The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-30 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.---This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Witness—Yes, air. She appeared very much excited,
and said she intended to destroy herself and was tired of
her life. I took her into custody, and seiz:d the glass and
the mixture.
A muddy.looking fluid, a combination of ale and oxalic
acid, which the most thirsty soul would not be tempted to
taste, was here produced.
An intelligent boy, named Charles Kent, of No. 19A,
Jubilee-street, Stepney, said he was in a beerahop and saw
the prisoner, who had a paper containing poison, and said
she was going to poison herself. He followed her and saw
her go into the Miners's Arms and put it into the ale.
She was about to drink it, and ho spoko to a gentleman,
who took the glass from her, and called in a police con-
stable.

Inspector Griffin, of tho K division, hero said—The pri.
saner was here yesterday morning, and fined for being
drunk and incapable of taking care of herself.
The prisoner—It is all through my husband. He has
left me.

Mr Partridge remanded the prisoner for a week.

111ARYLEBONE.

CONVICTION OF AN ORGAN GRINDER,—A young Italian
named Antonio Taglioni, of Liquorpond-streot, Clerken-
well, was charged with playing an organ in Manchester-
square, to the annoyance of an inhabitant, and refusing to
go away when requested on account of illness.
George Collis deposed that he was in the service of Mr
Babbage, of 1, Dorset-street, Manchester-square. Last
evening, about six o'clock, there was loud playing of an
organ near to his master's house, who was ill and had not
been able to leave his room for several days. At his mas-
ter's request he went and told the prisoner to desist and go
away as his master was ill. He did not go at once, but,
upon being again requested, he went to the other side of the
street and again commenced playing. Witness again asked
him to go, at the same time telling him (prisoner) that Mr
Babbage was ill. He continued playing, and some of the
people around gave the prisoner some money, whilst others
were dancing. As he would not go witness fetched a police.
man and gave him into custody.
Prisoner (through his interpreter) said—He understood
the prosecutor wanted him to go away, but thinking that
he was only a drunken passer by he took no notice. He
declined to go till he (prosecutor) pulled his stick and let
the organ fall on the ground.

Mr Mansfield said ho Cid not believe this, and sentenced
the prisoner to pay a penalty of 408, or in default to be im-
prisoned for a month.

Decision under the (4 Truck Act."

In the Sheffield County Court on Wednesday a decision
of considerable importance under the Truck Act was'deli-
vered by Mr T. Ellison, judge. On the previous Wednesday
an action had been heard in which the Messrs. Hattersley,
fender manufacturers, of Wentworth-street, sought to re •
cover £6 15s. 2d, from a man named G. Ryalls, of Bond-
street, for goods sold. It appeared at the trial that the
defendant had been in the employment of the plaintiffs as a
foreman, and that he had purchased from them a gold
watch, an iron bedstead, a quantity of perfumes, and other
articles, which were to be paid for, as the plaintiffs alleged,
by weekly instalments, but which were in reality, as the
defendant asserted, paid for by stoppages from his wages
each week. He alleged that he and other workmen were
compelled to purchase goods from the plaintiffs as a means
of retaining their situations. The defendant's solicitor, Mr
Gould, raised the objection that this evidence brought the
case within the Truck Act, but the plaintiffs contended that
the defendant, being a foreman, was not a " workman or
artificer" within the meaning of that act, The defendant
replied that he had frequently worked at the manufacture
of fenders as an ordinary workman ; and the judge said he
could not discover that the foreman was anything more
than a workman of a higher grade. The case was adjourned
until yesterday, when his honour asked Mr Fretson if he
had been able to find any cases in which it was held that a
foreman was not a workman ? Mr Fretson replied ho had
not. The Judge observed that the defendant's evidence was
that he bought things constantly from the plaintiffs, and
that he had between £6O and £7O worth of goods from
them, and that certain sums wore deducted from his wages
every week. He also said that he himself worked at the

trade as fender maker. Originally he was a workman, then
he was made foreman, but during part of the time in which
he held that post he worked at the trade as an ordinary
workman, and that that was part of his business. Mr Gould
objected that the defendant was an artificer, and he relied
also upon the act generally as showing that a contract such
auch as had been shown was void, as against the policy of
the law, but there did not appear to him (the judge) to be
any case for the defendant upon that ground. The 6th sec-
tion of the act, however, was a sufficient answer to the do-
mani of the plaintiffs in this case. The section enacted

