The Sun. — 1841-08-07 (London, England)

CROWN COURT.  Robert Taylor, 20, John Owen, 25 and William Johnson, 27,, labourers, were indicted for flavinm, in the parish of Cuckfield, feloniously attempted to suffocate Henry Hilton, a police constable, with intent to commit the crime of murder. Mr: Cobbett conducted the prosecution ; Mr. Creasy appeared for the prisoner Taylor. Henry Hilton deposed that he was a constable in the employ of the Brighton Railway Company. On the 4th of May he was called into a beer-shop, known by the sign of the Hit or Miss, at Hayward's Heath, about a quarter before ten at night, and the landlord requested him to assist in clearing the. house, and told him that he had a " rough lot " inside. On going into the house he saw the three prisoners and five or six others, and he asked them civilly to leave the house, but they all refused to do so., and Taylor swore he would not go out for him or any one else. Kenward, the landlord, told them they must go out, and witness said if they did not go by fair means they must byfoul,and witness laid hold of Johnson and . .  put hint outside the door, and Kenward took hold of Taylor, who resisted, and witness then caught hold of Taylor and put him outside, and at the same moment Johnson struck him on the face, and he drew his truncheon and attempted to take him into custody, but be ran back, and as witness was following him, the other men seized him, and threw him into a hole of soil. The hole was about two or three feet broad and about four feet deep. They put him in with his head downwards, and his head went completely under the soil, and they kept him there for a minute or so, and then dowsed" his head up and down, and at the same time he was hit and kicked in all parts of his body, and he received twO kicks on the back of his head. He called out " murder" as well as he could, being nearlyz strangled, and they said " kill the -, smother him." and they then shoved his head under again, and with their hands forced 'some Orthe soil into his mouth. A person came up and struck the prisoners with a poker, and he was released. He then saw Owen and Tlor close by him, and they were fighting with the wothan, Weaver, who had come to his assistance. Taylor and Owen soon afterwards ran 'away, and witness, whose_ head was bleading very much.at the time, pursued them, and ho look, Taylor, and Kenward secured Owen. In. consequence of the injury he received. he was unable to do his duty. for a fortnight, and he was attended by a surgeon for three weeks.  iiichard Kenward, the landlord of 'the beer-shop, corroborated the testimony given by the constable. 'He also proved that upon his asking the people to leave the house, Johnson. said " he would see him and all the policemen d—d before he would go out." He also was knocked down,and kicked by the prisoners and their companions, and he saw them beating and kicking the prosecutor, and he also saw Owen straddling across him in the ditch, and he heard him say,' I'll kill the ----." Cross-examined—Could not say whether Taylor was knocked down- with a poker, iv witness knocked him clown with a stick after he, himself, had been struck to the ground by a brickbat. Did not hear Taylor cry out " Murder," but he heard him call out to the others to murder the policeman. Was certain it was the voice of Taylor he heard cry murder, although he had only seen him for two hours.  By the