The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-04 00:00:00

FRACAS BET WI THE MILITIA AND

THE REGULARS.

On the evenings of Tuesday and Wednesday last
Northgate, Maidstone, was in a state of unusual
excitement, owing to a disturbance having taken
place on the former evening between some of the
men belonging to the 6th Foot and the men con-
nected with the East Kent Militia, and which it
was feared would be repeated. Consequently strong
officers' pickets turned out, and completely scoured
the city of the militia and the regulars, on Wed-
nesday evening, and thus prevented by prompt
measures what was feared by many would have
been a very serious encounter. The whole of the
shops in Northgate-street were closed, and business
was almost entirely suspendel during the entire
evening, as females were afraid of venturing from
their houses for the purpose of making their re-
quired purchases.
The origin of the affair came out at our police-
court on Wednesday, when Charles Hines, a pri-
vate in the 6th, was charged by police-constable
Epps with having, with a number of other soldiers
not in custody, violently assaulted one George
Phillips, a civilian. The complainant's face pre-
sented a frightful appearance, and showed the
brutal treatment to which he had been subjected.
One of his eyes was completely closed up, and his
face covered with contusions. The row first com-
menced at the City of London public-louse, it was
said, over a game of cards. A regular fight ensued
between some of the East Kent and the privates of
the 6th. Several of the men were hurt, as they had
recourse to their belts, which they slashed about in
all directions. The party then left in the direction
of the barracks, a civilian who had received some
severe cuts being carried by the police to the sta-
tion-house. In Palace-street, the soldiers quarrelled
among themselves, and in the melee they struck
Phillips, the complainant, who was quietly
passing down the street at the time. He
called out for assistance, and Corporal Payn,
of the 17th Lancers, and a private of the same
corps, went to his assistance, when an en-
counter ensued between them and the men of
the 6th, who immediately attacked the corporal and
the private. The corporal's face was quickly covered
with blood from a wound inflicted by a blow from
a belt. Police-constable Epps and others rendered
all the aid they could, but the whole of the men of
the 6th managed to effect their escape, excepting
the accused, who, in answer to the bench, sail that
he was not the only one engaged in the affair ;
there were many others besides him. Phillips
could not identify his assailants, the attack being
so sudden and unexpected on his part. Corporal
Payn declined making any charge against Hines,
preferring his being left to be dealt with by the
military authorities.
The, magistrates strongly condemned the brute-

lity exhibited on the occasion, and directed Super-
intendent Clements to wait upon Captain Gore,
and report the facts which had been elicited to him.
The superintendent did so, and the captain sent a
picket for the accused, who was at once handed
over to the military authorities, for them to deal
with him as they should deem expedient. —So tcth-
Easter n Gazette.