The Sun.
London, England, 1835-11-04 00:00:00

MAR YLEB ONE.

Yesterday a gentlemanly-looking middle-aged man, named
IVilham Claughton, appeared on a summons obtained against
him by Mr. William Hull, an attorney, charging him with
wilfully disturbing the congregation assembled at Totten-
ham-court Chapel, otherwise the Tabernacle, on Sunday,
the 18th ult.

Mr. Clarkson appeared to support the complainant ; and
Mr. Clarke, a solicitor, attended on behalf of the defendant.
Mr. Clarkson, in opening the case, said the chapel was
in the Court of Chancery, and the conducting of it in the
hands of twelve trustees ; three of whom, Messrs. Pryer,
Embrier, and Morgan, were appointed as acting managers.
The summons was granted under the Act of Parliament
passed in the .52d year of Geo. 111., for the protection of
dissenting places of worship, chap. 10.5 of which enacts,
" That if any person or persons shall wilfully disturb or dis-
quiet any congregation of persons assembled for religious
worship, they shall, upon being convicted of the offence at
the sessions, suffer the pain and penalty of 401."
The first witness called was—

Mr. Nathaniel Ayres, of No. 30, Cirencester-place, New-
road, who stated that he was clerk at the Tottenham-court
Chapel, and received his appointment in writing from Mr.
Pryer, with the concurrence of Messrs. Embrier and Mor-
gan, on the 25th of March, 1834. The defendant was in
the habit of frequenting the chapel, and knew what office
witness filled. Recently several disturbances had taken
place, the defendant always taking an active and leading
part in them. On the evening of Sunday, the 18th ult.,
witness took his seat at his desk as usual, and at the
commencement of the service gave out a hymn, which
he, assisted by some of the congregation, sang, and,
having finished it, sat down again, but had no sooner
done so than the defendant, who was standing at a table,
between the pulpit and reading-desk, proceeded to give out
another hymn of quite a different tune, and, assisted by his
party, sang it, thereby causing great confusion, and dis-
turbing him in his situation as cerk. The defendant af-
terwards being remonstrated with upon his conduct, said he
(lid not do it of his own free will, but was authorised to do
it by other persons.
Cross-examined byMr. Clarke—The first of the disturb-
ance, to the best of his belief, took place on Sunday the 4th
of October, when witness and the congregation having sung
a hymn, the defendant and his party sang another. Wit-
ness was never told by Mr. Bateman, one of the trustees,
that his services were no longer required.
Mr. Canaby. another clerk to the chapel, deposed that
be had filled his situation for the last nineteen years, and
that his duty was to officiate on Sunday afternoons and
Tuesday and Thursday evenings. On the evening in ques-
tion he was in the chapel, and witnessed the above-men-
tioned conduct of the defendant, which he believed created
great confusion among the congregation.
By Mr. Clarke—More persons stood up on the defend-
ant announcing his hymn than on Mr. Ayres giving out his.
Mr. William Hull, the gentleman who took out the sum-
mons, stated that he was a member of the congregation. On
the evening of Sunday, the 18th of October, he was at the
chapel, and observed the strange conduct of the defendant,
which annoyed him, and in his belief was calculated to dis-
turb the congregation. Witness saw several persons leave
the chapel in consequence.
Mr. Joseph Paul, the reader of prayers, deposed to the
disturbance the defendant's conduct caused,

The Rev. Arnott White deposed that he was in the
habit of attending the chapel, and was one of the trustees
he was not there on the evening in question, but on tWo
or three previous occasions the defendant and his friends
had commenced sip,,critlg lipti after the one given out by
Mr. Ayres Was finished He knew Mr. tateman had tried
to get Mr. Ayres discharged from his Bittiatioti,

There being no further evidence adduced,
Mr, Clarke said the defendant was appointed clerk by
Mr. Bateman, the enly qUalified trustee, and that he was
joined in his hymns by the congregation the eiteep-
tion of about ten persons, who were brought in by Mr,
Ayres. lie had several witnesses to call.
Mr. Hostaxs here said, that, understanding that there
were no witnesses who could deny that a disturbance had
taken place on the evening of the 18th ult., he should de-
cline hearing any more, but require the defendant to find
tail, himself In 1001., and two sureties in M. each, to
answer the charge at the Sessions,
ldail was immediately tendered and aceepted, and the
Office, which was crowded to excess during the proeeedings,
was then cleared.