The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-01-12 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

Yesterday J. S. CarutrErt, lisq. recently appointed Police
Magistrate for the district comprising the borough ef tut,iwaik
and bast half hundred of Brixton, took his seat on the beuzit at the
office in his ofscial capacity.
A weaver named William Sheet?), in the emplo,,rnert of Messrs.
Wilson and (k).., lace and silk-manufacturers, of Streat:iant, was
brought up under the authority of a warrant, for absconding from
his work, leaving it in an unfinished state.
11r. Wilson mated that the defendant entered inn on agreement
with the firm, in the month of April last, to work for them at the
wages of :Os per week. He continued in their service until the fol-
lowing month of June, when be absconded, leaving some work unli.
niched which he had begun, and engaged himself tonne of the Spi-
t:llllode weavers. Mr. Wilson observed, that the defendant took
advantage of higher wages which were then given by the wearer,'
of Spitaltields, and broke his contract with them. It was, he added,
astonishing the incsicatlable losses sustained by the firm in conse.
queue of conduct such as that attributed to the tlefe.:dant, and
width they were exposed to by others of their workints adopting
the same means of getting rid of their engagements wi h those to
whom they had bound themselves by contract. When the defend-
ant in this case left his work he was indebted to the firm the sem
of W., which was advanced to him from time to time, but in jns.
lice to him. he (Mr. Wilson) must state that the defendant for-
warded a letter to the fires, describing his address, ..nd into whose
employ be had entered when lie absconded from them. The
firm elan, in justice to themselves, were bound to make an exam.
pie of this man, in order to deter others in their service front tom-
, witting similar offences.
The defendant was surrOuntled by men of his own trade, anxious
' to know the result of the proceedings against their fellow-workman.
In his defence lie pleaded the poverty or his family es the cause of
leaving Messrs Wiimon s service to enter into that where higher
wages Watt given.
The Magistrate said that the defence he let up was no extenua.
tine of such conduct to his employers, and unless he consented to
return back.and work for the firm, allowing them to deduct seven
shillings per week from his wages until the debt of tif. was paid, he
should Inevitably work it out at the treadmill.
The defendant objected to suchierma, decldring that although he
win willing to gn back, yet he could not pay more than one shilling
s week towards liquidating the debt.
The Magistrate, under all the citcurnstances, committed the de-
fendant for one month to Brixton.

Suspicions having been for some time entertained by
Mr. Loftus, the coach proprietor of Newcastle, that a
practice had obtained of sending dead bodies through New-
castle to Edinburgh, lie determined to stop the first
packet of a doubtful nature that should come under his
observation. This opportunity was afforded by the ar-
rival of a large box by the Telegraph from Leeds on Fri-
day night last, weighing upwards of 16 stone! Theoffieers
of police Vivre sent for, and on opening the box they dis-
covered the delq body of a man, whose stature must have
exceeded six feet. lie was apparently between 40 and SO
years of age, large boned, with dark hair, anti an aquiline
nose. The corpse had not yet become putrid. The package
was addressed to " Mr. Simpson, GI, Prince's-atreet, Edin-
burgh.". A coroner's inquest. was held on this ru/g.ecf on
Saturday morning, and the result of their investigation
was, that " No marks of violence appear on the body, but
by what means he came by his death no evidence dolt ap-
pear." Ihe body has of course been since inferred.—
, 'Pyle Mercury.

•
CAUTION TO Itus-rotmnans.—Lart week, es the man
who attends the furnace at the Etna Iron-works was pre
paring to charge an air furnace to cast a large cylinder, it
ocenrred to Mr. Clegg to examine two old cannon which
ws-e so be mixed in the charge. The precaution was
meat fortunate, as a 12-pounder, proved to be deeply loaded
and abated. in all probability would hate dune eonhi-
dcrable mischief to the works and numeroes hands em-
ployed, as it would inevitably have exploded on het inp;.
It is to be observed, that this gun had been the faithful
guardian of a gateway in Grad=ll-street fur upwards of
years.---Liverpoul Advertiser.