Plucky Constable Draws Truncheon

by **Karen** Mon 6 Dec 2010 - 21:01

PROTECTING A PICKPOCKET.

The City had two exciting spectacles yesterday - the hunt of a pickpocket by an angry crowd of about 100 persons down Farringdon-street and Farringdon-avenue, and the complete defeat of the mob by one constable, armed with a drawn truncheon. The hero of the latter conflict was Constable Watkins, 353 City.
The hunted culprit was a man of fairly respectable appearance, who entered a fried fish shop at Farringdon-street, and robbed three workgirls of their purses.
Outside the shop he was challenged, and gave up his plunder, and then made off in the direction of Ludgate-circus. He was pursued, caught, and knocked down, kicked and spat upon. He contrived to get away from those who were so violently maltreating him, and ran as swiftly as possible, pursued by a mob of roughs.
Constable Watkins, turning into Farringdon-avenue, met the fugitive and his pursuers, who were shouting, "Lynch him." The constable put the man against the wall, stood in front of him, and with drawn truncheon waited for the mob. The scene was a very angry one, and the policeman had the utmost difficulty in bringing the pickpocket safely into Farringdon-road. Help was soon at hand then, and the plucky constable took the exhausted man to St. Bartholomew's, where his wounds were dressed.
Then he was arrested on the charge of picking pockets.

Source: Daily Mail, London, Friday September 16, 1898, Page 3