The Sun. — 1844-09-17 (London, England)

ASSAULT BY A POLICE CONSTABLE ON HIS SERGEANT.  At an early hour on Sunday morning a circumstance took place at Winchmore-hill, Middlesex, which has created considerable sensation in that district. About four o'clock, Sergeant Hannan, of the N division of police, in going his rounds, missed police-constable Harvey, of the same division, off his beat, and after looking about for him for some short time, he observed him milking a cow belonging to Mr. Risley, a dairyman in the neighbourhood. Hannan crept stealthily along the field in such a position that Harvey had not the slightest knowledge of his approach until he was alongside, when he charged him with his improper conduct. Harvey made some trivial excuse, but the sergeant told him he must do his duty and take him to the station-house, and then laid of the left handcuff of the prisoner's coat with his right, and they walked together some short distance through the field, when Harvey, unperceived by his captor, drew his truncheon from his pocket with his right hand, and in an instant gave the sergeant a desperate blow on the head, which felled him to the ground. He then made an effort to escape, but was unable to do so, and repeated the blows on the sergeant's head, actually shivering his staff to pieces. the sergeant, notwithstanding, still held him, upon which the maul drew from his pocket a gouging chisel, and jobbed it into the head, face, and the arms of the sergeant, inflicting no fewer than thirteen or fourteen frightful wounds on his person. Hannan, with a death-like grasp, still held him fast, and his cries of " murder" brought to his assistance two men from the farmhouse of Mr. Risley, and also a farrier in the neighbourhood, just in time to prevent the sacrifice of his life, and Harvey was secured. The sergeant, who was reduced, from exhaustion and the loss of blood to insensibility, was removed to the farmhouse, and Messrs. Creswell and Ward, medical gentlemen at Southgate, were sent for, and promptly attended. A special messenger was also dispatched to the private residence of Mr. Johnson, the superin tendent of the N division, who lost not a moment in repairing to the spot, where he found every attention paid to the sufferer by the medical gentlemen. The sergeant remained in a dreadful state of suffering the whole of the day and night, but yesterday morning he appeared much better, and went on favourably throughout the day, so that there was strong hope of his ultimate recovery. After the prisoner was captured a pocket handkerchief full of apples, and with which was also tied up the lantern used by Harvey on his duty, was found in the field, not a great distance from where he had been milking the cow, so that there could be no doubt the apples were the produce of some of the numerous gardens in the neighbourhood. His house was subsequently searched, when a great variety of the choicest fruit, onions of the finest quality, and also miscellaneous property, all the produce of plunder, were found Some idea may be formed of the sensation which the circumstance has created in the neighbourhood from the fact that the officiating clergyman at the Edmonton chapel of ease, Winchmore-hill, alluded to it, and asked the prayers of the congregation for the recovery of the injured man. Yesterday, Harvey was taken befdre a bench of magistrates at Edmonton, and after a very brief examination, the injured man not being able to attend, was remanded to a future day.