The Sun. — 1858-09-07 (London, England)

FURIOUS DRIVING, AND ASSAULT ON A MEDICAL GENTLEMAN AND A CONSTABLE.—Frederick Howell, described as a chandler's shopkeeper, of Tower-street, St. Martin's-lane, was charged with furious driving and assaulting Mr. Robert Potter Baker, a dispenser, and Ball, 64 E. Ball, 64 E, said, about 1 that morning he saw the prisoner driving a horse, attached to a phaeton, along Oxfordstreet at the rate of 20 miles an hour. Several gentlemen assisted him (Ball) in stopping the horse, and a gentleman who was in court prevented the prisoner from falling, upon which he gave him a violent blow on his back, and tore his coat. At the station in George-street, where the prisoner was taken, the horse and phaeton having been taken to the green-yard, the prisoner kicked him with great violence on the legs.. Mr. Robert Potter Baker, a dispenser, of 6, Little Compton-street, Soho, said he was passing along Oxford-street, when he saw the prisoner driving at a furious rate. He went up with others and caught the prisoner as he was falling, thus probably preventing him from receiving serious injury. The prisoner then turned round, gave him a violent blow, and tore his coat completely in two. He had evidently been drinking. Prisoner said the phaeton was taken out yesterddy by a licensed victualler, who, having been locked up at Barnet for being drunk, had requested him to take it to the owner in Rathbone-place, which he was doing at the time. He had been drinking a good deal. Mr Bingham said putting all the offences together—being drunk, kicking the constable, and assaulting his benefactor, he could not impose on him a smaller fine than 40s. or 21 days.  MURDEROUS ASSAULT ON A POLICE CONSTABLE  Henry Farr, a tall and powerful man, a sawyer in the employ of Messrs. Wigram, ship builders, Blackwall, was brought before Mr. Selfe, on a charge of assaulting Henry Young, a police constable, No. 365 K. Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, defended the prisoner. The complainant, who was in great pain, and is likely to be ill for some time, in a tone scarcely audible, said that yesterday morning the prisoner was charged at that court with firing a gun in the Barking-toad on Sunday afternoon, and after an investigation of the case— Mr. Selfe—l discharged him. Young—Yes, sir, you did. About 10 minutes past 3 yesterday afternoon I was off duty and was passing along the St. Leonard's-road, Bromley, and was about to enter a public-house opposite, when the prisoner and five others rushed out of the public-house and came towards me. The prisoner passed upon me the foulest 'abuse, and said "you I'll be revenged upon you, if it is.l2 months hard ; I have got you now," and struck me twice with his fist and knocked me down. While I was down another man kicked me on the side and on the legs. I managed to get up, and was knocked down again and kicked, and became insensible. There are contusions on my side, and I  am very ill. Jane Forbes, an elderly woman, saw the outrage, and confirmed the statement of the complainant. Mr. Charles Young, in defence, hardly knew what to say. The prisoner was in liquor yesterday, and smarting, under the injury inflicted upon him by a night's imprisonment for thing a gun across the fields on Sunday afternoon. He (Mr. Young) must say the prisoner was very foolish, and ought not to have annoyed or struck the police constable. The prisoner was very sorry for what he had done, and hoped, in consideration of his family and that he had been imprisoned for two successive nights, that a moderate fine would be inflicted. _  Mr. Selfe said this was a very bad assault, and one that could not be visited with a small fine. The policeman had been savagely assaulted because he had done his duty. He fined the prisoner £3. If the policeman had been on duty, he should have sent the prisoner to gaol without the option of paying a fine. ' The penalty was paid.