The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-29 00:00:00

MEETING OF TICKET OF LEAVE MEN:

Farringdon Hall—the ballroom of the districts surrounding
Snow hill—was brilliantly lighted up last night to receive a
strange company. The assemblage consisted of holders of
tickets of leave, who, at the instance of some individuals who
take an interest in their fate, were induced to present them-
selves before the public to apprise them of the difficulties they
have to encounter. There were upwards of one hundred in
attendance, and, as a general rule, there was nothing particular
in their appearance or demeanour (save occasionally a quick
glancing of the eye) to lead to the supposition that their ante-
cedents had been different from those of ordinary mortals in
their class of life., Their ages ranged apparently from 21 to
40 and 50. The Earl of Carnarvon (who took the chair), Mr.
H. Mayhew, Mr. Beach, and the Rev. Mr.' Portal' attended,
and it may be said that the proceedings were conducted under
their superintendence. As a preliminary to the com-
mencement of the business, Mr: Mayhew held private con-
ferences with some of the men, and it is to be presumed
that in those conversations they received instructions for the
regulation of their conduct. Besides the gentlemen above
named, some others were also in attendance, including' Dr. •
Mackey, and Mr. Wyld, ex-M.P. The Earl of Carnarvon
said he was aware that in aelrieg the assembled ticket of leave
men to meet him that evening, *he was taking an unusual
course. At the same time, he hoped that whatever they might
say or do that evening, they would not have cause to repent
the confidence they placed in him. Ho wished to give them
an opportunity, win n tho public were perhaps inclined to judge
very harshly of them, to say s few words in their own defence.
They met that evening to obtain information from them
respecting the difficulties they experienced in finding employ-
ment, and he begged they would speak out frankly ; because
if they declined to do so, the meeting would be of no use
to them. Before the legislature could make laws respect-
ing thence it was desirable that they should have an oppor-
tunity of making their own defence and of explaining their
feelings and difficulties. He wished, it to bo understood
that the meeting was held on the condition that all of the
persons present thoroughly regretted what was passed, and were
anxious to lead honest lives if they had an opportunity of
doing so. He wished merely to learn what had happened to
them since they were discharged wilt tickets of leave, and he
would be glad to know if those tickets had been of use to
them,, or helped to get them employment., He wished to
know if the difficulties in their way were so great in England
that they could not get employment, and if they would prefer
to have tickets of leave out of England. (The speech of the
chairman was received with loud cheers.) A thin little man,
about 50, whom we shall call No. 1, ascended the platform and
set forth the difficulties he had experienced in getting employ-
ment. At length he got a situation, but remained in it only
three days, when the police got him out of it. He then
obtained employment iu the docks, and remained there until
Mr. Mayhew, in April last, recommended him to a situation,
which he had since kept. If a place like the Sailors' Home were
established for the recep.ion of ticket of leave men, they would
be glad to go there and be employed. He knew that
not one half of the robberies and garotting that appeared
in the newspapers was done by the ticket of leave men,
but by the militia and soldiery. He explained how he lost
the situation which he had held for three days before he went
to the docks. A policeman saw him going out of his employer's
shop with a parcel under his arm, and though his employer had
sent him out with that parcel, the policeman enquired at the
house if he had not stolen something, and in the evening he
was discharged. Mr. Mayhew read a certificate front the
present employer of No. 1, in which he set forth that ho
believeditim to be one of the most assiduous and industrious,
as well as one of the hest conducted men in his employment.
When No. 1 withdrew, his place was taken by No. 2, a thick
set, bullet headed, determined looking fellow, who, in a loud
and imperious voice, asked for Mr. Mayhew. On receiving no
reply, he begged to know why Mr. Mayhew should be ashamed
to acknowledge his name? (Slight expressions of disapproba-
tion. lie (No. 2) had come there to de something for truth,
and not for fiction, and he asked if be had received any encou-
ragement to make a bold statement of facts? Why, he
inquired, did not Mr. Mayhew acknowledge himself?
Chairman : Ho did. Mr. Mayhew : I thought you knew me.
No. 2—(addressing the meeting)—Gentlemen ; I wish to
caution you against one thing. feaution you against making
yourselves so public, and a ,ainst stating your lives in public
for the benefit of another man—.that man is Mr. Mayhew.
(Slight hissing) There is positive proof of it. Ho convenes
meetings—what for ? (A. Voice : You don't take it in the
right light.) I am a poor man ; lam not Henry Mayhew.
I wish to tell the Earl of Carnarvon and the reporters what
Henry Mayhew is. He is ashamed to meet me here. This
man, who calls himself Henry °Mayhew, convenes meetings of
ticket of leave men, he gets things out of them far his own
benefit, he has a work_ out now, and he makes a remark that a
man who, by dishonesty, could make £5 a week and keep a
pony, would not be a clerk at 15s. a week. This is the man
who convenes a meeting to do the ticket of leave men
good. A nice man Henry Mayhew is—(laughter)—a nice
man Henry Mayhew is—(laughter)---a nice man Henry
Mayhew is. Ho says at the bottom no policeman is
admitted, but he is ten times worse than the policeman.
The. Chairman here itstarfarad, .N.,_o, gcurvliug auk
complaining, was led from the platform. Eight or nine
other persons addressed the meeting, but they nearly all
related the same story. They all found dii&nity in getting
employment, and after some of them had obtained work, they
were deprived of it when it was ascertained that they were
ticket of leave men, One young man had persevered, how-
ever, and had established hinisel in business; a few more
were costermongers, and a few retained their situations; and
those persons, like No. 1. received excellent characters from
their employers, or from persons acquainted wTh them. It
-appeared to he the general opinion that the ticket of leave is of'
no good. On the contrary, one of the men remarked that it
was as bad as a conviction. The Chairman, before closing the
meeting, asked whether they would prefer a ticket of leave in,
England or in the colonies. Several persons cried out, "in the
colonies," and a large majority, if not the entire meeting,
subsequently decided, by a show 'of hands, in favour of a
colonial life. Having received the thanks of the Chairman
for their orderly conduct, with a recommendation to hope for
the best, and a warning against returning to their former evil
practices, the men retired. The Chairman, however informed
them before their departure, that he had heard their statements
with great interest, and would consider them at his leisure.—.
London Paper of Yesterday.

