The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-30 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURT&

GUILDHALL

William Metcalfe, alitendisper, carrying on business at
137, Copenhagen-street, was placed at the bar
on remand before Alderman Finale, charged with stealing
• dozen pair of gloves, and some Jenny Lind crochet caps,
value together 10s. IfkL, from the warehouse of Mr.
Wheatcroft, No. 2, Hart-street, Wood-street.
Mr. Buchanan appeared for the prosecutor ; and Mr.
Sleigh, barrister, for the prisoner.
Mr. Sleigh said in this case he appeared for the prisoner,
and he thought it right to lay all the facts before the
court. There was no doubt the prosecutor found the
goods in question at the prisoner's shop,and when he spoke
to the prisoner about them, he at once said, " Yes, Harry,
they are yours, but how they came here I do not know."
He had been in the habit of buying goods from the prose-
cutor, and in all probability they got put into one of the
parcels by mistake, and the prisoner did not know but
what they were included in some of the invoices he had
received. The prosecutor was now fully convinced that
however the goods came into the prisoner's possession
there was no dishonest intention on his part, and Mr.
Wheatcroft was therefore desirous, with the permission
of the court, to retire from the prosecution. As he (Mr.
Sleigh) had been consulted in the case, he thought it only
right and proper that his client should give • written un-
dertaking not to bring any action against the prosecutor
for what he had done. That had been all arranged and it
now only required the sanction of rho court to dispose of
the use.

Mr. Buchanan said that the prosecutor believed he was
only doing a public duty when he gave the prisoner into
custody, but that having slept on it for two or three
nights, he felt that the goods might have come into the
prisoner's hands by error, and he therefore wished to
withdraw from the charge. He was confirmed in that
opinion by the readiness with which the prisoner admitted
the goods were his, and also by the fact that they were
publicly exposed for sale in the window.
The prisoner was then discharged.
THAMES.

Robert Bell, James Wake .ford, and Frederick Thorappon,
drapers' assistants, were brought before Mr. Paget,
charged with wilfully obstructing the foot pavement in
the Commercial-road, and causing a riotous mob to as-
semble, to the danger of passengers.
Mr. Thomas Beard, solicitor, defended Wakeford and
Thompson ; Mr. Charles Young appeared for Bell.
Richard Talbot, police-constable No. 102 K, stated that
on Saturday evening, at half-past 7 o'clock, a great number
of young men, among whom were the prisoners, were as-
sembled opposite Emery's large draperyeertablishment,near
the George, in the Commercial-road. They were calling
out, " Close your shop ; close, close !" and got in front of
the door. Ladies were addressed, and told not to shop
there. He addressed the young men on the folly of their
conduct, and told them they must not block up the
footpath. The young men went into the middle of the
road, and continued calling out " Close your shop ; close,
close !" and distributed handbills. They would not leave;
and a disorderly mob, to the number of a thousand, assem-
bled, and there was much confusion and rioting. His at-
tention was particularly called to Wakeford, who would
not go away. He took him into custody. A great num-
ber of persons pelted him with stones and other missiles
while he was engaged with the prisoners. The young
men gave printed handbills away to people who were pass-
ing in and out of Emery's shop.
In moss-examination by Mr. Beard the witness said the
mob did not consist of all drapers' assistants, but the gene-
ral public, who expressed sympathy with them. He was
certain all the prisoner, shouted "Close your shop !" and
gave away printed bills.
Other evidence to the same effect having been given,
Mr. Beard, for the defence, said that Emery had joined
the early closing movement, and given a subscription
towards the expenses, and then became a traitor to the
cause, which had for its object to afford a little relaxation
to an over-worked and numerous body of respectable young
men. It was nowonder there was a littleebullition of temper
on the part of the drapers' assistants towards Mr. Emery,
who had deserted them. This was not en ordinary strike.
The early closing movement was encouraged and sup-
ported by all the large firms in the Commercial-road,
excepting Emery's people. The young men were pro-
voked by water being thrown from Emery's windows. No
doubt it was wrong legally for the drapers' assistants to
act as they had done, but he was sure it was not a case re-
quiring punishment. An admonition from his worship
be was quite sure would have the desired effect.
Mr. Young followed on the same side.

Mr. Paget-said the prisoners had been guil of a most
serious offence. They had no right ti intimidate any one,
or to dictate to any tradesman how he was to carry on his
business, so long as he carried it on according to law. The
employers of the defendants had • right to close early if
they pleased. Mr. Emery had an equal right to close at •
late hour. or to decline to join in the early closing move.
ment. The defendants and others had created a disturb-
ance in a public thoroughfare, which ended in an attack
on the police, for which they were clearly responsible. If
the defendants and their companions thought it was to their
interest to discontinue work at an early hour they were
at liberty to do so, but they must not attempt to control
the way other tradesmen acted, or how other young men
employed their hours. The offence charged against the
prisoners was their first one, and he was assured by their
legal advisers that it should be their last one. He called
upon them to find bail to keep the peace for one month,
and to appear before him at the expiration of that period,
when he would decide what should be done with them.

COLLISION ON THE SOUTH WALES RAILWAY,
At about 10 o'clock on Friday night a serious collision
occurred at the Waterloo Junction, near Newport, on the
South Wales Railway, between the up goods train and the
down express train which leaves Newport at 9.49 p.m. It
appears that in consequence of a new bridge being built
across the River Ebbw the railway company for some distance
work only the down line, and on Friday night both the trains
got on this single line of rail. Directly the driven of the
trains saw each other approaching they realised the frightful
position they were plaoed in, and at once reversed their
engines, and gallantly kept their positions. The twotrains
met with temfic force, and, whilst the express train was
forced back at least fifty yards, the engine of the goods
train was lifted bodily off the rails, and one of the trucks
damaged. Fortunately those on the engines escaped
almost uninjured, and with one exception—a young man
employed as • pay clerk at Swansea under the company,
who was cut about the head and body—the whole of the
passengers escaped with a rather severe shaking. The
express train, after some delay, was brought back to New-
port station, and was despatched on its journey between
12 and 1 o'clock. The down line was on Saturday morning
blocked up by the goods engin*, and the traffic had to be
carried on over the single up-line. Mr. R. F. Vl'Collet was
almost iniumiliately on the spot, and rendered medical as-
sistance to those requiring it.
HEALTH BASTONAD BY Du BARRY'S FOOD TO THE
irronAcu, nerves, lungs, and liver, curing dyspepsia (indiges-
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asthma, fevers, consumption, low spirits, 60,000 annual cures
which had resisted all medicines, including that of his Holiness
the Pope.—Tina, at Is. : : 111 h., 4b.: 2414. 40s.
—Du Berry and Co.. 77, Ragout-street, Loodon ; also at Fortnum
and Hanoi's: and at 61, Oracechurchstrest ; 4, cheapnde 09
and 150, lJzfordatmet ; and all grocers and cliennata.-{Adver
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