The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-17 00:00:00

tho employment of Messrs. Mandalay and Field, the
extensive engineers in Lambeth.
Mr. Wood, a solicitor, appeared on behalf of the com-
plainant; and Mr. Games was retained for the de-
fendants.

Mr. Wood, addressing the magistrate, said it would be
endeavour, if possible, to induce his Worship to send
the case to the quarter-sessions, from the importance of
the subject generally, as involving a question, not of a
single case, but also that at issue between the em-
ployers and the Amalgamated Engineers' Society. The
importance of the subject alone would,
he apprehended,
sufficiently fit it for such a tribunal, because, in matters
of this description, there was the peculiar feature of a
fund in existence for the payment of pecuniary fines in-
flicted upon those who violated the law. Such was the
fact in the present instance.
Mr. Games's clerk, who attended on the part of his
master, objected to ex parte and general statements, and
submitted that the defendants were present to answer a
charge of assault, and not matters connected with the
Amalgamated Engineers' Society.
Mr. Wood then proceeded to detail the alleged facts
attending the assault, and called the following evi-
dence:—

James Goodman said—l am an engineer in the em-
ployment of Messrs. Maudslay and Field. On Saturday
last, the 10th inst., I left my work at four o'clock, and
wont alone to the Tower public-house. After I had
been there about ten minutes the two defendants came

in together, and two others accompanied them. The de-
fendants asked if there were many at work in our place,
and I replied that there was a great number of them.
They said, " I suppose you have signed the dccument"
(a declaration by those who have signed it that they had
no connexion with the Amalgamated Society), anu I re-
plied "Yes." Richard Omen addressed me first. I then
added that we had a great number at work, and that a
great many others would like to come too, if they had a
chance. They then called me all the " knobsticks" they
could think of, and used bad language. A friend of
mine, named Cumming was present, and he, addressing
them, said, " Why don't you let the young man alone?"
Up. to this time I had not spoken to them, but they
immediately began cursing and swearing at me as hard
as they could. (The a itness here corrected himself by
saying that Oram alone had used bad language to him.)
lie proceeded—Cumming then went out for a policeman,
and the defendants followed him out, and I walked be-
hind. I then saw two friends of the defendants on the
opposite side of the way. All four came across the road
and ran after Cumming, and struck him. Oram struck first.
I received several blows on the nose, and while striking
me the defendants made use of a bad expression, saying,
"You are one of them." [The witness exhibited marks
on his face.]
In cross-examination the witness said—l am not and
never was a member of the Amalgamated Society, but
I did receive is. 6d. from them fur eight days. lam
not a working engineer, but an engineer's labourer.
There were seven or eight people at the bar of the pub-
,
lic-house. I will swear that before any words were
spoken by the defendants neither Cumming nor the
others present, nor myself, nor anybody in the employ..
meet of Messrs. Maudalay, began shaking our pockets
and ringing our money. I will swear I did not see any
money shown to the defendants. I did not hear any-
body present say to the defendants, " You poor amalga-
mated ." No threats were used towards them.
I did not hear the defendants say, " We don't want to
have any words with you; we will leave." The defend-
ants walked straight to the Crown public-house, where
the committee of the Amalgamated Society meet. I
went a little beyond my direct turning perhaps, but 1
don't know that it is much further than any other route.
Mr. NORTON—Surely we cannot go so far as to cir-
cumscribe the limits within which any person must con-
tine himself.
Cross-examination continued—l did not see Cummieg
strike Oram, but cannot say whether he struck him or

not.
Mr. NORTON—From what has occurred, do you feel
in any danger from these men? Witness—l feel that I
don't like to walk anywhere there, because I have had
enough through this.
Mr. NORTON—Do you feel intimidated by what they
have done? Witness—Yes, Sir, Ido indeed. I have
seen some of the Amalgamated Society's inen since the
alleged assault, and they said nothing to me.
James Joseph Cumming, an engineer's labourer in the
employment of Messrs. Maudslay and Field, corroborated
the greater part of the statement of the last witness. Ile
also said that he had himself been violently assaulted
by the defendant Oram, and that he had gone to the
Tower-street police-station and given information of what
had occurred.
Mr. NORTON—Did either of the defendants use any
threats to you or Goodman ? Witness—Yes, Sir ;
they threatened to give us somethhing not pleasant, be-
cause we had signed the declaration ; that was the
grievance.
Mr. NORTON.—From what they said, do you go in
fear ? Witness—Yes, most decidedly.
In his cross-examination this witness said, ho never
belonged to the Amalgamated Society, ,
but he had” re-
ceived Bs. 3d. altogether all the time he was out. He
had never applied to the society to support him. Ho
made no direct application to the society, but, under-
standing that the committee were sitting at the Crown
public-house, ho went there, and received ss. out of do-
nations received at two public-houses, and altogether got
Ss. 3d. Would swear most positively that on the day of
the assault he had not rattled
money in his pocket, nor
had he done any
single act with the intention of insult-
ing or offending the defendants. He never had been
attacked before, but was in fear the defendant's conduct
would be repeated.
A third witness was called in support of the charge,
and on behalf of the defendants it was contended that
the evidence was not sufficient to sustain a charge of
intimidation, or even of serious assault.
A witness named James Swain was also called, who
said be saw the complainants and defeedents standing
near the end of the Waterloo•roed on the day in ques-
tion. The former had their hands in their pockets, end
kept calling after the latter that they had money in
them. A scuffle then ensued, but it was very soon over.
This witness denied being a member of the Amalga-
mated Society, though he acknowledged receiving money
from the society.
Stephen Shorthouse, a blacksmith, who was in com-
pany with the last witness, completely corroborated his
evidence, and added that the complainants put their
fingers to their noses and pointed towards the deten-
dents. This witness admitted being a member of the
Amalgamated Society and receiving pay from it.
Mr. NORTON said it was clear that the evidence of the
complainants did not bring the case within the terms of
the Combination Act, and he was inclined to think that
they had in a great measure provoked the treatment
they had experienced by calling; after the defendants
and acting offensively towards them after having parted
peaceably. He should not, therefore, send the case to
the sessions, but impose a fine of 20s. each and the costs
of the warrant, or, in default, to stand committed to
prison for twenty-one days each.
The fines were immediately paid, and the defendants
at once discharged.