The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-04 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

Yesterday John Brabon, Henry Bailey, John Herbert, and
William Ohey, described as followers of Joanna Southcote,
were brought before Mr. Jeremy, for occasioning an obstruc-
tion in the streets.

The four defendants, who were brought up by the police,
and followed by a crowd, were seen in the neighbourhood of
the Surrey theatre, carrying banners, on which were inscribed
poetical effusions in praise of Joanna Southcote. The de-
fendants were waving the banners and giving utterance to the
praises of Joanna and the young Shiloh ; and one man who
escaped was holding forth and promulgating the doctrines of
their departed friend. _ _

Sergeant Price, division L, succeeded in obtaining posses-
sion of the gaudy-coloured flags, and also an ornamental piece
of wood, in the shape of a beadle's wand, with a dove carved
on the top of it, with the follov.ing inscription :—" How
butiful upon the mountains is the feet of him who publishes
pace and saith unto Sion, thy God." There were several
quotations from Scripture on the banners, all of which, how-
ever, were mis- spelt. The sergeant said, when he arrived oppo-
site the Surrey theatre, a great mob of persons had collected
around the defendants, who went on in the most extravagant
manner, and were not intimidated when desired to move on,
and told that it was against the law to obstruct the thorough-
fare. The man who was preaching after some time gave over,
and mingled amongst the crowd, but the four defendants still
stood their ground, one and all exclaiming that they had come
there in a good cause, and that they should not be removed
except by force, and that whoever interfered with them would
meet with that punishment hereafter which they so well me-
rited. The sergeant, however, with the assistance of some of
the policemen, took the defendants, their dove, and their ban-
res-5, away to the station-house.
Mr. JEREMY inquired whether any of the defendants were
known previously to the police ?
Sergeant Price knew Herbert and Bailey ; the former was
a fellow who was in the habit of distributing handbills and pla-
cards of the most disgusting character about the streets. On
the present occasion he was one of the noisiest of the de-
fendants, and kept announcing to the populace "that Joanna's
call to the mission was in 1792, and that her victory over the
Prince of Darkness occurred in 1802." Bailey was a coster-
monger by trade, but since he had become a disciple of Joanna
Southcote, he sold his donkey, gave up crying cabbages about
the streets, and occupied his time now in spreading her doc-
trines. The sergeant added that the other two men who car-
ried banners were unknown to the police until their apprehen-
sion, but it was believed they were both shoemakers.

Mr. JEREMY asked if there were any persons present who
knew anything of the defendants ; and, if there were, they
might come forward and state what they had to say about them.
A well-dressed middle-aged woman, who said her name was
Oaks, stepped up to the table in front of the Magistrate, and
making a curtsey, addressed him thus:—" I know Mr. Bailey,
the costermonger, your worship."—(Laughter.) •
A policeman here interrupted her, and said that Bailey had
been pointed out to him as a bad character.

Mrs. Oaks—l deny it ;heis as good a young man as ever
broke the bread of life, and I defy anv one say there is a stain
upon his character. He is one of the props of the nation,
and all he wants is to make converts to our cause.

Mr. JEREMY—I have nothing to do with your religious te-
nets, but let them be what they may, it will not aid ysur
cause as you call it, to employ persons who are not at all qua-
lified for such a task. The defendants must not be suffered
to cause an obstruction of the thoroughfare, and the man
Herbert is a person who is known to the police as a dissolute
fellow, in the habit of circulating infamous handbills and
placards. The Magistrate then said, that they were quite
welcome to make as many converts as they pleased, but it
must not be done by such means as that which they had adopted
in carrying banners about the streets, and collecting mobs
which gave every facility to pickpockets.
Mrs. Oaks had a spare room in herhouse, and said that in fu-
ture Bailey and the rest of the followers of Joanna Southcote
should come there and deliver their sentiments on her
doctrines.

Mr. JaitrAir said they might discuss the subject where they
pleased, so that they did not obstruct the streets. The Ala-
gistrate then said that he should make Herbert find bail, and,
as he was well known to be in the habit of distributing vile
handbills about the streets, to encourage a hypocrite of this
kind would soon bring their doctrines into discredit.
Mrs. Oaks—We were not aware that he was a bad man.
I know Mr. Bailey and Mr. Brabon, and I know them both
to be good and faithful men to the cause.
Herbert said, that if he was let off this time he would never
carry a banner again, for Johanna Southcote or any of her
followers ; he was inveigled into it, and people tried to make
him out worse than he really was.
The other defendants said that now that they were aware
that it was against the law to act as they had done, they
should meet in future at Mrs. Oaks's house for the purpose.
Upon this understanding the defendants were discharged,
with the exception of Herbert, who was held to bail.
Mrs. Oaks applied for the restoration of the dove and ban-
ners which were delivered up to her, and she bore them away
on her shoulders.