The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-11 00:00:00

COURT OF EXCHEQUER.

Mr. Baron Martin was occupied this morning in hearing
an action for the recovery of compens ttion from the
Brighton Railway Compan) for injuries sustained by the
unfortunate collision, which took place some time ago in
the Clayton Tunnel.

The case was proceeding when we want to press.

SECONDARY'S COURT.
(Before Mr. Secondary Potter and a Special Jury.)

CHILD AND WIFE V. THE LONDON AND BRIGHTON RAIL.

WAY COMPANY-TIIE CLAYTON TUNNEL ACCIDENT.

This was an action to recover compensation tor injuries
received on the Brighton line in the Clayton tunnel acci-
dent, on Sunday, 25th August, 1861. In the case of the
plaintiff the damages were laid at £2,000, and in the case of
the wife at. £5OO.

It appeared that the plaintiff had been a draper's assist..
ant, earning about £lOO a-year, and his wife about 18s. a
week. The plaintiff was 33 and his wife 28. The injury
to the plaintiff was to his spine, and Dr. Burrows, Dr.
Moon, and Dr. Wahl described his condition as one from
which he was not likely to recover or be able to earn his
livelihood,
1031 I Verdict for plaintiff. Damages, £2,500,

SHERIFFS' COURT.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Kerr.)
THE MASTER BUILDERS AND THE HOUR SYSTEM.

Ki; IE~

OWEN T. ROBINSON.

This was an action to recover one quarter of a day for
grinding money, plaintiff being a journeyman, and de-
fendant a anot.r builder;

110 I_

Plaintiff said—l seek to recover ls. sd. for one quarter
of a day. Whenever men are discharged they are always
allowed that sum, which is called grinding money.
His Honour—Yes ; I thought all that had been settled
long ago.
Defendant—Your honour will allow me to explain. In
the year 18E2 there was a squabble between the masters
and men, and the result was a strike. In consequence of
the strike, and the difficulties in the way of a settlement,
the hour system was introduced, and that system was
adopted in my shop. Every week we pay three hours
extra, and it is supposed to be an equivalent for the grind-
ing money. _ _

Plaintiff—We work the usual time on Saturday.
Defendant—Oh, no ; and you are paid for the hours as
upon an ordinary working day.
Plaintiff-1 am in a position to prove that you paid some
men a claim exactly similar t 3 this. We work six and a-half
hours on the Saturday.
His Honour—Now, Mr. Robinson, am I to understand
that you pay grinding-money every week, instead of at the
time of the men's leaving ?
Defendant—Yes,

His Honour—Well, but I cannot understand it. It was
a custom, as I understood, whenever the men left or were
discharged to allow them one quarter of a day's pay for
grinding their tools. Now you say that the effect of the
hour system has been to cause their being paid grinding-
money every week. This seems preposterous.
Defendant—lt may seem so, but it is nevertheless a fact.
His Honour—lf such a custom pi evails in your shop it
must be well understood by your workpeople before you can
bind them by it.
Defendant—l am only anxious to have your Honour's
judgment upon the question, as a great number of work-
men, besides masters, will be bound by it.
His Honour—l think it is always better in these cases to
have a wri ten agreement with the men, and then all quar-
rels would be avoided. In this case plaintiff must have a
verdict with costs.
Verdict for plaintiff.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

SERIOUS DISTURBANCE NEAR BOND•STREET.--ILL-
TREATMENT OP A WORKMAN.—Ectward Casey, a labour-
ing man, in the employ of Mr. J, nniugs, builder, of the
York-road, Lambeth, was charged as follows :
Mr. Samuel Thorburn, foreman to Mr, Jennings, said
that the pris ner had been at work for Mr. Jennings some
time at Brooks-mews, but yesterday did not come to his I
work till 1 o'clock. He set the prisoner to work, and he
went on till 2 o'clock, at which time he (Mr. Thorburn)
bad to leave, and on coming back at 4 o'clock he found the
prisoner drunk at a public-house t pposite. The prisoner
then demanded some money of him or some drink, and
because he refused to give it him, he challenged him to
fight, and afterwards tried to got on the scaffold,
but fearing some accident, and as the prisoner was
interrupting the other workmen, he tried to put him
out of the building, and on this two or three Irish labourers
came to the prisoner's assistance and got up a most serious
row, in the course of which a workman who had been seen
to speak to him (witness) was most seriously injured, so
much so that he was confined to his bed. The prisoner was
then given into custody.
Mr. Tyrwhitt said he hoped all the men would be taken
into custody and brought before him. He should order the
prisoner to find one housekeeper to be bail for him to keep
the peace for six months.
A cabman named Macarthy was next charged with steal-
. ing some timber from the same place, the building being
in
1 course of erection as workshops for Mr. Hairy Emanuel,
the Court jeweller.
The case being proved against the prisoner, Mr. Tyrwhitt
committed him for a month with hard labour.