The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-14 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Dec. 13,

M ANSION-HOUSE.---Wm. Witham, commer-
cial traveller and clerk to Mr. Startin, wholesale
grocer, of 153, Fenchurch-street, was brought up
on remand, charged with embezzling several sums
of money, amounting to £96 4s. 7d., the property
of his employer.
T. A. Foulger, constable 568, said—On Thursday
evening last I went, accompanied by Bassett, ano-
ther officer, to the premises of the prosecutors. I
told the prisoner we were officers, and he was
charged with embezzling various sums of money
belonging to Mr. Startin. He asked to be allowed
to speak to that gentleman, and when he saw him
he asked to be forgiven, and said he would settle
with him the following morning. I searched him
at the stationhouse, and found on him a pocket-
book containing various papers, a banker's pass-
book in his own name, and a cancelled check for
£34 12s. 6d., paid by Mr. Smythe, as well as a re-
ceipt for .E3O, paid by that gentleman and signed
by himself. In a pocketbook I found entries of
several sums of money, nearly amounting to the
sums which the prosecutor has stated the prisoner
not to have accounted for.

The prisoner, who reserved his defence, was corn.
mitted for trial to the Central Criminal Court.

GUILDHALL.—The directors of the Australian
Royal Mail Steam Navigation Company were sum-
moned to show cause why they refused to pay a sum
of £lO 13s. 2d., claimed by William Naylor for
wages due as per contract.
Mr. Lewis Hoffman supported the claim, and
Mr. Fletcher resisted on the part of the company.
Mr. Hoffman stated that the complainant was
engaged in August,lBs7, to serve as second steward
on board the Australian, destined to trade from
this country to the Indian Ocean, the China Seas,
the colonies, and any-foreign settlements, &c., that
might ultimately be decided upon. It was, how-
ever, stipulated that the complainant should serve
in the capacity stated until the vessel returned to
the port from which she started, or to some port of
final discharge within the United Kingdom; the
voyage out and home not to exceed two years. The
vessel proceeded on her course, but upon her arrival
at Calcutta she was sold to the East India Com-
pany, and on the 3d of December, 1857, the crew
were discharged. Some of them were offered berths
on board the Victoria, another of the company's
ships, but the complainant was sent home, and it
was for the wages, at the rate of £5 per month
during the passage home, that he now claimed the
sum in question. He reached England on the 14th
of March last, and made application repeatedly for
payment, and was put off from time to time by the
company stating they could not come to any settle-
ment until the ship's articles arrived, which they
did not get until about six weeks ago ; but the
money had not been paid, and the present summons
was, therefore, taken out for £l6 3s. 2d. for wages,
and £2 10s. for compensation for loss of time in the
frequent application for the money.
Mr. Fletcher thought he might save the time of
the Court by submitting at once that the complaint
was out of time, as both the Merchant Shipping
and Jervis's Art-required such complaints in mat-
ters for summary Jurisdiction to be laid within six
months from the time when the cause of action
arose, or from such time as both parties shall first
arrive or be in England at one and the same time.
Now, the complainant arrived in this country on the
14th March last, and it was quite clear, therefore,
that the cause of action arose more than six months
prior to the issuing of this summons.
Alderman Mechi said he should have thought
that a great company like the Australian Royal
Mail Steam Navigation Company would have met
a case of this kind on its merits, rather than take
advantage of a technical objection.
Mr. Fletcher said he did not rely entirely upon
that point, for he was prepared to prove that the
complainant had been paid every farthing that was
due to him in Calcutta, and that he had signed a
receipt in full.

This being the second hearing of the case, the
worthy Alderman said he would take time to con-
sider his decision, and appointed yesterday to deliver
it. Accordingly, on meeting all parties yesterday,
Alderman Mechi 'said he had devoted consider-
able attention to this case, which was a demand for
wages said to be due from the defendants to the
complainant. It appeared from the evidence that
the complainant contracted with the defendants to
serve them for two years as assistant-steward on
board the Australian. On her arrival in Calcutta
the defendants sold the ship and discharged the
complainant, paying him his wages only to the
time of his discharge, and providing him with a
passage to England, without any remuneration
during the period of his passage. It appeared that
the Merchant Shipping Act legalised the discharge,
thus virtually sanctioning the breaking of the con-
tract, the complainant being no longer entitled to
any payment as wages. No doubt the object of tie

