The Express. — 1861-02-22 (London, England)

THE POLICE COURTS.  (THIS DAY.)  BOWATREET.  THE CORPORALS' FRIFILEOZ OF WRARING AIDE AIMS.  - COMltilli Ford, a corporal in the Ist battalion of the Scots Fusilier Guards, was charged with stabbing with his bayonet a woman named Elizabeth Smith, with intent to do her grievous bodily harm. The complainant, who is an unfortunate woman, stated that about one o'clock this morning she was standing with another woman in Gardner's-lane when the prisoner came up and asked her the address of some girl whose name he mentioned, though she bad now =ea it. She replied that she did not know the, girl's . The prisoner said, " You lie, you —' and struck her a violent blow, which felled her to the (?'round. He then drew his bayonet and stabbed her in the temple, immediately over the right eye. She became in. sensible, and was removed by some person to the hospital. Emil; Harrington, another young woman of the same class with the prosecutrix, corroborated her evidenoe. The prisoner appeared quite sober. The prosecutrix fainted, and was removed to the hospital. The prisoner was taken to the station-house, where witness charged him. Police Sergeant Aitchinson, A 1, said that at about five minutes to 1 he was passing through Gardner's-lane when he saw the prisoner talking to the two women, and they seemed to be quarrelling. He advised the prisoner not to squabble with them but to go to his barracks. When witness had get about 15 yards away he heard a cry of " murder," and immediately returned. Prisoner was standing on the footway and pro. sexutrix in the road, and the prisoner had his bayonet in his band and was pointing it at her face, at about 18 Indus from her. She had her hands before her face, and was crying out "Oh, dear me:" Witness took the bayonet from the prisoner's hand, and returned it to the scabbard. The prosecntrix, who was bleeding from a wound in the right temple, fainted in the street. Witness,after taking the prisoner to the station-house, removed the woman with the assistance of other constables to the Westminster Hospital, where the wound was dressed. She was then brought to the station-house, where she again fainted twice. The woundwas about a quarter of an inch in depth. The prisoner and the witness Smith were quite sober, and so was the prosecutaix as far as he could judge, but it was difficult to tell, owing to the effect of the fainting and loss of blood. Mr. Henry—Did you examine the point of the bayonet ? Sergeant Aitchison—Yes, and I found no signs of bland on it. I bad not seen any blow or attempt to stab. The prisoner said he had not drawn his bayonet. Mr. Henry said the sergeant could not be mistaken about that.  The prisoner mid the prosecutrix attempted to robhim of his watch, and on his preventing her she ran into a publichouse in Gardner's•laoe and fetched a quart pot, which she was about to throw at him. He took it from her and threw it away. She fell by accident and cut her temple on the stones. He denied having stabbed her at all. Sergeant Parsons, of the Scots Fusilier Guards, said the prisoner bore an excellent character. He was a sober quiet man. He was on leave till 1 oclock. Corporals were allowed to wear their bayonets. He had been two years and seven months in the service, and one year and seven months a corporal. Mr. Henry—This is one of the dangers of letting them wear their bayonets. There is no doubt that he used the bayonet, and he appears to have done so without cause, though he was sober. It must go before a jury. However, he must be put back till the sur. geon attends. Subsequently Mr. William Hater, house surgeon at the hospital, attended and deposed that the wound was about half an inch deep and a quarter of an inch wide. It was such a wound as might have been inflicted by a bayonet or any pointed instrument, but not by a fall on the kerb stone. His impression was that she was not quite sober. Prosecutrix and the witness Smith said they had both had exactly the same quantity of drink, and Smith was declared by the police to have been quite sober. Mr. Henry committed him for trial for the amault.