Strange Case of Assaulting a Clergyman

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 142, 23 May 1890, Page 3

Strange Case of Assaulting a Clergyman

Walter Nicholson, potman of the 4d» miral Napier public' house, Amersham ▼ale, Deptford, was charged at Greenwhich police court, on Thursday, 27 tU March, with assaulting the Rev S. Topliam, clerk in holy orders, of 38 Amer* «ham vale, Deptford. — The prosecuior said that on Wednesday afternoon fie went into the pubUc house when the prisoner asked him to go with him into the confectioner's shop next door. He went, and the prisoner struck htm in the face, cultinjj it. He then gave. him into cuv tody. The prisoner said tiie prosecutor was in. .the habit of annnvm? joung women as they passed through the street. f[e admitted that he had slapped the complainant's face, but he bad insulted bis (the. prisoner's) sweetheart— Miss Cox. of Douglas-street, Deptfod, said she liy e <l with her aunt at a confectio >er's shop. She had to go to the j'ost late At night, and the prosecutor Wad molested her. On Monday night, at balf»past 10, the prosecutor ann yed i)er *nd asked her to go for a walk »itfe liim. She told the prisoner, to whom she Wits engaged, and on Wednesday afternoon he brought Mr. Tophnm i to the shop and asked her if she knew him; r-Shesaid, '*Yes, he molested me;" and the prisoner then smacked his face, and said, "Now you will be more carfnl in mo'eeting respectable feraalps." A minute afterwards the pr< s.-cutor reeled over, feel through the window, and broke the glass. The prosecutor said that no window was broken. He denied tue truth of the girl's statement" — A policeman said that the window was broken- — The prosecutor said it wa< ; entirely false thnt the window was fc-oken, and the constabl h d perjnred himself —The .constable saui the prisoner was sotKT, but the pro-ecu tor was under - the influpnne of drink.— Mr Marsham aaid thit not! ing would justify the prisoner in striking the. prosecutor, bat he did not think he hurt him much, and would bind him over to keep the peace. ■