The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-13 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGE.ArCE.

CLERKENWELL.—THE BrsnoP or LONDON ON
THE RIGHT OF PERFORMING THE BURIAL SERVICE OVER
ROMAN CATHOLICS. —Humphrey Lynch and John Shea,
Irish residents of Vine-street, Holborn, appeared on re-
mand before Mr. Corrie, for riotous conduct in the
graveyard of Trinity Church, Gray's-inn-road, and for
assaulting the sexton and his assistants whilst in the
execution of their duty.
The defendants accompanied the funeral of a child to
the above graveyard, known amongst the Irish as
" the Blue Lion-yard," from its contiguity to a tavern
in the neighbourhood, on Sunday, the 4th inst. When
the Rev. Dr. Worthington presented himself to read the
usual burial service over the body, the father objected ;
hu; the reverend doctor persisting a niel6e took place,
during which the clergyman's book was knocked from
his hands, and he was hustled about. The defendants
then seized " the pickaxe and spade," and commenced
covering the coffin with the earth. The sexton and his
assistants, in trying to recover their implements, were
assaulted, and then the defendants were given into
custody.

The case was adjourned to enable Dr. Worthington
to carry out the suggestion made by the magistrate, that
the Bishop of London should be asked to allow of the
non-interference of the clergy with the religious scruples
of any one objecting to the Church of England burial
service. When the case was called on,
Mr. Corrio, addressing Dr. Worthington, said—Well,
doctor, have you communicated with the Bishop of
London ?

Dr. Worthington—According to your worship's desire
I have had an interview with his lordship, and he most
distinctly told me that on no pretence whatever was it
possible to abstain from performing the burial-service
over all-persons buried at the usual consecrated grounds.
And, further, that it was imperative o❑ me to pre-
serve the proper respect to religious observance, and to
exclude all improper persons not connected with the
ceremonial. It is really necessary that such a proceed-
ing should be adopted, for it cannot be endured that a
drunken and disorderly number of persons should act so
unseemly a part. I should have thought that the pre-
sence of the corpse would restrain them. lam also sur-
prised that the clergy of the parties should urge them to
re.-ist in the case.

Mr. Corrie—There is a misunderstanding with refe-
rence to the latter fact. I have questioned the Rev. Dr.
IWAtiliffe, of the Rosamon-street Chapel, and other
clergymen of the same persuasion, since the last hearing
of this case, and in every instance they told me that
they did not encourage the conduct complained of against
the defendants. They explained that in cases where
they were not allowed to pray over the members of their
own Church they performed the service at the houses of
the deceased, and then told the friends to civilly ask the
clergyman who wanted to read prayers to abstain, for
his services were not required ; but if the proceeding was
per evered in, then the parties were to retire to a dis-
tance, so as not to join in a service that was repugnant
to their religious principles.
Dr. Worthington—l am very glad to believe that
such is the case, for I have too great a respect 12r the
clergy of every denomination of Christians to iniagine
that they would urge their flocks to such unseemly be-
haviour at any religious service, more especially that
office which should be so solemn. It is quite necessary
that the right of the Church should be upheld ; and I
may state that, in furtherance of that object, on Sunday
last, in the churchyard of St. Andrew, where the service
was dispensed with so as not to annoy any religious
scruples, it was indiscriminately resumed. In two cases
of Irish funerals it was not objected to ; but in a third
one a body of police had to be calle I in to eject the riot-
ous parties.

Several witnes•ses were called by the defendants to
show that the sexton and his assistants were the parties
who caused the riot, by trying to get away the imple-
ments.

The witnesses on either sido could not ray who
knocked the Prayer-book from Dr. Worthington's
hands.

Mr. Corrie, in adjudicating on the case, said—l ad-
journed this case to hear if the Bishop of London: would
sanction the clergy from interfering with the religious
prejudices of the large number of Irish Roman Catholics
who live in this district. The answer of the bishop shows
that he considers it imperative that the service should
in every ease lie performed. In that decision I am bound
to concur, and I must protect the parties concerned from
insult and grass outrage. The defendants aro ignorant
men, and I do not think I should be right in inflicting a
heavy punishment en them. They and their friends at
the same time must remember that their conduct is not
sanctioned by their own priests, and that they must ab-
stain from such proceedings in future. The defendants
must pay a fine of ss. each, but if I see them again fur
the same offence, I will inflict on them a very severe
punishment.
The defendants, after thanking his worship for his
leniency, promised not to interfere in such proceedings
in fikture,