that "no employer of any artificer in any of the trades enu-
merated should be entitled to maintain any action or suit
against any such artificer for or in respect of goods or mer-
chandise, &c., supplied to any such artificer by such em-
ployer while in his employment, or on account of his wages
or in reward of his labour." If the section had stopped there
there might have been a question, but it went on to say,
"or for or in respect of any goods sold or delivered to
him at any shop or warehouse kept by such employer, or
in the profits of which such employer had a share."
From the evidence in this case it was quite clear that the
employer was in the habit of selling goods to the workmen
he employed ; and the question then arose, was the defen-
dant, being a foreman, an artificer ? He had given that
point the best consideration he could, and ho thought
that a foreman was clearly within the meaning of the act,
and that view was supported by the defendant's evidence,
which showed that he had worked as an ordinary work..
man. He must hold that a foreman was an artificer
within the meaning of the act, and there would be judg-
ment for the defendant, without costs.—Mr Gould applied
for costs. The defendant's case had not been heard, but
judgment had been given upon a technical point, whilst
there was a good defence upon the merits. —Mr Fretson—
You would scarcely have relied upon the technical defence
if you had had a good answer otherwise.—The Judge—l
supposed Mr Gould had no answer upon the merits, and
I dealt with the defence as a technical defence. In truth,
the defendant says, " I have had the goods, and I owe
yen money, but you are not entitled to recover." I don't
say that I assume you had no other defence, but I am
rather inclined so to think, I do not think you would
have raised that defence if you had had a better.—Judg-
ment for the defendant, without costs.

SUICIDE ON THE BRIGHTON RAILWAY.—On
Sunday evening, as one of the plate-layers at the Red-hill
station was examining the line he came upon the body of a
female whose head had been severed from her body by a
passing train. The deceased has not been identified, but it
was evident she must have committed suicide, and the
coroner's jury rlturned a verdir;t to that effect.

ROBBERY AT A JEWELLER'S.—WiIIiam Clarence, de.

scribed as an accountant, but who refused his address, was
charged before Mr Knox with stealing a gold chain, and
some lockets, of the value of .£lO, from the shop of Mr Jules
Rochet, jeweller, GS, Piccadilly.
_ _

Mr Ed ward Lewis, of Great Marborough-street,appeared
for the prisoner,

The prisoner went into the shop of Mr Rochet while he
was serving a lady and gentleman, and asked for a common
key. He was saved with the key, and the lady and gen-
tleman I,ft. Directly they had gone Mr Rochet missed a
chain and five lockets, of the value of £lO, and on the pri-
soner be ng taxed with taking them he said he would Fay
for them, at the same time pulling a locket from his
pocket, and he afterwards too': a chain and three lockets
from his coat. pocket and placed them on a glass case on the
counter, and said ho would pay for them. Ile was then
given into custody of Ricketts, 127 U, when he denied
taking the articles.

Mr Lewis addressed the magistrate on the prisoner's
behalf, requesting, as he had been seen by detectives from
the different divisions, and not known, the magistrate to
deal with the case, there being every reason to believe it
was the prisoner's first (fleece.

Mr Knox &dined to c eal with the prisoner, and com
milted him for trial.

OBSCENE PHOTOGRAPHS.—J,,rnes Brewer, dealer in
photographs, &c., of Castle-street, Leicrster-,quare, ap-
peared before ➢lr Knox, to answer a summons taken out by
Inspector Walker, of the C Division, for having a quantity
of obscene photographic representations in his possession.
The photographic representations which had been seized
by the inspector, were produced, and were of a disgusting
nature.

Mr Ring, of the firm of Wood and Ring, who appeared
For the defendant, said he was only servant to another per-

Mr Knox asked whether the defendant would consent to
have the articles destroyed ?
Mr Ring said he would.
The articles were then ordered to be destrcyed, and the
prisoner discharged. _
PARISH PROSECUTION OF A BROTHEL-KEEPER —Ann
Saunders, of 62, Charlotte-street, described as a lodging-
house keeper, was brought before Mr Knox, on a warrant,
charged with keeping a brothel.

Mr Knight, from the cfdee of Mr Randall, solicitor to
the authorities of St. Marylebone, the prosecutors, appeared
for the prosecution,

Evidence having been given that the prisoner was the
person keeping the how°, she was committed to the ses-
sions, bail bring taken, herself in £3O and two sureties in
£4O each.

THAMES.
ALE AND OXALIC ACID.—ATTEMPTED
well dressed woman named Hannah tJrayston, aged 4.5, the
wife of a carpenter, «as brought before Mr Partridge
charged with attempting to commit suicide.
John Horne, a police constable, No. 283 K, stated that
last night, at 9 o'clock, he was called into the Mercer's
Arms publichouse in Jubilee-street, Stepney, where he
found the prisoner, who had a glass of ale and sugar of lead
before her.
Mr Partridge—A curious mixture; did she intend to
drink it ?