§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether Joseph Wright, carpenter, Leicester, and George Butler, labourer, Belgrave, were convicted, on Saturday 14th May, before the Leicester County Magistrates, of throwing, the former a stone, and the latter a rotten egg, at policemen engaged in protecting the auctioneer at the sale of goods belonging to Mr. King, of Mere Road, New Evington, and distrained in enforcement of a fine inflicted for the non-vaccination of a child dead more than a year ago; whether Joseph Wright was fined £10 18s., including costs, and George Butler £3 3s. 6d.; whether the evidence against the accused was given solely by police officers, and was contradicted, in the former case by three and in the latter case by four bystanders; and, whether the Government will consider the advisability of modifying or remitting the sentence?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. STUART-WORTLEY) (Sheffield, Hallam)(who replied) said: Wright and Butler were convicted, to the perfect satisfaction of the Justices, of assaulting the police in the execution of their duty. This assault was part of an organized attempt made in the locality to prevent the law from taking its course by threats of violence to the auctioneer and by riotous proceedings at the auction. The Secretary of State sees no reason for interfering with the sentence.