The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-17 00:00:00

THAMES.

SCANDALOUS CONDUCT OF A WATERMAN.—CAUTION
TO PASSENGLRS.—'Thomas Rice, a waterman, appeared on
a summons, before Mr. Yardley, charged under the 67th
section of the Waterm en' s Act with neglecting and refusing
to take a fare from Limehouse-hole to Cuckold's-point,
after he was engaged, by which he had incurred a penalty
not exceeding £5.
Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, opened the case as ono of
great importance to the public. The prosecutor was Cap-
tain Gustav Matson, the master of the Russian ship Otto,
who was a most respectable gentleman, well known in the
port of London. The captain had to complain of most
scandalous conduct on the part of a Thames waterman.
He (Mr. Young) was sorry to say that too many of the
boatmen on the Thames were very insolent to passengers,
and were frequently guilty of extortion. If he made out
his case, he did hope that the Magistrate would teach the
watermen that they could not annoy and insult passengers
with impunity.
It appeared from the evidence that on Monday evening
last the complainant had been on a visit to Mr. Charles
William Day, a metal dealer in Limehouse, and upon leav-
ing his house he went, accompanied by.his friend, to Lime-
house-hole-stairs to hire a boat to convey him across the
river to The Horns, at Cuckold's-point, Rotherhithe. Mr.
Day saw the defendant, who was plying for hire, and asked
him his name, to which he replied that it was Rice, and
that he was the brother of Georgo Rice, the celebrated
rowing man. Mr. Day offered the defendant 6d. to convey
the captain across the river, and the captain got into the
defendant's boat in expectation of being conveyed to the
Surrey side, but when they had got half way across the
stream the defendant was hailed from a steamer going up
the river, and, in spite of the remonstrances of the com-
plainant, the waterman rowed alongside the steamer. The
captain endeavoured to shove the boat off from the steamer,
and said, " I want to go over the water—take me to Rother-
hithe." The defendant gave utterance to a volley of abuse,
attempted to strike the complainant, and said, " You d—
fellow, you Russian humbug, if you don't keep your
tongue quiet I'll strike you," and then took a pas-
senger and his luggage from the steamer and
returned to Limehouse, when he landed both passengers
at Duke's shore. Capt. Matson immediately returned to his
friend's house and made him acquainted with the way he
had been served. Mr. Day at once proceeded to the Duke's
shore plying place, called the defendant out of a public-
house, and asked him why he had not landed the complain-
ant at Rotherhithe. " Because I met with another fare,"
was the impudent reply, accompanied by a sneering laugh.
Mr. Yardley asked the complainant if he engaged ano-
ther waterman to ferry him to Rotherhithe?
Captain Matson—No, no, sir, I was threatened. I did
not expect to get back alive.
Mr. Yardley—You had enough of Thames watermen?
Captain Matson—Yes, sir, quite enough.
Mr. Day said his friend did not reach Rotherhithe at all
on Monday, and that he provided him with a bed in Lime-
house. _ _

The defendant, who treated the charge with much levity,
said the complainant was half and half drunk, and he took
him to Rotherhithe, and he refused to leave the boat. He
called a boy named John Thomas, who said he was " Jack
in the water" at the Horns, Rotherhithe. The defendant
wanted to land the complainant there on Monday night.
The complainant refused to leave the boat, and said, " I
will give you 3d. to take me back to Limehouse." The
defendant then rowed back with the complainant to the
Middlesex shore.

Capt. Matson was recalled, and said there was not a word
of truth in the boy's statement.
Mr. Day said his friend was quite sober on Monday