The Sun.
London, England, 1837-09-30 00:00:00

THAMES OFFICE.

SEA MEN'S WAG ES.—YCSterday Capt. Samuel Aqdrews•
the master of the ship WitOrd, was summoned by
Richard Couch, a seaman, fm the sum of 51, which he
claimed as a balance of wages due to him for his services on
a vovAge to Quebec and back.
Mr. Pelham, a solicitor, who. appeared for the com-
plainant, said the only point n nu, case for the opinion of
the Magistrate was as to the payment of 5/. IL SO hap-
pened that a few days ago the crew were paid off in the
cabin of the vessel, and the balance which Couch ought to
have received was 121., and when lie took his money, he
believed the Captain had put down two N. notes and two
,4uvereigns ; but when he got Lorne lie ascertained that he
had only received one Si note and two sovereigns. The
only witness was the sailor's wife, who, however, could not
be examined in her husband's behalf, and therefore the ease
rested on tae testimony of the sailor alone.

Couch then deposed that be signedt;;eceipt for the whole
balance due, 121., and that his wife put the money in her
purse after it was laid on the eabin table. On reaching
home, they had occasion to pay the landlady some rent due
to her, when she found hut one note in her purse, which she
thought was for UP., and gave it to the landlady as such,
who, immediately discovering its real value, said, " Oh,
Airs. Couch, this is only a 3/. nae." He saw his wife take
up the note, and ..vas certain only one was laid on the cabin
table. He was standing close alongside of her at the time.

In auswcr to quo.,tiens by M. BhODERIP, the sailor
stated that not ::1)? c! than four or five hours elapsed be-
tween the time of his receiving the money and the discovery
of file mistake, and lie only called at one place to obtain
some refreshment, where his wife gave him one sovereign.
Mr. Pelham—Were you quite sober ? Couch—l was,
and I am quite certain I received but one 51. Bank of Eng-
land note.

Captain Andrews, in defence, said he put down two 5/.
notes and two sovereigns on the table, and the sailor imme-
diately said, " take the odd change," but his wife made
a grab at the whole and put it her purse. lie received
128/. in notes from Williams' bank on the sama day, and
paid them all away.
William Andrews, son of the defendant, and second mate
of the ship, deposed that he saw his father pay two 3/.
notes and two sovereigns to the sailor, whose wife took the
money up. His father divided the notes between his fingers
as he laid them down on the cabin table, and Mrs. Couch
took them up. There was no note on the table or on the
ground after Couch was paid. Couch was three parts
drunk at the time.

Captain Andrews—l declined paying him on a former
occasion because be was drunk.

Wm. Lewis, an apprentice, also swore positively to the
sailor's wife taking up. two 5/. notes.
Mr. BRODEMP said he could not order the payment of
the money. In the first place the sailor, whose evidence
was quite unsupported, was an interested witness ; and, se-
condly, he was partially intoxicated. On the other hand,
his evidence had been fully contradicted by two witnesses,
one, certainly, the son of the defendant, but whose testi-
mony was confirmed by another in every respect. Under
these circumstances he must dismiss the case.