The Atherstone, Nuneaton, and Warwickshire Times. — 1889-11-09 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

EXCITING STRUGGLE IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.  At the Birmingham Police Court, on Monday, before Messrs. Marris and Middlemore, Walter Harris Lucas (la), iron turner, Cook Street, Coventry, was charged with being drunk on the London and North-Western Railway and assaulting passengers in a train from Coventry to Birmingham.—A lady named Fisher said that on Saturday she was s passenger from Willesden to Birmingham. When the train arrived at Coventry prisoner got into the compartment. He was mad drunk, and persisted in smoking. A gentleman pointed out that it was not a smoking compartment, and prisoner thereupon commenced to strike him. Witness was greatly terrified, and got into the corner of the carriage while the men were struggling. Prisoner rushed at her, pushed her snout, and tore her cloak. Witness pulled the communication cord, but there was no witness, .anPdrwishoenn she wanted er refused shheak jeumhaped n hands on gentleman passenger and fought like a madman. Witness opened the door to jump out. Prisoner and a gentleman fought all the way to Stechford. —Ticket-collector Griffiths said that when the train arrived at Stechford the witness Fisher was riding on the step, and before the train stopped she jumped off. She seemed very much put about, and said murder was being done' in one of the compartments. Witness went to the compartment indicated, and was informed by a gentleman of prisoner's conduct. Prisoner was sitting quietly in the carriage. He appeared about half drunk. After the tickets had been collected witness and Porter Morris put prisoner into a separate compartment, and accompanied him to Birmingham. He was told he would be charged with assaulting passengers. He became very violent, and smashed one of the windows. He tried to get through the window, and witness and his companion with great difficulty restrained him.— Charles King said that he was a passenger by the train from Coventry. He got into the compartment at the request of Mrs. Fisher, immediately after the prisoner got in. When prisoner was requested not to smoke he used disgusting language, and behaved himself as stated by Mrs. Fisher.—Detective Jenks, of the London and North-Western Railway Company, said he was on the platform at New Street when the train arrived. He took prisoner into custody. Prisoner was very violent, and kicked witness purposely.— Prisoner expressed his sorrow for what had happened, and pleaded for leniency.— Mr. Marris said that the Bench considered prisoner had been guilty of a very serious assault, and there were circumstances connected with the case that showed that he intended to injure the constable. He would have one month's imprisonment for the assault on Mrs. Fisher, one month for assaulting King, and one month for assaulting the constable—Mr. Marris asked whether anyone was present who could tell why the communication cord would not work ?—The foreman at Stechford said there was a fresh engine attached to the London train at Rugby, and the cord was not connected with that engine because the run was not over twenty miles.—Mr. Marris: Is that the rule ?—Witness : Yes.—Mr. Marris : It is an exceedingly improper and dangerous rule. We take it there is no means by which passengers can communicate with the guard.—Witness said that the cord would communicate with the guard but not with the engine.—Mrs. Fisher: We were pulling it all the time.—Witness said he could not say whether the cord was in order, but it ought to communicate with the guard.--Mr. Marris We have it in evidence that it would not work.