THE GRF44T GOLD ROBBERY.

FANNY KAY AND THE TIIRKISR p,bNps.

Monday morning, at ten. o'clock, was appointed .by
Mr. Baron Martin for the further hearing of the parties
claiming to he entitled to the Turkish Bonds and other
securities that were found in the possession of Pierce,
one'of the prisoners convicted of the bullion robbery.
It will be remembered that the learned judge, at the
conclusion of the trial of the three prisoners Pierce.
Burgess, and Tes'er, expressed an opinion that
these securiles ought to be given to Fanny Kay, fbr
the bent fit of herself and the child of Agar; but although
an application was made to him for an order to that
effect, he declined to make such an order, and it appears
very doubtful whether he hits the power to do so. Since
then the sheriffs of Loudon and Middlesex have claimed
the property, as being found in the possession of a felon,
on behalf of the crown, and a host of other claimants
have also put forward what they conceive to be their
rights in reference to the property in question, and at
' number of affidavits have been laid before the learned
judge, setting forth the grounds upon which their
claims are founded. The matter was partly entered
into last Wednesday, when Mr. Baron Martin ad,
journed the inquiry until yesterday, in his own p!ivate
room to the Court of Exchequer, and at the appointed
hour several of the parties were in attendance, but after
waiting for some time, an intimation was given that the
learned judge had not had sufficient time to consider the
matter, and that all the parties must be again at the
court on the following day, when he would give his deci-
sion, and the matter accordingly stands over to that day,
but the general impression appears to be that the learned
judge will decline to make an order in reference to the
property, hut will leave all the claimants to th'''.r legal
remedy. It is said, on good authority, it was
of the Government to grant Agar, ‘..'ne intention
upon the condition that he shall the a- prover, a pardon,
it will he void if he retur 'leaveifithis country, ntry and
'as to England. This proCeed-
ing., it is understo""a, is not taken on account of his
having given irviaence to convict his companions in the
bullion 'robbery, but it is owing to a belief, from inquiries
that have been made, and a variety of facts that have
come to the knowledge of the authorities, that he really
was not guilty of the forgery for which he was convicted
and sentenced to transportation for life, and that the
transaction was a " a plan " upon him, for the purpose
of getting him out of the way.

CAPTURE OF A WOMAN CHARGED WITH CHILD MURDER.
—lntelligence was received at Southampton, on Friday
morning, to the Effectthat a female pained Amelia Collier,
with her husband, were suspected of being on board the
em•.grant ship, Sabrina, which left that port on Wednesday
last, for Australia, the female being charged with the
murder of her infant. It appears that in September last the
female gave birth to a healthy child,
at the village of
Waterham, Kent. It disappeared, and, on enquiries being
made, it was found strangled and concealed in the house,
the parents having left the village, it was supposed for
Australia. Inspector Enright despatched Sergeant Leigh
to Lyming'on, from whenee he took boat to Yarmouth,
where he found the Sabrina, with twenty more vessels,
windbound, and on board the Sabrina were the prisoner
and her husband. He told the woman the charge, which
she did not deny, and he consequently took her on to
Southampton, and she has since been despatched to Canter.
bury. The husband was left on board the ship.