The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-26 00:00:00

THAMES.

DISTURBANCE IN THE PUSEYITE MISSION CHAPEL IN
WELLCLOSE-SQUIRE.—Robert Rosier, a clothier, No. 93,
St. George-street (better known as Ratcliff Highway), was
brought before Mr. Yardley, charged with creating a dis-
turbance and committing a breach of the peace in Wellolose-
square, opposite the Rev. Bryan King's Mission Chapel,
where the services have been conducted for some time past
similar to the Pueeyite celebrations in the parish church, of
St. George-in-the-East.
The prisoner is the same person who prosecuted Captain
Savage Hall, a friend of the Rev. Bryan King, for assault-
ing him in St. George's Church during a disturbance there.
The case ended by Mr. Yardley recommending an apology
to be tendered, and this was done by Mr. Joseph Smith,
the captain's solicitor. The captain, however, afterwards
wrote a letter to the editor of a morning paper, stating
that he had not apologised, and did not intend to offer an
apology.
The chapel in Wellclose-square has been in possession of
various sects, and the Rev G. C. Smith, better known as
boatswain Smith, was for some time officiating there, and
found numerous adherents. Since the chapel came into
the possession of the Puseyites it has been renamed St. Sa-
viour's Church. Before Mr. Smith rented the place it was
a Danish Chapel, and was originally built for the accom-
modation of Danish seamen coming to tho port of London.
The case was called upon at half-past 12 o'clock, at which
time the court was crowced to excess with the contending
religious parties of St. George's-in-the-East.
Barnes, a police sergeant, No. 10 H, ilated that last
night about a quarter before nine o'clock, there was a dis-
turbance in front of St. Saviour's Church, Wellclose-
square. People were admitted only by tickets. There was
a mob of from 3,000 to 4,000 persons assembled. As the
congregation were leaving the mob hooted and hissed at
the clergymen and choristers proceeding from the church
to the Mission house. Tie prisoner was among them, and
was hissing. He frequently expostulated with the pri-
soner, and told him to go away. The prisoner refused to
do so, and said he would be locked up, and he was then
conveyed to the station-house.
Several persons, and among them Mr. Blatchford, a cho-
rister, who said the defendant spat on him, wished to give
evidence, and the prisoner who gave a general denial to the
charge, also wished to call witnesses, but
Mr. Yardley appeared not to attach great importance to
the case, and said the defendant was only charged with
hissing. He condemned the conduct pursued by the de-
fendant and his friends at great length, and said if they
assembled in large numbers it became an unlawful and
illegal assemblage, and any person found in that crowd
might find himself involved in an indictment even if he
was doing nothing more than adding to the crowd. He was
the more astonished that the prisoner should have acted as
he had done while coming from his own place of worship.
If any thing would dispose him to peace and quietness that
ought to have done so more than any thing else. He did
not forgot the prisoner was a partizan, and had been there
before as a complainant in a case arising out of the unfortu-
nate religious dissensions in St. George's-in-the-East. On
the last occasion the prisoner was before him he indulged in
the hope—it was a vain hope—that he should hear no more
of these unseemly brawls. The magistrate, after some fur-
ther observations, ordered the prisoner to enter into his
recognizances in the sum of LA to appear at this court on
Monday next.
John Pituson, a Swede, and by trade a sugar baker, was
charged on two summonses with disturbing and disquiet
ing the eongregations assembled at St. George's Church
and St. Saviour's Mission Church, Wellclose-square, on
Sunday, the 18th inst.
Mr. Joseph Smith, solicitor, prosecuted on behalf of the
Rev. Bryan King.
Mr. Yardley—Under what statute do 'you proceed ?
Mr. Smith—The Ist of William and Mary, cap. 18, sec-
tion 18, Sir. (Derisive laughter, and cries of " Oh, oh,"
"William and Mary," from the anti-Puseyites.)
Mr. Yardley asked who had dared to give way to such a
disgraceful ebullition of feeling in a publie court of justice.
He called upon the officers to point out the offenders.
Roche, the galor of the court, pointed out four gentlemen,
who declared they had only smiled.
Mr. Yardley-4f there is another similar ebullition of
feeling, take the offenders in custody and remove them from
the court. If that don't succeed, I will have the court
cleared. I will have no displays here.
On the application of Mr. Gomm, clerk to Mr. Charles
Young, solicitor, the case was postponed until Thursday,
on the representation that the summons had not been served
until Saturday evening, and that the defendant's witnesses
were not present,
is

On Tuesday, at the Sunderland Police-court, a
person made an application to the sitting magistrates for
permission to throw a rope over the Wear, below the bridge,
for a tight rope performance• After consulting a few mi-
nutes the mayor said the magistrates had duly considered
the application, and as they believed it to be absurd, useless,
and dangerous, they had decided to refuse it.