The Sun. — 1853-01-06 (London, England)

WORSHIP-STREET.—Mr. Thomas James Johnson, a patent malt manufacturer, in Booth-street, Spitalfields, was charged with an assault of an aggravated description upon a young woman, named Anne Arnold. The complainant stated that she entered the service of Mr. Tilney, the landlord of the Black Lion, Old Montague-street, Whitechapel, about ten days since, and while seated alone in the bar parlour, between ten and eleven o'clock on New Year's eve, the defendant entered the apartment and inquired if she was the new servant. On her answering in the affirmative, the defendant remarked, " You have, no doubt, plenty of hard work here, would it not be better to come along with a person like me, and get 21. or 31. rather than remain starving here ?" Witness replied, "No, sir, an honest shilling is worth fifty' ill-gotten pounds." The defendant made no further observation for some minutes, when he asked.her if she had ever seen a comet, as there was one visible at that time from the yard, and if she would accompany him there, he would be happy to show it to her. She declined the invitation, and the defendant then left the room, but having occasion, in the performance of her household duties, to proceed shortly afterwards into the backyard, he suddenly presented himself and, seizing hold of her, commenced dragging her in the direction of an enclosed skittle ground. She implored him to let her go, and used her best efforts to release herself, but as the defendant pertinaciously retained his hold of her, she raised a loud outcry, which the defendant endeavoured to stifle, by placing his hand upon her mouth. She was then forced in the skittle ground by the defendant, who closed the door, and a violent struggle ensued between them, in the course of which she fell to the ground. Before she had time to recover her feet, the defendant knelt down upon her person, and she renewed her cries of " mercy," and " murder," which he again attempted to suppress in the same manner as before, but she contrived to bite one of his fingers, which compelled him to relinquish his hold, and enabled her to escape out of the place. On reaching the bar parlour, she found no one there but her master, to whom she refrained from communicating the particulars of the attack upon her, as she suspected at the time that he was a party to the outrage. After a short interval, the defendant followed her into the room, and rebuked her in her master's presence for having made such a noise, which he said was loud enough to induce people to suppose that the house was on fire. About half an hour afterwards she apprised one of her fellow-servants of what had occurred, and after acquainting her mistress with the transaction on the following morning, she at once le't the house and placed herself under the protection of her friends. Mr. Heritage, who appeared for the defence, said that he was instructed to give a total denial to the accusation, and that he was in a condition to call the landlord of the house, and other persons, who would be able to disprove some material portions of her testimony. Mr. Hammill said that the defendant had better reserve his evidence for another tribunal, as he had made up his mind to send the case before a jury, and the depositions having been completed, the defendant was committed for trial, but the magistrate consented to take bail for his appearance, himself in 801., and two sureties of 401. each.