The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-08 00:00:00

160 hands employed. All have struck except complainant
and another man, and left the materials in course ofmanu-
facture. The average wages of the men is from 355. to
40s. There is no cause fer the strike that lam aware of.

Frederick Warren, 50, Langham-street, Regent-street,
said—l am a silver finisher in the employ of the Portland
Company in Riding-house-street, and the defendants are
in the same employ. There is a society amongst the men
called the Friends of Labour Society, and it is held at the
Green Man, in Union street. Previous to Saturday, the
4th of May, all the defendants had asked me to belong to
the society. On Saturday last I was at work on my stool
when Bannister came up to me and asked me did I intend
to belong to the society. „I said I did not. Bannister then
called me a " blackleg," and said, " They will kill you."
Carienter and Britton afterwards asked me to join the
society,:Britton stating " they'll kill you, you —." There
is a secretary to the society who also waited on me several
iimee. On Saturday afternoon I had occasion to go to the
public house, and went up stairs to the kitchen. I saw Ban-
nister there and upwards of 100 others in an adjoining
room. They were the workpeople at the Portland
Company's Works. Bannister said—" Here's the --,,,
The people were coming out of the room, the meeting hav-
ing just broken up. Bannister said—" Push him out;
throw him down stairs ;" and no sooner were the words said
than I was pushed down stairs, but so suddenly, that I
can't say by whom. I was injured at the back of my head,
and reported the circumstances to the directors of the com-
pany. Yesterday (Tuesday) moraing, on leaving my work
at breakfast time, I was hooted it by those out on strike
because I chose to work.

Shillingford, one of the officers of the court, said—l went
into one of the rooms in the public-house and found that a
bill in large letters said, " The Friends of Labour Society
is held here." The meeting hadjust broken up.
Mr. Wontner cross-examined the witness Warren at
some length, and then addressed the magistrate on the de-
fendants' behalf, and called Richard Woohall, of 50, Welty-
street, Oxford-street, one of the workmen, who said he
worked next to Warren, and heard Bannister ask Warren
to join the society, and Warren said he had taken an oath
not to do so.

By Mr. Tyrwhitt—The workpeoplo may talk to each
other. Bannister works at ancther bench.

By Mr. Lewis—l am on strike. !,ly wages were 30s.
Some men worked overtime. Did not know why he was
on strike. Lads and women were employed at some of the
works, and the men did not like it. Had heard Warren
say he had taken an oath not to belong to the society.
Would not swear that Bannister did not call Warren a
blackleg. Could not exactly say what they struck for.
Saw a bit of a scuffle. Saw Bannister there and Britton.
There was a rush to the door. Did not hear the expres-
sion " Here's:the --; let's kill him.
Mr. Wontner said the men had been taken very sud-
denly, and he should like a little time.
After a few minutes, George Street, of Colville-place,
Tottenham-court-road, in the employ of the company,
said—l, was at the meeting of the Friends of Labour
Society on Saturday evening, and saw Warren in the next
room to that in which the meeting was held. The door
was open of the room he was in. I came out of the room,
and saw him there. I saw a scuffle, Warren having hold
of the man by the hair of his head. The man had told
Warren to go out, but he refused, and then the men six
or seven said they would shove him. Warren then hit
him in the eye, clung round his neck, and they fell down
stairs together. The strike took place on Monday morning.
I know a man P0na,..,-. Ile was net there on
Saturday.

By Mr. Lewis—l am on strike. lam wciauer of
the society. I went to the meeting on Monday. It was to
tell us that the masters had closed the factory at Woburn-
green, and were employing boys and girls. I did not go
up to the meeting and mention that Warren was there.
My eye was not hurt much.

Alfred Richards, 31, Cirencester-place, in the employ of
the company said, The work people struck on Monday about
nine. They worked till that time. Warren was at work
on Monday. I was at work on Saturday. I work next to
Warren. I know he was not at work on Saturday. I
saw Bannister speak to Warren. Bannister asked if he
(Warren) would join the Union. Warren said he would
let him know at one, but afterwards said he had taken an
oath that he would not. Bannister then said " You are a
nice -," but he did not hear him say that he would
" kill him."

By Mr. Lewis-=T belong to the society. It was well
known that Warren would not belong to the society. I
cannot say whether anything else took place. I heard no
more. Would swear I did not hear Bannister call War-
ren a "black leg." Bannister and Warren were talking
for five minutes.

Mr Tyrwhitt, in the course of some lengthy remarks on
the case, said workmen had a perfect right to meet together
to fix their wages or to make regulations as to their work,
but this was quite another thing. The men were charged
with threatening and intimidating a workman with the
view of making him join a society. These cases were be-
coming really important. He believed the threat was used
by Bannister. He considered it very imprudent of Warren
in going to the union on that day—it was very unfortunate
indeed that he went there. The only question was, was
there a case against Britton and Carpenter. Nothing could
be more atrocious than the despotism of the many over the
few. He should be obliged to send Bannister for one
month to prison, and would take bail in £lO for Carpenter
and Britton each for three months to keep the peace.