The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-13 00:00:00

WORSHIP-STREET.

Two decent-looking countrymen, named William
Plaskett and Joseph Callum, the former of whom de-
scribed himself as a private constable, and the latter
as a tenant upon the estates of the Duke of Buceleuch,
at Beaulieu, near Southampton, and Alfred Tyrell, a
gold-beater at Stepney, were placed at the bar before
Mr. Hammill, charged with having hurglariously
entered the premises of Mr. Richard Hughes, land-
lord of the King's Arms public•house, in the White-
chapel-road, with intent to commit a felony.
Sergeant 11,.pe, H 3, stated that while on duty in
Whitechapel, shortly after four o'clock that morning,
he observed the three prisoners emerge, in the com-
pany of two prostitutes, from a narrow court at the
side of the prosecutor's house, and, having been ap-
prised that an attempt had been made to break into
the place on the previous night, he detained the whole
of them while a policeman who was with him pro-
ceeded up the court to examine the state of the pre-
mises. After a short interval the constable returned
and reported that the side-door of the public-house
was wide open, and that an evident attempt had been
made to force the shutters of the bar-window, from
which one of the screws had been removed. In the
meantime the prisoner Plaskett contrived to give them
the slip, and was running at full speed down the
street, when he was stopped and secured by another
officer, to whom he exclaimed, " For God's sake
don't lock me up, as I am a private constable myself,
and 1 will give you 51. to square it." The prisoners
were then conveyed to the station-house, and on
searching Plaskett a large screw, which was subse-
quently found to correspond exactly with the one re-
maining in the window-shutters of the prosecutor's
bar, was found in his coat-pocket, and for which the
prisoner accounted by stating that it belonged to one
of the windows of his house in the country.
Isaac Radford, a potman at the public-house, iden-
tified the screw produced as the same with which the
bar-shutter was fastened down when he went to bed
at half-past one o'clock that morning, at which time
the side-door and the rest of the premises were pro-
perly secured.
On being called upon for their defence the prisoners
earnestly protested their innocence, and Plaskett said
that he had come to town accompanied by a party of
the Duke of Buccleuch's tenants to see the Exhibition,
and that he was utterly at a loss to account for the
missing screw having been found in his possession.
Mr. Ilaassama observed that it was a most sus-
picious case, and ordered the prisoners to be remanded
until Tuesday next, but consented in the meantime
to take bail for their appearance.

THAMES.
Mr. YARDLEY gave his decisison in a matter of
importance to members of benefit societies, and which

was discussed at length on a former day, when Mr.
David Brown, president of the Friendly Brothers
Society, appeared to answer the complaint of an old
man named George Haydon, whose superannuation
allowance had been reduced from 23. 6d. to ls.

per week. He had been a member for upwards of
forty-five years. There was another aged man, who
had been a member fifty years, whose pension had
been reduced in a similar proportion, and he and some
others were as much interested in the decision as the
person who took out the summons. The answer to

the case set up was that the articles hid been revised
and certified by Mr. Tidd Pratt, the barrister appointed
for that purpose, and that in consequence of the di-
minuiion in the capital stock or funds of the society
it had become necessary to reduce the superannuation
allowances from 2s. Gd. to ls. 3d per week.
Mr. YARDLEY said that since the case was last be-
fore him he had given it his best consideration and
consulted the law-books, but could not find any case
like it or any decision bearing upon the question. He
must, therefore, rely on his own ability and decide
to the best of his judgment.
The defendant said that Mr. Tidd Pratt had been
referred to, and his opinion was that the rules were
binding on every member.
Mr. YARDLEY said that Mr. Tidd Pratt could not
decide the question. He wished that gentleman had
power to decide all disputes of this description be-
tween members of benefit societies ; but, as it was
thrown on bim (Mr. Yardley), he should not shrink
from giving a decision. If he could agree with Mr.
Tidd Pratt, who was a gentleman of great talent and
experience, he should have much pleasure in doing
so. He had, however, come to a different conclusion.
When the superannuation allowance was granted the
old rules were in existence, not the revised ones, and
he believed the complainant had a vested interest in
the funds, and could not be deprived of his allowance
of 2s. Gd. per week originally granted. He therefore
gave judgment in favour of the complainant. At the
same time, he must say, he had come to that conclu-
sion with some difficulty ; but it would be destructive
to the interests of such institutions as these if he had
come to any other.