ASSAULTS IN INGESTRE STREET.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 94, 19 October 1881, Page 2

ASSAULTS IN INGE STRE STREET.

« The assault oases alluded to yesterday were heard at the R.M. Court this morning. Messrs. E. Pearoe, E. W. Mdls, G.«Totfiuret, and A. Le Grand (Jampboll, and Dr. Diver, J. P.s occapie 1 the Beiich. William Henry Williams, a boy, was first oharged with assaulting anohor lad named Charles Collings, junior ; Chivies Collinses, lenior, was <¦*¦ then charged with assaulting the boy Williams ; and Andrew Young appeared to answer a chargo of assaulting Charles Colling*, senior. Mr. Qaick again appeared «n behalf of Mr. Andrew Young, Mr. Fitzgerald for Coll ings (father and son), and Mr. Stafford for young William*. Tne hearing of the cases, wnich occupied a considerable time, excited keen interest. The circumstances connected with: the occurrence seem to be these : —About a' quarter past 10 o'clock on Saturday morning last, Codings, who is a green Trosor, residing in fory-3treet, was engaged in serving various customers in Ingestre-street, accompanied \>j his son. The boy Collinga went up the street towardt tho gaol with a parcal, followed by b.13 father in a cart. On the way, tha lad met two companions — Williams and Ja?gar — the former of whom he addressed as '' doughbanger," in reference, presumably, to the occupation of Williams' lather. Thu epithet Willia n3 r^onted, and after .young Collings had served his customer, he and Jagger gave ohase down tho hilt,. and Collings heoame the recipient ot a ''knock" on the shoulder for his offensive remirk. Meanwhile, Co.lingp pere witnessed his son in the aot of .being tucked, a id ruined to the rescue, conol»ding by administering a thrashingto Williams. Juse at this moment, Mr. Andrew Yonn^ appeared on th° scene. His evidence went to show that Cofiings Benior caught hold of Williams by the c >llar, lifted him from the ground, boxed h. 9 ears, and dealt him several "jjood kicks." This mods of treatment excited the ice of Mr. Yoqng, who charAoterisad the assault m

tho moat brutal he had over Been committed upon a child. To protect the lad from further violence, ho struck the elder Collings with bis fist, and the latter fell down. In cross-examination, Mr. Young admitted he had a ring on the hand which dealt the blow, but "ho had not time to pull it off." Mra. Grace Perham, a voluntary witness, deposed that she saw the man Collinga striko tho boy with hi* fist 3, kicking him between tho blows, and afterward he knooked him completely off the pavement. , She applauded the action taken by Mr. \ Young in connection with the matter. Another independent witness — Christian Jageraen— also stated that Collinga' assault was of a most brutal description. After a few minutes' deliberation the Bench decided to dismiss the information against Williams, and to inflict a fine of £1 on Collinga, aenior, whose conduct they considered most unjustifiable. In the case against Mr. Young, the Bench recognised that he natnrally felt indignant upon seeing the boys ill-used m the manner described, and though they folt convinced his action in the matter was a chivalroua one, they could not overlook the assault altogether, and consequently imposed the nominal penalty of Is. Each party was ordered to pay hia own coats. Mr. Young's fine was immediately subscribed in contributions of one halfpenny per subscriber.