The Sun. — 1844-11-07 (London, England)

CLERKEN WELL.  Mr. David Pattenson Barry, a surgeon at the London University Hospital, was charged with using obscene and disgusting language to a lady in the public street; and 11Iesrs. Jahn Thomas, and Edward Abraham Hallier, with violently assaulting Mr. David Henry Jobson, a gentleman connected with the editorial department of one of the London journals, and residing at 9, University-street. The body of the court was crowded with medical students, who conducted themselves in so indecorous a manner as to interrupt the business of the court. Mr. COUDE said if they would persevere in their indecorum, he would have them expelled from the court. There were no two classes of persons of any degree which gave the magistrates so much trouble as medical students and attorneys' clerks. If the persons in the body of the court strove to laugh it off, and treat the complaint as a joke, they would find themselves greatly mistaken. Mr. Jobson deposed that on the previous night, between eight and nine o'clock, he was standing on the footway in University-street, talking to a lady, when the three prisoners, one of whom affected intoxication, passed. Witness did not know them, and had not given them the slightest provocation, when Barry, turning about to the lady, said--(the words were disgustingly obscene and unfit for publication). They then walked on. Witness followed them and demanded Barry's card. He refused it, and Hallier, suddenly turning round, struck him a violent blow on the left eye. 'Witness attempted to defend himself, but the whole three fell upon him and beat him so that he bled considerably from the mouth and nose. He received another very severe blow on the temple. A mob of two hundred persons gathered, and witness eventually gavethem into the custody of a constable. Were it not for the timely arrival of assistance, he would have been dangerously injured.  Each of the prisoners sharply interrogated him. He admitted having struck at them in self-defence, and having told them their conduct was the conduct of blackguards. The reason he did not remain longer at the station was, because he went to a surgeon to have his wounds dressed. The lady might not have heard some of the words used by Barry. Thomas—You are telling a tissue of lies. _ _  Mr. COMB —The gentleman is giving his evidence in a highly creditable manner, and you had better not repeat that language. _ _  George B4ricer,-a baker's boy, who 9hpweel to be  passing at the time, confirmed, to a great extent, the complainant's testimony, as did Mr. Coldrick, a tradesman, residing at 34, University-street, who nositiv,ly swore he saw all three prisoners strike at Mr. Dobson.  Mrs. Elizabeth Harrison, residing at 10, Graftonstreet, had been talking to Mr. Jobson as deposed to, when the prisoner Barry, turning round to her, mid a You are a lovely creature." She was greatly agitated by being thus addressed, and did not hear any more. Barry's manner was most insulting. (The lady was greatly confused and agitated.) Police-sergeant 5 E deposed to having arrested the prisoners, who were perfectly sober. The whole neighbourhood was in a state of great excitement, and a mob of three hundred persons, some of whom had witnessed the prisoners' conduct, followed them to the station, and pelted the prisoners with mud. Mr. Jobson's eye was greatly inflamed, and his mouth and nose bleeding when witness came up. His face was also much swollen. Mr. Jobson was perfectly sober. The prisoners, in defence, denied having used the obscene language sworn to by Mr. Jobson, but admitted having used the words stated by the lady. Mr. Jobson called them bad names, blackguards, &c. The mob pelted them with mud.  COMBE said the conduct of Ow prisoners was, most disgraceful and most cowardly. The person who would be base enough to grossly insult an unoffending lady, would be coward enough to treat the complainant in the manner described. Lie had intended to send the case to the sessions, but would deal with it summarily, and fine the prisoners 51. each, or two months' imprisonment. Mr. Thomas Ashworth, a chemist and druggist, was charged with embezzling property to a consider. able amount belonging to his employer, and with attempting to commit suicide. John Latham, a Bow-street officer, deposed that at three o'clock on the previous day the prisoner came to Bow-street station, and asked witness if he had not received information of a quantity of books having been stolen from a Mr. Ambler, and on witness replying in the affirmative, he said, would you know the man who stole them ? Witness said he would not. The prisoner then exclaimed, "I am the man who committed that robbery, and I wish to give myself up." He was then locked up.. Mr. Amhler, a wholesale bookseller, residing at 27, Compton-street, Clerkenwell, said about a month ago the prisoner came to him, assured him that he was in indigent circumstances, and requested some kind of employment. Witness, . knowing that his friends were highly respectable, in some time after entrusted him with Prayer-books and Bibles as samples for country customers. In a few days after he received a letter from the prisoner, dated from Bexley. in Kent, in which he stated that he had lost the books, and requested forgiveness. The prisoner's friends having promised to make good the loss, witness commissioned the prisoner to take some books to Mr. Young, in Titchfield-street, Soho. The prisoner delivered the parcel, and borrowed money from Mr. Young. Witness subsequently learned that he had pawned the first parcel of books in several pawn-offices. The books were produced by several pawnbrokers' men.  The prisoner's step-father, an elderly gentleman, residing in Baker-street, Clerkenwell, stated that the prisoner was insane ; his father had been seven years in a lunatic asylum, and died mad there, and his brother, a solicitor, cut his throat. The prisoner's father had predicted that his'son would die mad, and he verily believed the prediction would be verified. The'prisoner had twice attempted to commit suicide— once by throwing himself into the New River. He had been in affluent circumstances, but was now much reduced.  Inspector Barton deposed that on the previous night, a short time after the prisoner was locked up in the cell, the constable, upon going the "rounds," saw the prisoner suspended there by his neckcloth. He was' at once cut down, and was quite black in the face, and animation suspended. The police-surgeon was sent for, and he was, after a considerable interval, restored.  Mr. GREENWOOD directed Mr. Taylor to be sent for, that he might examine him regarding the state of his mind. Mr. Taylor came and did so, but stated the result to the magistrate in private. Mr. GREENWOOD decided upon remanding the prisoner, and added that Mr. Taylor had required further time to inquire into his state of mind. The prisoner, who conducted himself throughout with perfect composure and decorum, was remanded.