The Sun. — 1851-11-26 (London, England)

BOW-STREET.  Richard Beer, a shoemaker, lodging in Cursitorstreet, Chancery-lane, surrendered upon a warrant (issued by Mr. Hall), charging him with a violent assault upon police-constable Lewis Harris, 69 F, while the latter was on duty within the Liberty of the Rolls. The complainant, who appeared to have sustained considerable injury in some way, stated that he was walking alone in Cursitor-street, between one and two o'clock in the morning of the 11th inst., when a man, _ _  whom he had since ascertained to be the defendant, came up to him and struck him a violent blow on the nose with his clenched fist, by which he was knocked down and stunned. When he became conscious he found himself in King's College Hospital, and, from the injuries received, he had been since unable to attend to his duties.  Cross -examined by Mr. Ablett (who appeared for the defendent)—He had been three years in the police force. Was perfectly sober at the time in question. He had been assisting at a fire at the corner of Castle-street, Holborn, and, in the course of the evening had only drunk half a pint of porter, a small glass of whisky, and a small glass of rum, the latter having been given him by a Mr. May, in Holborn-bars, as he was wet through. He did not fall till he was knocked down, and was not taken home drunk.  Thomas Duncan, a bootmaker, living in Chiches  ter-rents, said that he was standing at the corner of Cursitor-street, when the defendant, who was the worse for liquor, came up and said, " I have got a b-- policeman down here, in a passage, and I am determined to murder the —. Come and see me do it." Witness accompanied the defendant, after some hesitation, and found the complainant lying upon the ground, in a passage. The defendant struck and kicked him several times, and then witness went out and fetched a policeman. Cross-examined—He went with the defendant out of curiosity, and not as a witness. The complainant seemed stupified, but not drunk. Mrs. Saunders, the landlady of the house, came down stairs, and witness heard her say, " Go and fetch a policeman." Mrs. Saunders, the wife of a leathercutter, who occupied No. 10, Cursitor-street, stated that the defendant lodged in her house. Between one and two o'clock on the morning in question the family were disturbed by his knocking at the door and calling for a light, He said he had found a policeman lying in the road, and, when a light was procured, they saw the complainant lying in the passage, apparently insensible, but able to speak. The defendant asked him " How he got into such a mess," and he replied that "He had been to the fire." Witness rebuked the defendant for bringing in a man in such a condition, and, seeing the witness Duncan there, she desired him to go and fetch a policeman. The complainant was bleeding from his nose and forehead, which were washed. On the arrival of a constable he inquired who had been ill-treating him, upon which the complainant replied, " The young man," meaning the defendant, who had then gone upstairs. Several policemen arrived shortly afterwards, and witness heard them say that they could not tell how he got so tipsy. Eventually they took him away on a stretcher. Cross-examined—The defendant had asked witness's husband to allow the complainant to remain in the passage until the sergeant had passed by, or he would be sure to get into trouble. He appeared to be treating the complainant with great kindness. He had lodged with witness's husband for seven years, and had always borne a good character. The witness Duncan made no complaint to the policemen respecting the defendant. Mr. E. Davis, the house-surgeon at King's College Hospital, deposed to having been called up by the night porter, at two o'clock in the morning, to attend the complainant, who was brought in upon a stretcher by some other policemen. The complainant was covered with blood, and witness dressed his wounds. He appeared stunned, as witness supposed, by the blows he received. Witness did not ask him if he had been drinking. He did not consider the injuries of a serious nature, and would not undertake to say that they were not occasioned by a fall instead of blows. Witness saw the defendant three days afterwards, and signed a certificate to the effect that he was not intoxicated when first brought to the hospital. Mr.