The Sun. — 1868-09-18 (London, England)

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.  OUTRAGEOUS ASSAULTS ON TILE 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 defence.  Police-constable Henry Page, 168 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 Leekie gave him a blow on the head which knocked him down on the road, and while a woman held him down the prisoners and the man struck and 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 and pushed down and sprang his rattle, usandkill m thea outright." He then got up Reidot custody then went away with the woman. Before any assistance came the prisoners then 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 case 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 fight, and all he 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 difficulty 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 aasisted them as much as be could, and never witnessed a scene of greater brutality in his life. Mr. Sayer, for the defence, said that he was instructed 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-constable Page fighting with both prisoners, and saw Page strike Reid hard with his truncheon. They continued fighting, and then the constable took out it he struck Leekie gwoman do anything, whiisthraittt.le,Haneddiadftneortspserientgihne and it was some minutes before the constable called for assistance, as be 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 policestation, 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, 183 E touched him on the shoulder to go out, and he could not get in again.  Mr. Priestley, pianoforte maker, of Edwardstreet, 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 Auto of the town at the