Widnes Examiner. — 1891-01-17 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

CHARGE OF FIGHTING. UNFOUNDED ACCUSATION AGAINST CONSTABLES.  At the Warrington Borough Police Court, on Monday, before the Mayor, Aldermen Harrison and Davies, and Dr. Gornall, Martin M'Guire was summoned on a charge of fighting in Tanner's-lane, on Sunday night last.—P.C. Amson deposed that he and P.C. Davis found the defendant fighting with another man at a quarter past tenon Sunday night in Tanners's-lane.—P,C.Davis corroborated .-4ohn Troy deposed that he was talking with the defendant at his own residence, three doors from witness's, up till ten minutes past ten.—The Muror : There was time for a fight afterwards.—Witness said he knew the defendant was never out that night.—Mrs. Hughes gave corrobmative evidence.—JohnM'Guire, defendant's brother, said he spoke to the two constables about 1020 o'clock on the night in question, and they were very far gone in drink that night.— )P.S. Bowen deposed that he saw them about eleven o'clock, perfectly sober.--P.c. Amson said the defendant would have been locked up but that witness heard he was subject to fits.—The Mayor, addressing John M'Guire, said he had made a very serious charge against the officers. If it was substantiated, they would both get into serious trouble.—The witness replied that his statement was true.—The defenilant's mother said P.C. Davis lost his cape in the passage.—LP.C. Amon: I can answer for myself. I had not tasted that day.— Chief Constable Hunt: They would have both to go through their parade and examination, and, if they had been tainted with drink, they would have had to fall out,—Alderman Davies said the Bench were perfectly satisfied that the officers were sober, but in justice to them, that they might have an opportunity to clear their characters, he would ask that the case might be adjourned for them to call witnesses to disprove the charge.—At the, request of Chief Constable Hunt the Bench decided to allow him to send for these, and to adjourn the case till they cqme. Alßout half-anhour later Inspector Cox and Sergeant Rowbotham made their appearance, and both said that the constables were on parade at a quarter to ten p.m., and were not in the slightest degree under the influence of drink, and that they saw the officers at different times between eleven and twelve that night, and they showed no signs of drink. The witnesses further said they had never known either of the constables to be under the influence of drink.—John M'Guire was then re-called, and the Mayor told him that the Bench thought that by making such charges against the two officers he had committed a most unwarrantable offence.—M'Guire. I don't think so.—The Mayor said the Bench felt so satisfied on the point, that if they had the power they would send him to prison for perjury.—M'Guire said the officers had had a lot of beer when they spoke to him.—Alderman Harrison said M'Guire had committed a deliberate perjury in making such a charge against the constables. The police had plenty to do to keep themselves clear from persons who were ever ready to scandalize them on the slightest pretence. This was a deliberate attempt to injure these two officials, and he only wished the Bench could commit him for a month: he would hold up both his hands for it.—Major Pickmere asked the Clerk whether there was a case for prosecution for perjury, but the Clerk advised that there was not under the circumstances.—The defendant was bound over to keep the peace for six months; in default seven days' hard labour.  . The Paris papers assert that the man who has been arrested at Olot as the murderer of General Seliverstoff is not Padlewski, but an Alsation named Heim. News has reached Suakim that Osman Dig,na has procured a quantity of arms and ammunition and collected a large force of dervishes, with the object of advancing on Suakim.