Sydenham Times, 11 November 1862.

Desperate Characters.

At Greenwich Police-court, on Wednesday, Samuel Harris, a tall marose looking fellow who has frequently been convicted of assaults on the police, was charged with assaulting Mr. George Goldsmith, landlord of the "Crown," Lower Sydenham, and P.C. Critchall and Osborne, and Robert Whitty and William Brackley were charged with attempting to rescue Harris from the custody of the police, and assaulting them in the execution of their duty. It appeared that several months ago Mr. Goldsmith entrusted Harris with half a crown, to purchase some mutton chops, but he made off with the money, and had not visited the house until the previous day, when Mr. Goldsmith requested him to leave, but immediately received a blow in the face, from the effects of which his right eye now appeared blackened. The police were then called in and took Harris into custody, and were about preceding with him to the station, when Whitty an Brackley persuaded Harris not to go, and assaulted the constables who had him in custody. Further assistance having arrived, the prisoners were all apprehended, but it took no less than eight constables to get the prisoners to the station. P.C. Critchell received a fearful kick on the head from Whitty, who was the most violent, and threatened, if he could get hold of any weapon, to run the officer through. P.C. Osborn was severely kicked about the body, and every one of the constables was in some way assaulted by the prisoners. Sergeant Best informed the magistrate that an uniform bat belonging to one of the constables had been destroyed by the prisoners. Mr. Traill said he would only convict for the assaults, and sentenced Harris to two months' and Whitty and Brackley to six weeks’ imprisonment, with hard labour.