was unfit to
repeat.
Thu defendant denied all Mr. Townsend bad stated,
when the magistrate said that such language was
unbearable and ought, by some punishment, to be put
an end to. The defendant said, she was not in the
habit of making use of such language.
The Magistrate said that, as the defendant had been
—23,32-5
ianccauusttioodnynsoitntcoe
dSoa ttuhredsaayn,leha
gwaoi
nu l.d discharge her with

1853.
Casks.