The Sun. — 1847-09-28 (London, England)

COMMON SERGEANT.) John Coggs, alias O'Connor, 23, servant, was indicted for demanding money with menaces from Robert Brailey. Mr. Baldwin prosecuted, and Mr. O'Brien defended the prisoner. It appeared that the prosecutor was a waiter, and while walking at the west end of the town be met the prisoner, who entered into conversation with him, and they went to several public-houses and drank together. About ten o'clock at night they went into the City, and upon the prosecutor going up a passage for a certain purpose, the prisoner laid hold of his shirt and demanded I Os. or transportation for life, his object evidently being to insinuate that he would make a charge of an unnatural crime, and, under the terror inspired by the prisoner's conduct, the prosecutor gave him a scarf and a handkerchief and a small sum of money. The jury found the prisoner Guilty ; and The COMMON SERGEANT sentenced him to be transported for ten years. Thomas Howard, 26, carpenter, was indicted for wounding Sarah Howard, his wife, with intent to do her grievous bodily harm. Mr. Ballantine conducted the prosecution, which was instituted.by the parochial authorities of Kensington • Mr. O'Brien defended the prisoner. From the evidence adduced, it appeared that the prisoner, who is an Irishman, and his wife, resided at Kensington, and he was in the constant habit of illusing her most brutally. On the 25th of July the prisoner was in a most excited state from drink, and he made a savage attack upon his unfortunate wife and broke two of the bones of her nose, and struck her on the head until she was insensible ; and it was suggested by the prosecution that those injuries had been inflicted by a hammer. The poor woman, however, who, notwithstanding the dreadful injuries she had received, appeared actuated by a desire to give her evidence as leniently as possible towards the prisoner, said that no instrument was made use of. The surgeon who was called in found the poor creature in a state of entire unconsciousness, and she remained in that condition, with slight intervals, two days. She was far advanced in pregnancy at the time, and she was delivered shortly afterwards of a dead child. Mr. O'BuiEs, at the close of the case, submitted that the count imputing a felonious intent could not be supported, as there was no proof of any weapon or instrument having been made use of. The COMMON SERGEANT said, that this had no doubt been ruled by the Judges, and if the jury thought there was no evidence of any instrument having been made use of, the prisoner could only be convicted of a common assault.  The jury found the prisoner guilty of an assault. The prisoner was then charged with assaulting Thomas M'Cormick with a poker, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. In this case it appeared, that after committing the assault upon his wife the prisoner absconded from Kensington and took up his abode in the house of the prosecutor, in Orchard-place, Marylebone. On the night of the Ist of August he was very drunk, and upon some dispute taking place he attacked M'Cormick with a poker, and struck him a violent blow across the face, and would have inflicted more serious injury upon him if a police-constable, whom the cry of " Murder" had attracted to the spot, had not interfered, and, with great difficulty, secured him. The conduct of the prisoner appeared to have been of the most outrageous character, and when he made the blow at the prosecutor he was heard to say that he would do for him, and that he was not the first he had done for. The poker with which the injury was inflicted was produced, and it appeared to be considerably bent by the force of the blow. The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and he was sentenced to be kept to hard labour for 18 months.