The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-08 00:00:00

CLERKENWELL.

Mr. John Brookes, builder, of Great Warner-
street, Clerkenwell, and William Purchas, his brother-
in-law, residing in the same house, were placed at the
bar, before Mr. Combs, charged under the following
circumstances :
Mr. Robinson attended on the part of the prisoners.
Cooper, police-constable, 112 G, deposed that on
Saturday night, between eleven and twelve o'clock,
he, in company of Fisher, another officer, 127 G, was
taking two prisoners to the station-house in Bag-
nigge Well,-road, on a charge of attempting to pick
pockets, and as they were proceeding through Great
Warner-streef., the prisoner Perches pushed against
witness. and sai,i " What did you do that for ?"
Witness hail hold of one of the prisoners, when he
Purchas) collared and struck witness. He imme-
diately sdvel the prisoner, who threw him up and
he escaped into a kitchen in the prisoner Brookes's
who-re he lodged. Witness pursued him,
leasing the prisoners with Fisher; as he was run-
nin,z down the steps he ex,:laimed " here is a police-
irpo (coning, lv-ep him out I" and on getting into the
kitchen h shut tht, dor,r. He was attacked by
Brookes and several women who were in the kitchen,
and they reicur,l Purchas; Brookes struck him,
and the whole of them pushed him through a
window, by which Purchas made his escape.
His (witoess') arm was severely wounded by
the glass, and he w:is taken to the hospital bleeding
profusely. lie was disabled from duty. With the
t.ssistance of other officers he took Brookes into cus-
tody. Purchas came to the station in about a quarter
of an hour afterwards, and he was taken into custody
and locked up on the charge of assault and attempted
rescue. Brookes was charged with an assault and
rescuing Porches.
Mr. Robinson—Pray did you not say they were no
better than a gang of thieves ; and did you not beat
the women with your handcuffs ? Witness—l did
not. I tried to defend myself. I did not take the
women, because I chose to take the man. I did not
threaten to handcuff an Italian who came there.
William Fisher, 127 G-, said he was assisting
Cooper to take two prisoners to the station-house.
In Great Warner-street Purchas pushed and struck
Cooper on the side of the head, saying they were not
policemen, and they should not take the prisoners.
Police-constables 125 and 164 G gave confirmatory

evidence.
Mr. Robinson said that, according to his instruc-
tions, this must be a case of great perjury on one side
or the other. His client, Mr. Brookes, was an elderly
respectable man, who had resided in his present house
for 57 years. His family, with some friends, were
sitting down to supper, and he was quietly reading the
newspaper, when Cooper rushed into the kitchen,

. _
dressed in private clothes. Mr. Brookes felt surprised
at the intrusion, and said he had no right in his place,
and he did threaten to defend himself in his own
house, if any violence was resorted to. He attributed
violence on the part of the officer Cooper towards
Mrs. Brookes, and the females who were present, and
that the wound on his arm was through forcing his
arm against the window.

Sarah Langley, a relation to Mr. Brookes, gave
evidence that Cooper did not say he was au officer.
They were at supper, and Mr. Brookes was reading
the newspaper. He beat Mrs. Brookes with his hand-
cuffs and knocked over the table and supper things.
Her lip was cut, which she said was done by Cooper
striking her with the handcuffs.

Sarah Furchas, daughter of the prisoner Parches,
sAd that her uncle, Mr. Brookes, was reading the
nowspa per when her father passed through the kit-
chen. Cooper entered. He did not say he was a
pidicemaD. lie seized Mr. Brookes, and his wife got
up rc %41,te him.

By Mr. Robinson—My father went to his bed-
room, knd Cooper went after him and thrust his arm
Uirough the window. I did not know that he was a
policeman di6guise. He came back and beat me
.in the hands with the handcuffs, and they are now
quite sore. Mr. Costello came to our assistance, and
be threatened to handcuff him.
Mr. COMITC—•TiIiS you-r-;!‘,, woman has given her
,vi(inee in a fair way, hut I cannot depend upon the
first woman's evidence, and I shall send the case to the
se,3ions. IrCooper's evidence is true, that Purchas
ran against him and struck him, he had a right to go
afar

ttilr. Robin .on said he had five other witnesses to
confirm Miss Purchas's evidence ; but if it was the de-
termination of the bench to send the case before s jury,
he would reserve the de'ence for the trial.
Cooper protium -a a certificate to show that his hand
was shockingly injured.
Mr. COMBS said ha would commit the prisoners for
trial, but he would receive bail for their appearance on
a future day, in order that the officer might be properly
attended to, and the case would stand over until the
next session.

The required bail was produced, and the prisoners
berated.

SOUTHWARK.
Cornelius Bowen, a respectable-looking middle-
aged man, was brought before Mr. a'Beckett on the
following charges :
Policeman Gingle, 109 M, stated that while on duty
at the corner of Fishmongers'- alley, Iligh• street, at
half-past one o'clock in the morni, g, he saw the de-
fendant standing at a coffee stall and several women
they were talking and making a noise, and he desired
the defendant to move on, when he refused, and
threatened to throw some coffee at him if he meddled
with him. He (the policeman) then went towards
the defendant, who seized him by the collar, tore his
coat, and in the struggle they both fell to the ground,
but he succeeded in taking his assailant to the station-
house.
The defendant contradicted the policeman's state-
ment, and called forward two witnesses in his behalf,
who gave a very different version of the transaction
to that alleged against him.
One of the witnesses, Robert Martin, stated, that
he is an engineer in the employ of Messrs. Barclay
and Perkins, and that he is a perfect stranger to all
the parties. That he happened to be near the, spot at