The Sun.
London, England, 1830-07-15 00:00:00

'cover the sum of 221. 10s., being the amount 01
half a year's lodging and schooling for a child b.
longing to the defendant.
Verdict for the plaintiff to the amount claimed.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

lIANSION.HOUSE.

WORKMEN'S WAGES.—A great many rows have
taken place since the death of George IV., amongst
the workmen who have held out for double wages
during the period appointed for mourning, and those
who have worked at the usual prices. The "flints,"
as the double-priced gentry are called, have not
, been satisfied with putting their act of exclusion
into operation against their more contented and
unpretending fellow-labourers ; they even meet for
• the purpose of beating the " dungs" (the title of
he latter) into a fondness either for the double
wages or for no wages at all, and the places they
generally choose for administering the correction are
" the houses of call." The tailors have turned out
41 the most determined and untailor-like manner on
this occasion, and the flints have attacked the dungs
1l
as if the extermination of those who were anxious to
save their families from starving were their object.
A tailor, named Cheveywooth, was brought before
the LORD MAYOR by a beadle and two constables,
charged with having been found fighting, along with
several others, in the taproom of a public-house.
The statement of the witnesses represented the
scene as most awful. They were sent for to quell a
• riot,- they said, between the flints and dungs, at a
house of call for tailors. When they entered the
scene of action they saw several persons standing
upon the seats, while 12 tailors were furiously en-
gaged. The combatants appeared to be numerically
matched, us well as pretty equally matched in size
and skill, and they fought with an intrepidity that
astonished the spectators. As they fought, too,
they bad so much consideration for the trade, that.
they cut out work for each other, for when the con-1
test was at an end, scarcely one of them had a
stitch to his back.—(Laughter.) The constable
who first entered, finding that one man could not
do much good in such a crowd, and that he might
be mistaketi in the confusion fur a flint or a dung,
retired
,cautiously, and obtained the assistance of
others, and then the tailors, both flints and things,
scampered off, and gave the constables a dead cur.
The defendant, however, was apprehended and
taken to the watch-house, but he acted there both
quietly and magnanimously, for he spoke most re-
spectably to the constable of the night, declared
that he freely forgave all his enemies, and went to
deep when he was told that be must either procure
bail or stay all night.
" Pray," said the LORD MAYOR, " which are
you, or a dung?' " Defendant—l am a
regular dung, my Lord.—(A laugh.)
The LORD MAYOR—I am sorry for it, upon my
word. If you bad been a flint, we should probably
try to knock fire out of you. But how, if you are a
dung, did you get in this disgraceful squabble?
Defendant--A party was made up to attack two
or three of my friends, who, like myself, work at
the old prices, and I thought it my duty not to see
them beat without doing something for them. The.
flints let fly at us, and we let fly at them, and then
the officers came in and we slipped out, but as I
didn't care much about being taken, I made no
great haste.
Mr. nobler--I dare say you have a wife and
children, and don't fancy to see them starve.
Defendant—Just so, Sir; and my comrades were
just situate in the same mariner, so we thought we
,night us well work for the usual prices, as the la-
bour was the same.
The LORD MAYOR—But how happened it that
three officers were not able to take more tailors pri-
soners ? According to the usual calculations, the
job was not upwards of a third more than the duty
of one man.—(Laughter.)
The constables believed there was a very wrong
impression abroad with respect to the bodily strength
of the trade. They might look weak and miserable
enough with the thimble and sheers, but they ate
and drunk, and fought like other men.
It was here observed by a bystander, who seemed
-o have no great partiality for the trade, that a tailor
could fight well enough sitting, but his legs did not
seem to be made for standing upon ; a strong until
odd proof of this was, that the twelve tailors werei
all upon the ground, and fighting as it were cross-
legged.—(Laughter.)
The Loan MAYOR said, that whatever might be'
the skill and hardihood of the tailors, three officers
ought to have done more than had been done in this
ease, if they meant to support the character of men,
" How did it occur," asked his Lordship, " that thel
flints all escaped ?"
The constable replied, that they slipped out off
the room, both flints and dungs, with amazing des-j
rerity, but how they contrived it was only known to!
themselves. There was no such thing as holding;
them by any part of their dress, for they seemed toi
know the nature of the cloth so well, that when any
one of them was seized by the collar, be gave a
twist, and was free in an instant.—(Laughter,)
The LORD MAYOR admitted the ingenuity of the!
defence of the officers, but told them that if they
did not mind what they were about they would ex-t
change characters for valour with those whom they
had in vain endeavoured to master, and it would be
a very pretty distinction if the constables of the city
were to be called tailors.—(Laughter.)
his Lordship then advised the defendant to avoid
any contest with the flints, but to assist in bringing,
any of them who should assail him before a Magis-
trate. Ile also admonished the constables to prol
coed with more energy in preventing breaches of '
the peace. His Lordship trusted that for the sake
If the families all the flints would, as soon as
Bible, be convinced of the propriety of becoming
dungs. _