Legislature was to facilitate the sale and manning
of ships abroad. But it would be a monstrous injus-
tice if one party were permitted to break a con-
tract for his own purpose and profit to the injury of
the other contracting party. He presumed, there-
fore, that, although the complainant was not
entitled to claim for wages under the jurisdiction of
this court, he might bring his action for breach
of contract or loss of time in the County
Court, or before some other civil tribunal. He
therefore dismissed the complaint, no money as
wages being due, and this court having no juris-
diction in questions of ordinary debt or breach of
contract. But, had the claim for wages been legal
the complaint must still have been dismissed as
being out of time, as the Merchant Shipping Act,
at section 525, imperatively limited the time of
taking out the summons to six months after the
complaint arose, or from the arrival or presence of
the contracting parties in the United Kingdom ;
and although in this case the ship's papers only
arrived in October last, the section to which he had
referred took no account of any exceptional cir-
cumstances. It was, however, a novel case in this
court, and he had therefore taken the greatest pains
to ascertain, and he hoped correctly, the law re-
specting it.
Both parties then thanked the Alderman for the
great care and attention he had given to the case
and withdrew.
A number of young girls attended before
Alderman Copeland to ask for his advice and
assistance under the following circumstances :
A young person of very respectable appearance,
who acted as spokeswoman for the rest, said,—l
saw an advertisement in Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper
to the following effect :
" About 50 dressmakers wanted—young persons, to work
indoors. Hours from 9 till 7. Apply before 4 o'clock at
39, Gresham-street, city."
Alderman Copeland—Did you all answer that
advertisement ?
Applicant—Yes, sir. There were about 200 ap-
plied this morning. I was there from half-past 9
till half-past 12, and then a person came down-
stairs and said we were more fit for men than work.
Some of us have come from Stoke Newington, from
Wandsworth, Camberwell, and, in fact, from all
parts of London.
Mr. Martin (the Chief Clerk)—Surely this ad-
vertisement must be a hoax.
Alderman Copeland—What is the name of the
person advertising for the 50 dressmakers ?
Applicant—James Pullen, sir.
Alderman Copeland (addressing the inspector)
—Let one of your officers call on Mr. Pullen and.
request him to attend to explain this matter.
Inspector Foulger—l will go myself, sir, if you
wish it.
Alderman Copeland—Certainly, if you will do so.
It is only in Gresham-street. It is a most atrocious
thing to hoax young girls, and bring them from
such a distance to no purpose. Here is one from
Stoke-Newington, and—
Another Applicant—l come from Regent's-park.
Another—l come from Wandsworth.
Another—l come from Islington.
Another—l come from Walworth.
Another—l come from Bayswater.
Another—l come from Camberwell-green.
Alderman Copeland—That will do, ladies. One
at a time, if you please. (Laughter.)
In the course of a few minutes, Inspector Foulger
returned with a person who represents Mr. Pullen.
Alderman Copeland—The complaint is that Mr.
Pullen has advertised for 50 dressmakers without
wanting them, and that he has brought all these
young girls from all parts of London merely to
hoax them.
The Representative said—lt is nothing of the
sort, sir, I was there this morning at half-past 8
o'clock, and there were only three persons waiting.
I engaged two, and at half-past 9 I engaged six
more. Later in the day I engaged others—in all
about 40, and at half-past 1 or 2 there were from
GO to 70 waiting. Mr. Pullen engaged 10 or 15
more, and a notice was then put up stating that
no more would be engaged.
Applicant—There was no notice put up at all,
and no one was engaged.
Alderman Copeland—How do you know that ?
Applicant—Because I was there from half-past
9 till half-past 11, and every one who came down
said she was not engaged.
Another—And I was there from 5 minutes to 9
o'clock and no one was engaged, for the doors were
not open before.
The Representative—This girl was not there at
that time, and I can prove it. I can produce the
engagements signed, and if that is not satisfactory,
I can produce all the girls if you like.
Alderman Copeland—No, thank you, we don't
want so many here. (Laughter.)
Several of the applicants commenced speaking
at once.
Alderman Copeland—Now, ladies, we cannot
have this place made a Babel of. (Laughter.) I
will hear what you have to say, but it must be one
at a time.
Applicant—There was another advertisement,
sir, for young girls under the age of 15, to work at
a light business, and the parties engaged must
have been mere children to work at the bugle
work. There were no dressmakers engaged. We
complained of their advertising for 50 dressmakers
when they did not want them, and this person said
it was no business of ours.

