The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-02 00:00:00

LLYBETH.

Mr. Alexander Tough, secretary to a friendly society
called the "United Bros hen of St. Mary's Birmingham
Society," held at the Mitre Tavern, Palace-road, Lem.
beth, amended before Mr. Paget to answer to a @ominous
takes out by George Hughes, and complaining that he had
been unlawfully and without fast cause excluded from the
said society.
The complainant, who I. now in his 64th ysar, mid
that he had been a subscriber to the society since its
first formation in 1849, and paid, agreeably to its
Is. 13. a fortnight to its funds. In the present year be bad
been ill 10 or 12 weeks, and received the usual sick mosey
from the society. In the month of June last
he went into the country, but left word with his
landlady that abe should carry his money regularly to
the society, and she did so, but on the last payment
she was told that he (complainant) was " out of benefit."
On returning to town he made application to the officers of
the society and offered them his arrows, but they told him
it was no use, as he had been regularly excluded from the
society. He denied this, and told them that be had no
notice of the intention to exclude him, though their roles
required that the secretary should seed him notice of the
intended exclusion two days before that act could be legally
doe., and to preys that such petite bad not bees not to
him, the secretary was fined 6d. for his negligence. la con-
dump, the complainant said that the officers received his
mosey when young, and when he did not require asp sm.
mistimes from the society, but now that be was getting old
and likely to require aid from its [soda, they were anxious
to get rid of him.
The reply of Mr. Neale, who attended for the defendant,
to the complaint was this, that the society was in a state
of bankruptcy ; that Its members had fallen off from 70 to
28 members ; that its stock was reduced to 161. odd; and
that the complainant's abate of that stock would be
about Hs.

Mr. Paget said it was his impression that now the cora-
plainiciug member was getting old, sod therefore the more
likely to become a burden to the feeds of the society, the
members wished to get rid of him ; bat it was hie (Mr.
Paget's) duty to see that jostios madam to him. His deci-
sion was that he (the complaisant) should be restored to
the society CM the next quarterly eight of meeting, or in
default to pay him the sum of 71. 10a., which amount he
(Mr. Part) edjodged as due to him from the society.
Mr. heals said the complaisant should be reinstated on
the payment of I2e. or 13e, tbee due by him as his cootri-
butious Mace the receipt of his money was stopped.
Mr. Paget said that of course those contributions would
be paid ; but be should at once sign an order to enforce the
payment of the IL Ws. is the sweat */ the complainant's
noe.admission into the society.
AIM Beard, an aged man, residing at 63, Hill-street,
Weiworth. was charged with stealing s smoked haddock
from the shop of Mr. Daniel °aerie" a genemil dealer, at
92 io the same street.

The prosecutor said that oa the evading before he mimed
a dried haddock from • board in frost of his shop, and
frog what hi wife told hint he went to the house of the
primmer, end oe obtaining admittance he found the pri-
mmer in the act of cooking a haddock for his tea. He
charged the prisoner with stealing the haddock at the fire
from • board in frost of his shop, but be stoutly denied
it, sod said the haddock was brought in by hm son, and
cloaked its being his property. Feelisg, however, that it
was, be went for • policeman, and as rotunda; with the
odleer, the prisoner acknowledged his guilt, and said he did
•ot know what possethed him in taking it. He then gave
him into custody.
Police-constable 250 P corroborated the statement of
the prosecutor as to the prisoner's admission of guilt, sod
said that the haddock had been eaten when he went to the
house.

The prisoner, in reply to the charge, said he bad been
to the shop of the prosecutor, and his impreaaion was that
Ise had priced the haddock, and wee told by Mrs. Carriage
it was 30., and he told her be should pay ber another
time.

The prisoner, who is ► tailor by trade, received an ex-
cellent character, and the magistrate, believing his state-
meat, discharged him.