The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-13 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.

David Miller, a young man from Edinburgh, attended
before Mr. Alderman LUCAS yesterday, to answer the
complaint of Mr. Grafton, a watchmaker, in Fleet-street,
for that, having contracted to serve him ifs a journeyman
watchmaker, he had neglected to fulfil the said contract.
The defendant had articled himself for five years in order
to become acquainted with his business in the highest
branches, and after serving about a year, he became dissa-
tisfied with his situation, and refused to obey his master's
directions.

Mr. Grafton took him to make a confidential servant of
him, and leave him in charge of the very valuable stock on
the premises. Latterly he had become disobedient and
discontented, and the work which came to his hands was so
delicate in its nature, that unless he did it willingly, there
was no chance that he would do it well.

The defendant stated his grievances, the principal of
which were that his master required him to sleep in the
shop, which was infested with rats, and did not allow Lim a
room in which he might read and write.

Mr. Alderman LUCAS said the objection a!ose from mis-
taken notions of what was degrading to man. The due
care of the stock, no doubt, requi",sed that some trust-
worthy person should sleep in t';n3 shop ; and he could as-
sure the defendant that he 1.-,ad known Bank Directors, and
other wealthy men, to sleep, while they were apprentices,
under their masters' counters, making their own beds, and
setting every thing right about the premises at a very early
hour in the morning. Sixty years ago it was the universal
practice to make a confidential apprentice sleep under the
counter, in every shop and warehouse, from Temple•bar to
\Vhitcchapcl.

The defendant declared he would rather go to gaol
than return to his master, who required him to clean the
inside and outside of the shop every morning—mere por-
ter's work.

Mr. Alderman LucAs, after reasoning with him some
time, was about to commit him to Bridewell, when he con-
sented to promise to mend his conduct, and was discharged.

BOW-STREET.

Yesterday Mr. George Milne, who stated that he was
accountant in his Majesty's Customs, applied to Mr. MIN..
SHULL for a warrant against serjeant Young, of the A di-
vision of police, who, he said, had assaulted him in Covent-
garden Theatre, during the performances on the preced-
ing evening.

Mr. Milne on the previous evening went to Covent-
garden to witness the performances, part of which consisted
of a new farce, called Mutual Expense. He was with a
friend, and they occupied seats in the dress boxes. In the
course of the performance of the farce he expressed his
disapprobation of it, considering it to be a trashy production,
and unfit for representation, In consequence of his doing
so, the box-keeper directed the defendant to remove him
(witness) from the theatre. The defendant, acting upon
upon this direction, seized him by the collar and the arms,
mad attempted to pull him from the box. His friend, how-
ever, prevented this being done, in which he was assisted
by several other gentlemen, and he then let go of him. He
directly followed him from the box, and, stating that he was
in his Majesty's service, declared his intention of preferring
the present charge.

In answer to questions put to the witness by Mr. MN-.
SHULL, the witness adro;!.ted having called out loudly for
the curtain to be I.et down, and for the periormers to quit
the stage. In `).ioing so, however, he was only following the
example of many others, and acting in concert with the ma-
jority of the audience.
Mr. MINSHULL asked the defendant what he had to say
in reply to the charge ? He stated that he was called by
the box-keeper, who said that there was some gentlemen
making a noise in the boxes. He went thitlier and heard
loud cries of " turn him out." He proceeded to remove
the defendant, without any violence ; however, he resisted,
and the audience again called to him to do his duty.
Mr. MINsHULL asked the defendant if he was sure he
made use of no more violence than was necessary. The
defendant declared that he had. merely gently taken him
by the arm.

Mr. MINSHULL Wag of opinion that the officer bad ex-
ceeded his duty, ;;though his offence was not so aggravated,
as he was put on by the box keeper.
The constable begged now to apologize to Mr. Milne for
his misconduct, and the latter having expressed himself sa-
tisfied, the parties retired.

MARL BOROU GH-STREET.
Thomas Macpherson, a person of respectable exterior,
was brought before Mr. CONANT and Mr. HALL for final
examination, charged with shop-lifting,.
He was fully committed.

THAMES.- OFFICE.
Yesterday John Smith, a robust seaman, belcragir to the
John Wood steam-packet, appeared before Mr. BALLAN-
TINE and Mr. Bnoorair, to answer an information laid by
the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs, under the 4th
of Williain IV., cap. 13, sec. 2, for unlawfully obstructing
Charles Case Fowler, a Custom-house officer, in the due
seizing of a pint and a half of brandy, liable to the duties
of Customs. A second count charged the defendant with
obstructing and assaulting tlie officer in the execution of his
duty, and stated him to have become liable to be impri-
soned for any term not exceeding nine calendar months,
nor less than six months, and to be kept to hard labour.
Mr. BALLANTINE, after hearing evidence, said the sen-
tence of the Court was that the prisoner be imprisoned for
six months in the House of Correction, and kept to hard
labour.

Mr. Evans, Chief Surveyor of Thames Polit:e, said as the
case was now over, it was his duty to state that the pri-
soner had been convicted in the penalty rJr 100/. for smug-
gling two years ago, on which occasion I.le committed a vio-
lent assault on George Judge, surveyor of that establish-
Inert He said he had before detected the prisoner in smug-
gling ; and when he belonged to the Belfast steamer, he
threw some .;obacco overboard and his cloak with it. Smith
was then committed.