The Express. — 1848-06-07 (London, England)

MURDEROUS CUAILTINT OUTRAOE.—Joseph Crane was charged with having been c nmerned with several others in ei murderous attack upon Thomas and Frederick Woodward, brothers, under the impression that they were special const-i-blre, during the riots on Sunday last. The complainant Thomas Woodward stated, that he and his brother ere passing through Virginia•row, Bethnal green, between twelve and one o'clock, on Sunday, and were threading their way through a large crowd assembled there, 'rhea a sudden cry was raised of " there goes a government spy and epec.al constable," and they were instantly assailed with a volley of stone. and other missiles. At the same moment, a simultaneous rush was made by the mob, and witness ran for protection into one of the houses, but had scarcely secured the door when it was burst open by upwards of twenty of his pursuers, amongst whom wee the prisoner, who struck him a violent blow in the face, aid the rest of the rabble commenced heating and kicking him until he begged them, fur Odd's sake, not to murder Lim, and told them they bad better search him it they thought he wan n special constable, upon which they rifled hie eoekete, and abstracted all the money he had about him. The mob ontside were in the meant coo sbouting to the others to drag him out, and one of his assailants caugl,t him round the neck and forced him into the street, where he was instantly knocked down by the party outside, who struck him to the ground, kicked him about the head, body, and face, and knocked out two of hie front teeth. He succeeded with great difficulty in recovering his feet, and was erdeavouring to escape, when the mob hastily formed a double line, and each of them struck him as he passed, untit he reached the corner of the street, when one of the inhabitants pulled him into his house, and haviag strongly barricaded the door looked him into a back room, where he remained nearly two hours. when he was ultimately released by Mr. Hanley, the chief usher of the court, who had accidentally heard of his detention.—Frederick Woodward, brother of the last witness, confirmed the preceding evidence, and stated, that he was endeavouring to escape from the mob, when a man and two women appeared at the door of one of the houses, and invited him to take refuge there, which he did; but the instant they bad bolted the doer it was burst open by the rioters, a number of whom rushed in, exclaiming that he was a " special, and now they had got hold of him they would murder him." A general attack was then made upon him, and at every blow they exclaimed " Take that, ou special l" After beating him until he was completely exhasted, and both his eyes closed up,, they dragged him into the street, where they renewed their violence, and on assuring them again that he was not a special constable, some of them said, " We'll search him," and immediately turned out the whole of his pockets, from which they abstracte&lie., and finally told him, that if they had found a staff upon him he should not have gone away alive. lie was then allowed to go.—When called von for has defence, the prisoner denied that be was one of the persons who had assaulted the complainant, or that he was even present on the ocossion.—Mr. thiamin said that his identity had been clearly established, and ordered him to be at once committed for trial for assault and robbery. Tan Di"KilifAir Ml= llsogrove, T.