The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-23 00:00:00

BRIGHTON POLICE.

A MILITARY AMATEUR.—John Field, a shoemaker,
who has been several times in custody on charges of
drunkenness, was on Friday placed at the bar before
Borrer, Esq., on a similar charge.
Private Drunton, of the Inniskilling's, deposed that
while on duty as sentinel at the southern entrance of
the Palace, opposite the Blue Coach-office, about one
o'clock that morning, the prisoner came up to him in
a state of drunkenness, swore at and abused him, and
then said, " D---n your military laws ; you can't
try me by court-martial and give me three hundred
for breakfast." Witness took no notice of this, and
the man proceeded, " D--n your eyes; if I had a
pistol I would blow your brains out." He then
went away; but in about a quarter of an hour he
returned and said, " I will take your piece, and blow
your brains out with it." Witness then took him into
custody, and called a policeman, who took him to the
sergeant. -
Prisoner—What time was this ?
Witness—About one o'clock.
Prisoner (to night-constable Thohurn)—What time
was it, I say ?
Mr. BORRER—No, no; this won't do.
Prisoner—l only want to test his evidence as to the
time; because I don't recollect a syllable about it.
Mr. BORRIM, (to Sergeant Smith, who attended to
charge the prisoner)— I suppose you have no reason
to believe that the man would have done anything if
he had not been under the influence of liquor ?

Sergeant Smith—No.
Mr. BORRER (to the prisoner)—The sentinel has
done nothing more than his duty. He has a cat-o'•
nine tails hanging over his head. What have you to
say for yourself ? Prisoner—Why, I'd been having
a little, and a little's too much for me. That's a fact.
But I can't think how it was. I must have tumbled
over some friend.—(Laughter.)
Mr. BORRER—I think you have been here before ?
Prisoner—Yes, I have, that's a fact. I was taken up
drunk, and I was fined ss. Drunk, and drunk I was
—there's no denying it.
Mr. BRORER (to the sentinel)—l suppose he didn't
mean to do you any harm ?—No, Sir; he was only
drunk. _ _ _ __ _

Prisoner—Do any harm to a soldier ! Lord bless
you, Sir ; I wouldn't do any harm to a soldier for the
world.—(Laughter.) I love the army, and can
shoulder a musket with any of them. Look here,
comrade (and prisoner, who is a little spare man, with
anything but a soldierly demeanour, went through
the imaginary process of shouldering arms, presenting
arms, and firing, with a rapidity that would have
startled a drill-sergeant). Look at that, comrade,
and say whether I'd harm a soldier. Nature intended
me for a soldier myself, only father bound me to a
shoemaker. _ _ _

Prisoner was running on in this way, when loud
sobs were heard in the Court, and, looking round, we
saw a neat little body, who, with her hands up to her
face, made her way towards the dock, ejaculating in
her progress, " Oh, Field—oh, Field ?" This inter-
ruption put a stop to prisoner's military exercise, and,
turning to the female, " Oh, be quiet,' he said, " It's
all right now—it's all settled. I'm coming, my dear."
Mr. BORRER—You must pay ss. for being drunk.
Prisoner put his hand in his pocket, and then turned
to the little sobbing lady below—" You've got ss. my
dear ?"—Yes, I've brought as."
" That's right. Pay the ss. Be quiet. It's over
now."

But the little woman continued to sob until Mr.
Field had been let out of the dock, and then, as she
took his arm, she gave a little stamp with her foot,
and, with an indescribable look at the culprit, who
still kept up a little of the militaryair, she exclaimed,
" Oh, Field, how can you make such a fool of
yourself?" .
" Hush, hush, my dear," responded Mr. Field to
this ejaculation, and, with a somewhat crest-fallen
look, made the best of his way out of Court.—
Brighton Herald,