The Sun. — 1845-09-11 (London, England)

THAMES. THROWING MISSILES AT STEAM-BOIT PASSENGERS.— On Tuesday 11 iiliam Bignell, the master of a sailing barge, called the Lucretia, belonging to Brentferd, appeared before Mr. Broderip, to answer a charge of " assaulting Captain John Jenkins Large, the master of the City of Canterbury, Herne Bay steamer, and divers of her :Majesty's subjects" by throwing a large coal among the passengers as the vessel was proceeding down the river. It appeared from the evidence of Captain Large, which was confirmed by Mr. Rohrs, the secretary of the company, and R. Major, one of the crew of the vessel, that on Friday last the steamer was proceeding down the river with 260 passengers on board, and she met with the sailing barge off New Crane, Shadvrell, and the engines were stopped for the purpose of avoiding mischief, and in doing so some water trom the paddlewheel went over the barge's gunwale. The man at the helm of the barge used language of the most revolting description, which Captain Large said he could not mention in a public court, and which annoyed the passengers very much, and the fellow then took up a large coal which he threw at Captain Large, who was stationed on the bridge, between the two paddle-boxes. It missed hint and fell among the passengers on deck, striking a child in its descent on the forehead with great violence. Mr. Rohrs, the secretary of the Herne Bay Steam Packet Company, said the passengers travelling by their steamers had been so much annoyed by the bad language and insolence of bargemen on the river, and missiles had been so often thrown at the people on board,"that the company were ;determined to prosecute in every case, and would spare neither pains nor expense in bringing offenders to ju-tire. He picked tip a coal the size of a man's fist, which had been thrown by the defendant from his barge. Mr. lieoneeir said, the company did quite right to prosecute, and that he would render all the aid in his power to abate the evil. He then requested the defendant, who was laughing at the witnesses, to conduct himself with decency, and said there was nothing to laugh at The defendant said he was not laughing. Mr. Beoveeir —Do you mean to tell me that I was looking at you and did not see you laughing ? Inspector Flekbrook, of the Thames Police, said the defendant admitted to him he was at the helm of his barge, and that he had a piece of coal in his hand, which he threw at s man in the fore sponson, without any intention of hitting the captain or any of the passengers. He also said that if he was fined his governor would pay it, and treated the matter with great levity. The prisoner, in his defence, admitted he threw a piece of coal at one of the men on board the City of Canterbury, and that it was in his hand before the steamer fell in with him. He alleged as an excuse for his conduct that his barge was laden with 63 tons of coals, and was in danger from the rapid speed of the steamer; that one of the men ridiculed bins by putting his finger to his nose ; and that on a former oecasion the City of Canterbury ran foul of his barge, knocked him overboard, and nearly drowned him. Captain Large denied that any of his men misconducted themselves, or that he did any mischief to the barge. Mr. Bennettsr took a very serious view of the ease, and said he should not deal with it summarily. He should be wanting in duty to the public if he passed over such an outrage as this with the mere infliction of a money fine. There were nearly 31X) persons on board the steamer, and the defendant, who had treated the charge with so much levity, would no doubt be surprised when he told him that, if any ono had been killed by the coal which had been thrown among them, he would have been put on his trial for wilful murder. It there was any foundation for the defence set up, the defendant ought to have appealed to the laws of his country for redress, and not have thrown missiles among a number of unoffending people. He ordered that the defendant should find good bail, himself in 501. and two sureties in 251. each, to answer the charge at the sessions.—The defendant was committed to prison in default of bail.