The Sun. — 1865-10-10 (London, England)

MURDER BY A POLICEMAN.—At the Glasgow Circuit Court on Friday a policeman named Robert Sinclair was tried for assaulting a lad named John Broadfoot and thrusting him into a canal, whereby he was deprived of life. The principal evidence was given by James Wilson, an apprentice baker, who said—ln the end of August last I was living with my aunts, Catherine and Eliza Wilson. Sometime about the end of that month I had a quarrel with them, and left them, and did not sleep in their house for several nights. On the night of Thursday, 24th August last, I went to sleep at Mr. Watson's char or coke kilns, near the Forth and Clyde Canal, at the end of Bank-street, Port Dundas. I went there at 10 o'clock on Thursday night. Thre wore some boys—George Hunter, Angus Campbell, and the deceased John Broadfoot—there when I went. There wore some one-wheel barrows close by. I lay, down to sleep on one of these barrows, the other three lying, down together. We all went to sleep. Interrogated—What was the first thing that wakened you? A policeman's baton. (Laughter, instantly suppressed.) It struck me shard stroke on the breast. I then got up on my feet, and stood for a moment. Campbell went east, and I made to follow him, but I was turned by the policeman. I cannot say whether the policeman who turned me was he who struck me. The other lads would bo about two or three yards from me when I was turned. Broadfoot, the deceased, was running before me, and a policeman running after him. They were running in a northerly direction towards the basin. I also saw Hunter running away in that direction. Hunter was in advance of Broadfoot, who was several yards behind. I followed after the other policeman, and there was one behind me. I was running and I heard the policeman in front of me cry, " You —, I'll drown you," when he pushed Broadfoot into the canal. That was the policeman who was following Hunter- and Broadfoot. I would bo from four to six yards distant from Broadfoot when I saw this. The policeman pushed him on the middle of the back with the point of his baton. I saw Broadfoot tumble in, and heard the splash. Hunter by this time had gone round the corner of one of the kilns to the right. When I saw the constable do this I got up on the top of one of the kilns and ran away. After the constable pushed deceased into the canal I saw him down on his knees on the bank of the basin. I cannot say what he was doing. The water of the canal is about a foot down from the bank. I afterwards found Campbell on the top of a kiln. I told him about it, and he said ho had hoard the splash too. I lay down and slept till morning. The occurrence happened about two o'clock. In the morning I told James M'Cluskey about it. He is a kilusman. He came at four o'clock, and searched the basin till the breakfast hour, but without finding any body. This was on the Friday morning. On Saturday, M'Cluskoy, Hunter, and other men, and myself, again searched the canal, but without success. The search was renewed on Sunday. On Sabbath afternoon I told Thomas Boomer, a constable, what had happened. lie took Hunter, Campbell, and myself down to the Northern Police-office. We told there what had happened. On Monday morning I pointed out the place to Inspector Smith, and, on the canal being dragged, the body of Broadfoot was found. I was taken back to the police office and locked up. I saw Broadfoot's body in the police-office on the Monday afternoon, and identified it in the presence of the doctors. George Hunter, one of the boys who had slept at the kilns on the night in question, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. After a long trial Sinclair was found guilty of culpable homicide, and sentenced to ten years' penal servitude.  LATEST INTELLIGiiNOE the party shall be duly convicted; and be it further ordained that the constitution be amended by strik(