The Sun.
London, England, 1830-04-08 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.

Samuel Porter and John Tayler, the stewards of the
benefit society called the Social Friends, meeting at the
Golden Lion, Fore-street, attended yesterday before Alder-
men ANSLEY and COPELAND, to answer the complaint of
James, the son of John Valentine, a deceased member.
Mr. Wooler stated the case. The complainant claimed
first, 12/., the funeral money ; ❑ext, 10s. which had been
paid down by his father to obtain an arbitration, but
which arbitration was net had, his father dying ; then
31. 9e., being Is. a week, which had been improperly
stopped out of the sick allowance for 69 weeks ; and a
further sum of 11. 14s. 6d. for sums he had paid as fines,
and from which he was exempt by the articles. Under
the articles which were in force till the 20th of September,
1827, tick members were allowed ss. per week, and were
exempt front all payments to the box, so long as the stock
amounted to 3001. ; but at the above date some alterations
in the articles were enrolled, by which the sick money
was rednced to four shillings a week, and the members
were made liable to certain payments. A proviso, how-
ever, was introduced, that these alterations should not pre-
judice or extend to members then receiving, or entitled to
receive benefit from the society. The society had, never-
theless, construed the new articles to affect the com-
plainant's father, who was on the box at the time, and had
reduced his allowance.
Mr. Platt, for the society, said the members never in-
tended to limit the reduction of the benefits in the way
pointed out ; and the complainant's father, by his acqui-
escence, had sanctioned the reductions.
The stewards added, that the society, finding its stock
decreasing much too rapidly, assembled, and concurred in
a reduction of the benefits. • It was meant to extend to all,
and the members knew not how the clause exempting all
the members from the operations of the new articles had
crept in. It now appeared they had gaiaerl nothing by
going to the Sessions.
It was explained, that the clause complained of was in-
trodueed by the late Mr. Shelton, the Clerk of the Peace,
and without it the sanction of the Sessions would have
Jjeen refused.
The Aldermen agreed, that the words appearing in the
printel and enrolled articles of the society were as impera-
tive as it tleey were in an Act of Parliament, and therefore
they decided in favour of the complainant.

BOW-STREW.

Last night two young women, one of whom carried an
infant in her arms, were charged by a police constable of
letter F division, with causing an obstruction on the pave-
ment, in St. Andrew's-street, Seven Dials.
The defendants were discharged.
A female, named Catherine Gestion, was charged with
having been in the Strand for the purpose of inciting some
young females to interrupt gentlemen as they passed.
Jolan Kirkman, a police-constable No. 169, letter F.,
stated that he saw the defendant in the eituation described,
and knowing her to be the daughter of a brothel-keeper,
in Exeter-street, he took her to the watch-house.
The defecdant did not deny the charge, but said that
the constable took her into cuctody for the purpose of
snaking way for the girls of Mrs. Lyons's establishment.
She then charged the constable with having been at the
house of Mrs. Lyons only a few minutes before he took
her into custody, no doubt, from a hint he bad received.
Sir R. BIRNIE expressed some surprise at hearing this,
and asked the defendant's father if it were true.
The father of the defendant said, lie could be on his
oath that the constable was speaking familiarly to Mrs.
Lyons immediately before his daughter was apprehended.
Sir R. BIRNIE, after observing that if such were the
fact, the conduct of the police constable was most cul-
pable, directed the case to stand over for a short time, the
father of the defendant having undertaken to bring for-
ward other witnesses to prove that the conduct of the
constable was suchas he had described. In the course of
half an hour, however, the Magistrate having called upon
the father to produce his witnesses, that person positively
denied what be had previously stated, although Sir R.
Birnie, and Mr. Burnaby the clerk, reminded him of the
exact words he had used.
Sir B. BIRNIE observed, that he saw clearly how it
was. The parties had come to an arrangement ; but if
the constable had been guilty of the gross conduct at-
tributed to him, he ought not to be allowed to hold his
-situation any longer.
The constable protested his entire innocence ; but Sir R.
BIRNIE said he had an impression on the subject which no
argument could remove.
The parties then retired.
QUEEN-SQUARE.

Yesttr,day a female. very fashionably attired, with a fine
infant in her arms, was placed at the bar, charged with
having stolen a muslin gown-piece, from the shop of Messrs.
Sewell and Cross, the extensive linen-drapers, at Knights-
bridge.—She was fully committed.