The Representative—We advertised for 50, and
700 applied. Of course we could not engage the
whole 700. After we had engaged 50 we told the
others to go away, but they made a great noise and
used the most disgusting language.
Alderman Copeland—l cannot allow you to
make such an accusation against a respectable
young girl, whose conduct before me, and the
manner in which she has told her story .reflect
great credit upon her.

Applicant-----We were ordered off, and the next
instant some one was directed to kick us all out.
The Representative—One of the young persons
present was asked to enter the warehouse, but she
refused to go either in or out.
Alderman Copeland—Do you always engage
your workers without a character P

The Representative—It is customary to do so.
Alderman Copeland—l do not wish to dictate to
you in what manner you shall conduct your busi-
ness, but I do think you should define a little more
clearly when you advertise for dressmakers what
you want ; for it does appear to me rather a hard
case upon these poor young girls that they should
be brought so far and so uselessly, merely because
the advertisement was so vague.
The Representative--The cause of so many ap-
plying is that at this time of year business is slack,
and consequently a great number are out of em-
ploy.

- Alderman Copeland—l am quite aware that such
is unfortunately the fact, but At the same time I
would recommend Mr. Pullen to word his adver-
tisements more carefully for the future.
The Representative then withdrew, greeted with a
volley of hisses from the disappointed dressmakers,
who closed round him as he was leaving the court,
making desperate exertions to get at him.

CLERKENWELL.—Henry Palmer, aged 8, and
James Dillon, aged 14, were charged with stealing
a purse containing one half-sovereign belonging to
Eliza Warren, 4, Nelson-glace.
The prisoners both accused each other of the rob-
bery.

Corrie sentenced the prisoners to three
months' hard labour in the House of Correction,
and said he thought the prisoners were fit subjects
for a reformatory.

SOUTHWARK.—Emma Baker, a respectable-
looking young woman, was charged with stealing
a cash-box containing a £lO Bank of England note
and £7O in gold, the property of Mr. Henry James
Graham, her master.

,
The prosecutor, a grocer, residing in East-street,
Epsom, said that the prisoner had been in his ser-
vice about two months and she bore an irreproach-
able character up to the present time. On Sandal-
evening, about half-past 6 o'clock, he and his family
went to church, leaving the prisoner in charge of
the house, and the cash-box was then safe up-stairs.
When he returned home he found that the prisoner
had decamped and that his cash-box, containing
about £BO was gone. He immediately communi-
cated with the police, and the prisoner Nvastracaeldl
to the Borough with the cash-box and
nearly
~5
the contents in. her possession.
Police-constable No. 145 said, that from informa-
tion he received he went into theeilroohit.k coffee-house,
Union-street, Southwark, about
morning, and saw the
Hpreisimonniele• o'clock that
d.i. mg at a table
sitting having breakfast.
lately went up to
her and told her he wanted her for stealing a cash-
box containing £BO, the proper y of her master, at
Epsom. She denied coming
hfrobrit Epsom, or know-
ing anything about the - ox. He, however,
told her he should take her to the station-house,
and it would be better her to hand over the
cash-box and contents to h.
up-
stairs to a bedroom and broughtllll. She then went the box to him. It I
had been broken open, and contained a £lO note,
£49 in gold, and some silver. Just as he had talven
her into custcdy an officer of the V division cv.me
up and identified her as Mr. Graham's servant,Sergeant Underhill, V division, the acting in-
spector at the Epsom
police-station, said he re-
ceived information of the robbery a little after nine
on Sunday evening, when he
communicated- directly
with all the police stations and came up to London,
and found the prisoner in the custody of the last
witness.

Mr. Combe asked him whether he knew any-
ling of the prisoner.
Witness replied that he had known her from a

child. Her father had been in one employ thirty
years at Epsom, and had brought up a large family
respectably. The prisoner must have very recently
formed some bad connexions.
Mr. Combe said he had no other alternative but
to commit her to the sessions for trial.

GREENWICH.--Afr. Traill has announced the
receipt of a cheque for £2O from the Goldsmiths'
Company for the poor-box, an acknowledgment of
which was requested.