The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-06 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.
Captain ?rands, the master of the ship Edith Owen,
the property of Messrs. Wood and Co., ship owners, of
Cannon-street, yesterday attended before Sir R. Carden,
to answer a summons which charged him with having
neglected and refused to pay the sum of 31. 14s. Bd., the
balance of wages due to John Morey, an able seaman on

board the vessel.
Mr. Wontner appeared for the defendant.
From the statement of the complainant it appeared that
he bad shipped on board the Edith Owen at Shields in
June last, on a voyage to Hamburg and from thence to
Lisbon. The vessel, he said, was laden with guns, shot,
and shells, and other contraband of war, and instead of
sailing to Hamburg she went to the Faros Islands on the
north of Scotland, where she remained several days, and
was joined by two other vessel, belonging to the same
owners—the Imperial and the Tornado. When they
sailed they were chased by a government vessel, but
succeeded in getting away, and the captain then told
the crew that he was going to London, but instead of doing
so they proceeded to Flushing. While they were at the
Faroe Islands the defendant, he said, offered the crew 41.
extra for their lon of time, but they were all ultimately
discharged without being paid their wages, and he now
claimed the sum mentioned in the summons se the balance
due to him, and he also considered himself entitled to the
41. that was promised him by the defendant.
In answer to questions put by Mr. Wontner, the com-
plainant admitted that he had summoned the defendant to
the Thames Police-court, but said that Mr. Partridge, the
presiding magistrate, declined, under the circumstances,
to make any order, and told him that he must apply to
the Board of Admiralty. He also admitted that the sum
he now claimed bad been offered to him, but he refused
to take it without the additional 41. that he was promised
by the captain.
Mr. Wontner, in answer to the complainant, said that
there had never been any objection to pay the complainant
the sum he now claimed, but he rinsisted upon having the
other 41. With reference to that his instructions were that
when the crew build that the captain was in a difficulty
they refused to work and raise the anchor unless be pro-
mised to give them the 41. in addition to their wages, and
in consequence of these intimidations he was compelled to
promise to do so.
The defendant was then examined, and he proved the
facts as stated by Mr. Wontner. He said that he was now
ready to pay the money the complainant was really
entitled to.
Sir R. Carden said that he thought the complainant
ought to be satisfied with this, and he might consider him-
self lucky that he had not been charged with an offence
in intimidating his captain.
Captain Francis said that the complainant was the ring-
leader in the affair.
Sir R. Carden then observed that he wee informed that
one of the other vessels that had been mentioned was
seized by the government, and he was afraid that the
vessel was engaged for some illegal object. He should
advise Captain Francis to be careful in future, or he would
be liable to have his vessel seized for having contraband
of war on board.
Captain Francis said he did not know anything about
the cargo.
Several of the crew who were present exclaimed that
the captain knew very well that the vessel was laden with
guns and shells.
Captain Francis said all he knew was that there were
so many cases of " goods "on board. (A laugh.)
Sir R. Carden said he was afraid there could be no doubt
as to the nature of the cargo, and under all the circum-
stances the complainant was clearly not entitled to the 4/.,
bet only to the balance of his wages.
An order to that effect was accordingly made.
GUILDHALL.
Thomas Keys, a labourer, who refused his address, was
placed at the bar before Alderman Stone, charged with
asseulting his employer in a most savage
in a manner manner, and also
with assaulting a police-constable calculated
to do him a permanent injury.
Mr. John Perry said he was a contractor at Stratford,
and was engaged in building some houses in Basinghall-
street. The prisoner bad been in his employ as a labourer.
About 3 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon he went to inspect
the building, and found the prisoner quarrelling with the
driver of a stone truck. It was his duty to assist to unload
the trucks, but he had Mused the driver's dog, and wee
quarrelling with him and making use of the most foul
language. He asked the prisoner his name, with the viewof
having him discharged. He gave his name, but followed the
witness into the building, threats ning and abusing hint in a
manner he had never before heard. The prisoner followed
out his threat by striking him a violent blow on the face,
and knocking him down on a heap of stone, then catching
him by the throat tried to strangle him. Mr. Lee, the
architect of the building, came to his assistance, and the
prisoner then attacked him like a wild beast.
In answer to questions front the prisoner,
Mr. Perry denied that he called the prisoner a ruffian
and a scoundrel before he was struck, but admitted he
might have done so afterwards.
Mr. Lee, the architect of the building, corroborated Mr.
Perry'. statement, and said that when he interfered, the
prisoner turned upon him in the most savage manner and
assaulted him.
Police-constable George Purser, 140, said he was called
to take the prisoner into custody, but toned that he had left
the building. He overtook him in Guildhall-passage, and
told him that he charged him with assaulting Mr. Perry
and Mr. Lee, and that he had better go with him quietly.
The prisoner said he should not go for him or anybody
else, and he then took him by the collar, upon which be
kicked him in the groin so severely that he was suffering
great agony while giving his evidence. With tbe assist-
ance of another constable and the bystanders, the prisoner's
legs were tied together, and he was conveyed to the station.
He did not kick again.
The prisoner, in defence, said that he was drunk, and
they irritated him.
Alderman Stone said that his conduct had been mod
brutal, and he should send him for two months to the
House of Correction at Holloway, with hard labour, and
one month in addition for the assault on the policeman.
CLERICSNWHLL.
Charles Capparl, a carpenter, of 5, Winchester-street,
Caledonian-road, was charged on remand with assaulting
his wife, Sarah Coppard.
Mr. Allen, prosecuting officer of the Associate Institute
for Improving and Enforcing the Laws for the Protection
of Women, watched ths case; and Mr. Ricketts de-
fended.
The wife, who appeared very ill from the effects of
prisoner's violenoe, said she did not wish to hurt her hus-
band, as when be was sober he was very well, but when he
was drunk he behaved shamefully towards her. On Mon-
day night he came home drunk and abused her, and threw
a stool at her, which struck her on the head and cut it,snd
she fell in an almost insensible state. She became
so ill front the effects of the prisoner's violence towards her
that it was found necessary to remove her to the Royal
Free Hospital Gray's-inn-road, and Mr. John Daniel Hill,
the resident medical offioer, certified that she was suffering
from a wound of the scalp, from which she had kat a eon-
, siderable quantity of blood, and that she is now in
attendance at the hospital as an out Wiest. After a good