The Northern Daily Times. — 1853-12-22 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

ALLEGED ASSAULT UPON A POLICE OFFICER.--THE:' TABLES TURNED.—DanieI and Mary M'Connell, husband and wife, were charged with assaulting officer 107, (Kennedy), whilst in the execution of his duty. On Friday evening, Kennedy received directions to attend in plain clothes at St. Martin's school, to watch some boys who were in th. habit of breaking the windows of the school by throwing stones. About two o'clock he bud, cwo boys into custody,. for throwing stones, and ....moved them to bridewell. About four o'clock, he apprehended a third boy for the same' offonco, and when he did so, the prisoner and his wife came up, the boy was rescued, and the officer was assaulted. According to his own statement,-his hat was taken off in order that his head might be bare to receive the blows, and his staff was taken from him. M'Connell, the male priso— ner, admitted to the officer that what the boy was doing was' very wrong, and that he himself had repeatedly complained of it. M'Connell denied this statement. He had taken no part in the rescue, but the officer had the boy down and was kneeling on his chest, and when the boy got away, the officer came to him and struck him with a short stick, and broke his hat. His wife then asked him why he struck her husband, and he seized her and threw her down. He asked him to give the boy into the custody of an officer. Kennedy : I was struck with stones, and there is no truth in the statement that I had the boy down. • Mr. Booth : Did you tell them you were an officer ? Kennedy : I did ; I said remember you are getting yourself into a serious hobble.  Mr. Wybergh ; Did he tell you to give the boy up to a policeman ? Kennedy : After the row was over, not before. M'Connell said he had got up an application to his landlord, to try and do away with this very nuisance. A woman named Brown was then called as a witness for the prisoner. She stated that shortly after four o'clock she was passing St. Martin's schools, and she saw a great crowd. She went over, and she saw a man who had a boy by the collar of his jacket, on the ground, and his two feet on his chest. The prisoner and his wife were coming across, and they asked what the boy had done. The officer said, he has been breaking my windows, and I, will take him to bridewell. With that M'Connell said, do not murder the boy ; give him into the hands of a policeman. With that a woman came and knocked off his hat, pulled him down and scratched his face. I held his hat in my hand, and I would not give it to a person who wanted to take it. Another person had the officer's stick, and when he got it he ran and struck M'Connell and knocked off his hat. It was another woman who released the prisoner. The officer had his feet on the boy's chest. Kennedy : I deny that. Mr. Clough : Do you know the prisoners ?, Witness : No. Mr. Clough : Did you see the officer with a staff ? Witness : P saw him pull it out. Mr. Clough : Was it a regular constable's staff ? Witness : I don't know. He then got hold of the lady, and threw her down on the broad of her back. Mr. Wybergh : Did you see either of the prisoners attempt to strike the officar ?—Witness : No. Kennedy : Did you see Mrs. M'Connell scratch my face ? Witness : No. Kennedy : Did you see that woman hold my staff ? Witness : No. Kennedy : You were not there at the time it occurred ? Witness : I was there at the beginning. I thought my own boy might be there, and I was uneasy. Kennedy. There was no one there at the commencement but the prisoners. The boy got away the first time, and I took him a second time. Witness : I beg your pardon, you only had him- once, and he was taken away by the old woman who knocked your hat off.  Mr. Mansfield : Discharge the prisoners: A