The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-26 00:00:00

MITCHELL V. PRINCE.

This was an action to recover ls. 81, or what is
familiarly known in the trade as grinding money,
and his honour remarked at the opening of the
case that he had decided in favour of the men upon
this question.

On the part of the defendant, however, it was
urged that since the introduction of the hour
system the relations of the employers and employed
were materially altered, and that under the new
regulations the workmen were not entitled to re-
cover grinding money.

His Honour considered that there was a great
deal of force in this suggestion, observing that if a
man were paid by the hour it would be very un-
reasonable to give him payment for two and a half
hours labour not supplied.

Plaintiff contended that it had been the custom
of the building trade to pay this grinding money,
and it was a custom that was reasonable, for when
a man had worked upon a job for some time his
tools got out of order, and it was necessary that he
should put them straight before going to work at
another job. If the man discharged himself, then
he could not be entitled to grinding money, but if
he were discharged he would be.
It was stated, in answer to the Court, that some
firms paid this grinding money under We hour
system, and others refused.
His Honour was clearly of opinion that, as
a matter of law, the plaintiff could not recover
this money. It had been proved to the Court that
the men might terminate an engagement at any
period of the day, and it would be most unreason-
able to allow grinding money when the hiring was
an hourly one. Plaintiff must be nonsuited.
Plaintiff nonsuited accordingly.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day,

MARLBOROUGII-STREET.

CHARGE OF CRUELTY TO A HORSE.—William
Sibley, a cab driver, who was charged a few drys
ago with robbing a female named Margaret Thomp-
son of a purse containing 2ss., while in a cab in
Swallow-street, Regent-street, and also with cruelty
to a horse, was again brought before Mr. Knox, the
prisoner having been remanded for the attendance
of the female, and that the owner of the horse
might be summoned for sending the horse out in an
unfit state for work.

Mr. Sayer, from the office of Mr. E. Lewis, of
Great Marlborough-street, appeared for the defence,
and an officer of the Royal Society for the Preven-
tion of Cruelty to Ani►uals watched the case.
The charge of robbery against the driver broke
down; the female, who was in a state of intoxica-
tion on the morning in question, not being able to
Ftate positively whether she was robbed in the cab
at the time the constable (Allwood, 18G C) saw the
prisoner in the cab with the female, or at an earlier
hour.

The charge of cruelty against the owner, Mr,
Thomas Hall, a cab proprietor, and the prisoner
Sibley, was then gone into, when Mr. Cherry, the
Government veterinary surgeon, gave a description
of the shocking condition of the horse, which was
blind of both eyes, weak, had several sores, and bore
marks of recent severe flogging, there being several
cuts on the horse's legs, with blood on them.
Mr. Sayer, on the part of the owner of the horse,
said he was willing to have the horse killed.
Mr. Knox said that on the last occasion some
gutta percha thongs found on the prisoner were
produced. It was a shocking thing to find a poor
blind old horse put into a vehicle and whipped with
thongs like those produced. On the understanding
that the horse was to be destroyed, he would not in-
flict imprisonment on the owner, but he would have
to pay a fine .of £5 or a month, and the driver
would be discharged from the felony, but be com-
mitted for a month with hard labour for the cruelty.

SPO RTING INTELLIGENCE.

NEWMARKET HOUGHTON MEETING.

FRIDAY.

Montmoro Stakes of 100 sovs each, h ft. ; weight for ago
B.C. 4 miles Ifur. 113 yards. Three subs.

13.tron Rothschild's Dalesman, by King Torn, 4 yrs,.9st 71b

(J. Dale)
Au•lley End Stakes of 30 sovs oaeh, 10 ft, for all ages
(2-yr-olds excepted). A.E.O.

Mr S. Thellusson's Violent, by Knight of Avenel, 3 yrg,
(5t 10Ib (*.lonian) 1
Mr Savile's Sealskin, 4 yrs, Bst 101 b (Gustance) 2
EAting-11 to 19 on Violent, who waited to the distance,
then carne up, and won easily by a neck.

WOL,pstalcos of 25 sous each fut. 3-yr-oltls ; colts, Bst 1011),
Bst 511); winners extra.; Ltst ratio and n Lalf of
T.MX.; 7 sub,z.