The Commonwealth. — 1866-11-17 (London, England)

AMUDEBROUS ASSAULT AND HIGHWAY ROBBERY AT KING'S CROSS.  At the Clerkenwell Police-court on Monday, James Fretford, aged 31, who gave his address at the Royal York Coffee-house, Western-place, opposite the Great Northern Rail ,Tay, was charged before Air. Cooke with committing a murderous assault on Henry Bo vvman, a corporal of the 70th Foot, and stealing from his pocket a parae and a poeket-book co:Ambling .45 10a. at King's. cross-road. . _ _  ---- -The proseoutor,whose face was very much disfigured with cuts and bruises, and the bridge of whose nose was severely cut, said: I am on .furlough at present. On Sunday morning, between the hours ot twelve and one, 1 was coming down the King's•cross-road, when I met the prisoner and two other men, who came to me and asked me where I wets going to. I said to seek for a lodging, when one of them said, " You had better go with us, and we will show you one, as you are a stranger about here." I walked with them for about one hundred yards, when I came opposite an entry. I was pushed down the entry. by all three of the men, and found myself in a yard, in which were some carts. They then threw me into a cart, and one of them got hold of my trousers pocket in which was my money, and cut it off. I struggled hard, and was kicked and knocked about. I remember one blow on my forehead with something sharp in the end of a stiok, and then my consciousness left me. When I returned to consciousness I was still in the cart, and the prisoner and another man were by me. I gave them in charge, and they were both conveyed to the police•station. I could not, when there, recognise one of them, and he was discharged, bat I recognised the prisoner, and he was detained.  • Mr. Alexander (clerk): Were you sober? Witness: 1 had had something to drink, but I was sensible and quite able to take care of myself. I had in my pocket £5 10a., which I lost. Mr. Alexander: When you came to yourself and gave the prisoner in charge, did he say anything? Witness: Yes; he said he was not one of the men, and that he was standing there to take care of me. The prisoner said he had no questions to ask the complainant. Pulicc-constable March, 261 G, said: About half. past twelve on Sanday morning I was on duty in the Ring'e-cross-road, when I went through Hope. court to th 3 back of the Bsll public - house, in Paradise- street. I there saw tke prisoner and two men standing round some carts that were there. I asked them what they were doing, and one of them said "Trying to get up a drunken man." I turned on my light and-saw the complainant lying in a cart. I got him up, and he said 'Lock me up or else get me a lodging." "I said "No; you are able to walk home," and then he gave the two men into custody for assaulting and robbing him. The prisoner did not attempt to go away, but one of the men did go away. SeeiEg that the prosecutor had been very badly assaulted, I took two of them to the police-station, and then he could only identify the prisoner. The prosecutor was drunk. The prisoner was standing beside the cart close to the prosecutor, and told him that he had been trying to get him a lodging. At the police-station the prosecutor said he had been robbed at eight o'clock, and turned out of a public-house. He found that the prisoner had been living at Mr. Ehers' coffee-shop, opposite the Great Northern Railway. In answer to Mr. Cooke, The prosecutor said that he told the constable that he first saw the prisoner at forty minutes past seven, and he did not say that the prisoner had robbed him or shoved him, only that he was there when he was pushed down. Mr. Ebers said that when the prisoner lodged at his house it was three months since, and he was then a eoldier. He did not lodge with him now. _  The prisoner said he h-ad no questions to ask or any defence to make. .  Mr. Cooke remanded the prisoner to the House of Correction for a week.