The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-31 00:00:00

THAMES.

DRUNKENNESS ON RAILWAYS.—John Singleton, a young
man, who said he was by trade a cutler and at present a
telegraph agent, was brought before Mr. Paget charged
with being drunk and disorderly at the Shadwell Station
of the London and Blackwall Railway.

Last night the prisoner alighted at Shadwell from a
carriage of the down train, which left Fenchurch-street at
half-past 7 o'clock. He was drunk and very noisy, and he
refused to deliver his ticket when it was asked for. On
the ticket collectors attempting to detain him he became
very disorderly, and tried to make his escape from them.
They detained him, and then to prevent accidents to per-
sons on their way to and from the trains, made an attempt
to remove him from the railway station to the police sta-

tion house. He resisted this, and made use of foul language
and expressions. His struggles were most desperate, and
he kicked, plunged, and shouted like one that was raving
mad. Some glass was broken in the affray, and one col-
lector named Charles G. Fisher was severely cut. Another
collector named Frederick Smith was also injured.
The prisoner said he was very sorry ; he was drunk and
had no recollection of what took place.
Mr. Paget should like to know how and by what means
a drunken man was allowed to travel on the Blackwall
Rail way ?

Fisher, a collector—lt is probable he got some friend to
purchase a ticket for him, or escaped the notice of the
money-taker who issued the tickets at Fenchurch-street.
Positive orders have been given by the company not to
allow drunken persons on the railway, and to remove them
from the stations on the line.

Mr. Paget said it was a duty incumbent on all railway
companies not to allow a drunken man or woman to receive
a ticket, or to travel in any carriage on their lines. He had
seen the inconvenience, annoyance, and danger of drunken
persons being allowed to travel on railways. A short time
since he saw a drunken sailor fall between the platform and
a train of carriages about to be put in motion. Another
moment he would have been killed, and the scene
was appalling. That was not on the Blackwall Rail-
way, certainly. He had seen on another railway platform
in the country a drunken blackguard stagger against a
child and push it on the railway as a train was approach-
ing. The most strict regulations should be enforced to
prevent drunken persons having a ticket or travelling on
any pretence whatever. Drunkenness on railways was
attended with the greatest danger and trouble. In this
case the prisoner had disturbed the business on the Black-
wall Railway, and occupied the whole staff at one station
in preventing him doing harm. He acquitted the prisoner
of any desire to defraud the company, because his ticket
issued at Fenchurch-street was found upon him, but he
should fine the prisoner 20s. for being drunk at the Shad-
well Railway station.

The sum of £55,000 in gold was taken to the
Bank yesterday. The Seine, from the West Indies,
has brought £337,370 in specie.

The British and Californian Banking Comdany
(Limited) have announced an ad interim dividend of
4s. per share for the half-year anding the 30th of
June.

THE LATE ASSAULT AT AN EASTBOURNE HOTEL.
—Tho Hafisham magistrates have refused to continue the
licence of the Anchor Hotel, Eastbourne, to Richard Hughes,
the landlord, who was lately charged with assaulting Mr.
Pratt, a doorkeeper of the House of Commons. It appeared
that Hughes had formerly been fined £5 for assaulting a
young man who had come to take his father's dead body
from the house.—Brighton Guardian.

METROPOLITAN BENEFIT SOCIETIES' ASYLUM,
BALL'S-POND.—The 71st half-yearly meeting of
this society was held at Salter's Hotel, Victoria-street, -on
Friday last. The auditors' report showed that the present
balance-in-hand account of the Endowment Fund was
£7,227, and that of the Building Fund 432 14s. 4d. There
are at the present time 36 inmates enjoying the comforts of
this benevolent institution. The report of the committee
was adopted, and it was stated that the present amount
realized by a sermon preached by the Rev. J. Spurgeon
(father of the celebrated C. H. Spurgeon) was more than
£4O. Various resolutions were discussed and agreed to
relating to the future well-being of the asylum, and after
a vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting separated.