The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-18 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

OUTRAGEOUS ASSAULTS ON THE POLICE.—John
Leekie and John Reid, cabinet-makers, the latter
having his head bandaged, were charged before Mr.
Knox as follows :
Mr. Sayer, from the office of Mr. Edward Lewis,
of Great Marlborough-street, appeared for the de-
fence.

Police-constable Henry Page, IGB E, one of whose
eyes was completely closed, and whose face bore
marks of severe ill usage, said that about a quarter
past one that morning he saw the prisoners and
another man not in custody outside a public-house
in Warren-street, Fitzroy-square. The men were
quarrelling and making a great noise, and Leckie
gave him a blow on the head which knocked him
down the prisoners and the man struck and
down on the road, and while a woman held him

kicked him. He got up and had a struggle
with the prisoners, and all fell together,
Leekie then struck him several violent blows
in the eyes with his fist, and said, " Let
us kill the outright." He then got up
and pushed Reid down and sprang his rattle,
and the man not custody then went away with the
woman. Before any assistance came the prisoners
beat and kicked him, and on a constable of the S
division coming up, Leekie assaulted him by striking
and kicking him. By that time he (witness) was
insensible, and on the ground, and when he got up
he saw Reid being taken to the station by the
constable of the S division. Reed went quietly to
the station, but Leekie gave them a terrible job.
In answer to the Court the constable said he had
taken out the staff but did not use it, being afraid
to do so in ease the prisoners should take it from
him, and he therefore put it back. He was now on
the sick list, in consequence of the injuries he had
received.
Mr. Knox said he should think so.

In answer to Mr. Sayer, the constable said the
prisoners and the other man were quarrelling, and
two of them wanted to light, and all ho did was to
try to get them away. Reid's head was hurt in
falling.

Police-constable Thomas Walton, 146 S, proved
going to the assistance of the last witness in
consequence of being told by a person that a
brother officer was being murdered. He found the
last witness on the ground, and he saw Leekie kick
him, and Leekie then turned upon him (witness)
and kicked him, and it was with the greatest diffi-
culty they got Leekie to the station, and while there
Leekie several times tried to kick him.

Thomas Troy, 179 E, proved that on going to
the assistance of the officer, Reid seized him by the
throat and struck and kicked him.

Henry Attree, 57, Cumberland-market, gave
similar evidence to the police, and said that he
assisted them as much as he could, and never wit-
nessed a scene of greater brutality in his life.
Mr. Sayer, for the defence, said that he was in-
structed by the prisoners; that they had been to a
public-house, and were in such a state that they
did not really know what occurred.

Mr. Sayer then called John Coney, a bootmaker,
of Warren-street, who proved seeing Police-con-
stable Page fighting with both prisoners, and saw
Page strike Reid hard with his truncheon. They
continued fighting, and then the constable took out
springingtseethe it he struck Leekie
woman do anything,
hwiisthraittt. le,Hane ddiadf tneor
and it was some minutes before the constable called
for assistance, as he kept on fighting. Some
minutes after a constable came up and took Reid.
He did not hear the expression made use of, " Let
us kill the -- outright." He went to the police-
station, and there a constable (he believed 146)
punched Leekie in the back. Witness and two
others went into the station, and while he (witness)
was speaking to two young men, 133 E touched
him on the shoulder to go out, and he could not get
in again.

Mr. Priestley, pianoforte maker, of Edward-
street, Hampstead-road, gave the prisoners very
good characters, and said that during the time he
had employed them he never heard them quarrel.
Mr. Knox said that a magistrate was a totally
unfit tribunal to try such a charge. The charge
was one of an outrageous assault on the police, and
then there was the evidence on the other side of Mr.
Coney. Such was the state of the town at the