The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-10 00:00:00

WORSHIP-STREET.

Yesterday two wretched-looking beings, named Ri-
ehaid Williams and Ellen Sheen, the former 65, and the
latter 51 years of ago, were charged before Mr. BROUGH-
TON under the following extraordinary circumstances :
Sergeant Peakle, H 6, stated that on Friday last about
fourteen families were forcibly ejected from the domi-
ciles they had occupied in Hope-street, Spitalfields,
and they had been since compelled to remain, day
and night, under one of the arches of the Eastern
Counties Railway. The occurrence had occasioned
considerable excitement in the neighbourhood, and the ad-
joining streets had been greatly obstructed by the crowds
of persons who had assembled round their place of
encampment. He proceeded to the place on Sunday
afternoon, for the purpose of preserving order, when he
found two boxes placed on the pavement to receive cha-
ritable donations, and as the prisoners, who appeared to.
have charge of them, refused to take them away, he con-
sidered it his duty to take them into custody for the ob-
struction. The Sergeant produced the boxes, which, he
said, were the same as were used by the Chartists in col-
lecting contributions for the defence of their imprisoned
fellows. Two slips of paper were affixed to the front of
the boxes with the following inscription :
" Two hundred men, women, and children, at a mo-
ment's notice, turned into the open air from Hope-street,
Spitalfields, being distrained on, and they are now to be
seen there, in want of shelter, and of the necessaries of
life."

Mr. ISROUGHTON inquired by whose direction and un-
der what particular process the ejectment took place ?
Sergeant Teakle said that he happened to be passing
through the street on Friday morning when the families
were turned out. The goods and scanty furniture be-
longing to the parties, and portions of which were broken
to pieces, were lying about the street, and a number of
miserable people of both sexes were wailing over them.
The majority of them were poor weavers out of employ-
ment, and the distress and wretchedness that the scene
presented were truly heart-rending. A policeman, now
present, would be able to give the Magistrate further in-
formation, as he accompanied the broker when he made
the ejectment.
Police constable Spencer, 11 92, was called, and in
answer to the Magistrate's questions, he stated that on
Friday morning inspector Lewis sent him to Hope-
street with the broker to prevent a breach of the peace,
and he remained in the street whilst the poor families
out of 14 houses were ejected. They were all in a most
destitute condition ; but the most distressing case was
that of a poor woman, who had a family of eight chil-
dren, one of whom was ill with the small pox. Another
woman had seven children, and one of them had been
severely scalded on the same morning. He had been in-
formed that both the sick children had since died. The
broker promised the woman to procure the admission of
herself and family into the workhouse, but he did not
know whether the promise had been fulfilled.

Mr. BROUGHTON said he was greatly surprised that
the police had lent its countenance to such unlawful and
tyrannical proceedings, but he presumed that the object
for which their services were required, had been misre-
presented to the Inspector.

Tilt, the Usher, was directed by the Magistrate to pro-
ceed immediately, and bring to the Court as many of the
unfortunate outcasts as he could find.

The case was resumed at four o'clock, when Mr. Ash-
ley, the solicitor, attended to watch the proceedings on the
part of the broker and his principal, and Mr. Hunt ap-
peared on behalf of the aggrieved parties.
Tilt informed the Magistrate that several of the poor
people were waiting outside to be examined. Amongst
the number was the woman whose child was said to have
died, but her child was not dead, as reported, although
seriously indisposed.
The first witness called was Susan Potts, the wife of a
poor weaver, with seven children, who stated that a
broker who distrained upon her goods at her last place
of -abode, recommended her to remove with her family
into one of the houses in Hope-street, which was aban-
doned, and she accordingly did so. She had lived for
some weeks in the house, and no application had been
made to her for rent, neither had she received any notice
to quit. On Friday morning she went to the work-
house to apply for some relief; and on her return she
found two men in the room, who told her to " get out of
the house with her goods and children, or they would
turn them out." She implored them to allow her a
little time, in consideration of her sick child ; but they
refused to do so, and she collected her few things and
left the place. She remained in the street with her
children until night, when they were admitted into an-
other house.
A poor man, named Philips, was next examined, and
he stated that he had lived three months in one of the
houses, and had agreed to pay eighteen-pence a week
for his room, part of which he had paid. On Friday
morning he went out to seek work, and on returning
back he found that his door had been broken open by
things he possessed
the broker's party, and the few