Street Brawl

Johan Arhreus and Gustave Hayan a couple of German sailors and William Henry Tregurtha an English seaman were brought up by Police Constable Faith on a charge of drunkenness and disorderly conduct and fighting in Union Street late on Saturday night.

Police Constable Faith said that on Saturday night about twenty minutes to 12 o’clock he was on duty in Strond Street when his attention was called to a disturbance in Union Street. On getting there he found a number of foreign sailors coming over Palmerston Bridge. They were speaking in broken English and he heard them say “we will have one English fight.” (A laugh.)  They made their way to the Royal Arms a public house close by and just as they got there the doors were burst open and three of four English sailors came out. There were fourteen or fifteen foreigners and they all set on to the Englishmen.  He called to a rifle picket, which was near, and the soldiers assisted him in quelling the disturbance and he succeeded in taking the three prisoners into custody after which an attempt was made by the foreigners to rescue the Germans but he succeeded in getting them to the station house. 

The Magistrates put several questions with the view of ascertaining by whom the disturbance was commenced but the constable was unable to give any information upon this point. All he knew was that he heard the foreigners declare previous to the disturbance that they would have “one English fight.” but whether there had been any previous provocation on the part of the Englishmen he was unable to say.

Tregurtha said he had given no provocation. As soon as he came out of the public house he found himself in the hands of the foreigners who commenced assaulting him.

The two Germans denied that they had interfered in the “melle”. They confirmed the statement of the policeman as to a street-fight having taken place but they persisted that they were mere spectators and that the policeman had taken them into custody by mistake.

The Superintendent of police said there were great complaints as to the disorderly conduct of the foreigners now detained in the harbour.

The Magistrates said that as this was the first case which had come before them they were inclined to deal with it leniently especially as the evidence showed that a large number of other persons who were not in custody were mixed up in the disturbance while it failed to prove who had first given provocation. It must not be understood however that such disturbances could be indulged in with impunity and if any other case should be brought before them and the circumstance were made out to their satisfaction the offenders would be severely punished.

1870.