The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-04 00:00:00

LAMBETH.

THE DRAPERS' ASSOCIATION FOR EARLY CLOS-
ING—.COERCION OE THE EMPLOTERS.—MT. King-
ston, a draper in an extensive way of business in the
Bridge-road, Lambeth, applied to Mr. Norton for his
advice and assistance under the following circum-
stances :

Mr. Kingston stated that a deputation from the
Drapers' Early Closing Association had waited on
him to obtain his sanction to close his shop at eight
o'clock on and after the Ist of the present month,
when, for reasons which he urged, he refused to com-
ply with their request, or to give any pledge on the
subject. The consequence was that on the night be-
fore, about nine o'clock, when his man was about to
put up his shutters, a piece of glass, to replace which
would cost him from 271. to 281., was smashed by a
piece of stone flung at it. Oa that morning, while in
conversation with Mr. Coates, the partner of Mr.
Atkinson, a neighbour and brother tradesman, he,
Mr. Coates, informed him that on the night before,
and prior to the destruction of his property, Mr.
Henry Acutt, who was also a brother tradesman and
neighbour, had made use of the expression, "I un-
derstand they are going to serve Mr. Kingston out."
He (Mr. Kingston) thinking this somewhat extraor-
dinary, had that morning waited on Mr. H.
Acutt to ask some explanation for the use of
such an expression just preceding the act ; but
though he admitted having used the expression,
he declined giving any explanation. He (Mr.
Kingston) then requested he would attend before
his Worship at this court, to give some explanation
of the affair, and to state his reason for having
used the expression before mentioned. He, however,
made some excuse for not coming, and he (Mr. King-
ston) wished to take his Worship's advice as to what,
under the circumstances, he should do, or what steps
he should take to bring the parties who had so se-
riously injured his property, and who he had no doubt
whatever belonged to the Early Closing Association,
to justice.
Mr. NORTON observed that he could hardly sup-
pose for one moment that a tradesman with any pre-
tension to character and respectability would sanction
such an outrage as that committed. At the same time
he felt bound to say that it was the duty of Mr. Acutt
not only to give every explanation for the use of the
very significant expressions he had uttered, but to give
every assistance in his power in bring to justice the
party guilty of the outrage on the applicant's property.
The worthy Magistrate then directed Redford, one of
the summoning officers of the Court, to go to Mr.
Acutt and request his attendance. Mr. Acutt attended,
and expressed himself with some warmth at the charge
against him. He declared he had not the slightest idea
who it was who had broken Mr. Kingston's window,
and said that what he had mentioned to Mr. Coates
was from mere conjecture, and from what he had
heard from the young men, who were no doubt very
much disappointed at Mr. Kingston's not complying
with the regulation they had in view of closing his
shop on the Ist of the present month, at eight
o'clock. With respect to the young man in his em-
ployment acting as secretary to the association, he did
not see what he, as his employer, had to do with his
private affairs, so long as he discharged his duty pro-
perly as a servant.
Mr. Kingston denied having made any charge
against Mr. Acutt. All ho required was an explana-
tion of what he considered a strange coincidence.
Mr. NORTON said, that, however desirable it might
be to have all the shops closed at eight o'clock, still
such outrages as that complained of could not be
tolerated. For his (Mr. Norton's) part, he would
give every assistance in his power to repress such
acts, and he hoped Mr. Acutt would give every
information in his power to bring the guilty parties to
justice.
HAMMERSMITH.
ltfi
PRISON MANIA.-3fa t
n va
trade," was
chargedtatedt
o be '
before'
4
Mr. T. Paynter with being drunkl
years of age, no home,
no
and riotous, and
breaking five panes of glass in a beer-shop window at
ne
t
Chiswick. The offence having been proved, and also
that she bad indecently pulled her clothes up while
being taken to the station, and while there Mr. Payn-
ter asked if she was known to the police, and where
she came from.
The prisoner instantly said with a smile, " Known 1
oh yes, I have been here before. I took a cloak last
June at Hounslow, on purpose to go to prison, and I
was sent from here for two months. I have since had
a month from Kingston, and I only came out of
prison yesterday. I came from Hanvvell, but I don't
like to be out of prison, for I like the regularity of
everything there. I can't stand my liberty. I would
rather be in prison altogether, and I want to go back
again. The officers are always glad to see me, as
they know I do my work. There is not a single thing
in county work but what I can do. I can do shoe-
binding, tailoring, shirt-making, or anything else
whatever, and (rubbing her hands with intense glee)
I only want to go back again to prison.
Mr. PAYNTER said if she came from Ilanwell she
had probably been in the lunatic asylum, and had
been turned out, as others had been, for cured. She
must pay forty shillings fine, or go to prison for a
month.
Prisoner—There now, that's always how I am
served. I would not give a farthing for a month or
two. Here, I've now been committed nineteen times.