The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-25 00:00:00

THAMES.

A DRUNKEN ScHoormAsTEn.=-Mr. Henry Bell, a respect-
able tradesman, dwelling in Leicester-street, Poplar, ap-
plied to Mr. Partridge for a summons against Samuel
Bartholomew Cooper, a schoolmaster, of Brunswick-street,
Poplar, for unnecessary cruelty to his son Joseph Bell,
aged 13 years, who was before Mr. Paget yesterday after-
noon, but could not appear this morning,

Mr. Bell handed to the magistrate a certificate, of which
die following is a copy :7
_ _

" I hereby certify that Master Joseph Bell is now under
my care, suffering from severe contusions on head, back,
and hand, and it would be unfit for him to leave the house
at present. M. BROWNFIELD, Surgeon.
" 171, East India-road, May 25, 1865."
Mr. Bell said the schoolmaster was drunk yesterday
morning, and flogged many of his pupils, breaking a battle-
dore over the head of one, and beating his son with a ruler.
The surgeon, Mr. Brownfield, was afraid his son's skull
was fractured. Tho boy was very ill indeed, and he could
not bring him out to-day.
Mr. Livingston, the chief usher, mid the applicant with
his son, applied to Mr. Paget yesterday afternoon, and the
magistrate, after examining the boy, advised Mr. Bell to
bring the parents of some of the other boys with him this
morning, and bring their children who had been unneces-
sarily flogged at the same time.
Mr. Bell said the parents of other boys had taken their
sons away from the school, and they were shipwrights or
otherwise engaged in the ship yards, and could not attend.
His boy had received four blows on the head, two on the
shoulder, and there were two great weals on the right
hand. The large finger was contused, and the boy could
not bend it. He was afraid the life of his boy was in

danger.
Mr. Partridge said the certificate of Mr. Brownfield did
not say so, and that he hoped the boy would recover. The
case was one demanding inquiry. He would advise Mr.
Bell to let the matter rest until the boy recovered, and
then bring him to that court with the eldest boys who saw
the alleged unnecessary infliction,

Mr. Bell said that many parents had taken their children
from the school of the drunken master.
Mr. Partridge, after reading Mr. Brownfield's certificate
alone, said —Bring your son hero when he is well enough,
with the eldest boys who saw this punishment by the
schoolmaster.

TRICKS OF BBNEFT SOCIETIES.--A HARD CASE.—Thomas
Reave, a baker, and a member of the " Loyal United Sons
of the Wheatsheaf Bakers' Friendly Society," held at the
Hermit public-house, Bedford-square, Stepney, applied to
Mr. Partridge for redress. He had been a member of the
society four years, and the contributions were 3s. 2d. per
month. He left that sum when due with the landlady, who
forgot to pay it over to the secretary. At the end of the
succeeding month ho again offerd 3s. 2d., the monthly con-
tribution, and it was refused. He was told he was no longer
a member. The landlady of the Hermit explained the
mistake, and he offered 6s. 4d., two months' contributions,
which was refused, and told to go about his business.
Mr. Partridge looked at the printed rules of the Loyal
United Sons, and said there was a regulation ordering all
disputes to bo submitted to arbitration. He (the magistrate)
had no authority to dispose of the matter. He thought
the case, as stated by the applicant, to be a very hard one
indeed, and his money ought to be accepted and his name
inserted in the books, with full rights of membership.