The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-23 00:00:00

TRADES UNIONS.

The trades unions' delegates have in two meetings
been discussing the bill brought forward by Sir Fowell
Buxton on trades societies. At the last meeting an
attempt was made to shelve the question, and the following
resolution was proposed :--" That the power assumed byVice-
Chancellor Malins, in his decision 'ln re Springhead Spin-
ning Company v. Riley, Butterworth, and Carroclus,' to con-
trol and destroy the combination laws, namely, 6 George IV.
and 22 Viet., c. 34, is, in the opinion of the meeting,
unconstitutional, and his decision leading thereto one-
sided, arbitrary, and unjust; and that this meeting
pledges itself to use every legal means to set aside
a decision abhorrent for, its injustice and its tyranny."
That motion, however, was negatived, and the following
was brought forward :—" That this meeting, composed of
representatives of the various trade societies in the metro-
polis, having fully considered the bill which has been pre-
pared for the purpose of obtaining legal protection for the
funds of trade societies, and which was brought before
Parliament during the last session by Sir Fowell Buxton,
is of opinion that it is sufficient for every legitimate
purpose, and that it should receive the support of
every well-meaning member of the House of Commons."
Mr. Nesbitt proposed an amendment in favour of the
omission of the third clause, which deals with the punish-
ment of unionists for violence. He said that under the
clause as it stood, a wink or a shake of the fistmight be con-
strued into a threat of violence, and asked, if an ordinary
man were only bound over to keep the peace for threaten-
ing violence, why should a member of a trade society be
punished by three months' imprisonment for a similar
offence ? Mr. Crampton stated that the adoption of
the amendment would entirely negative the third
clause of the proposed bill. An ordinary person who
committed an assault might be sentenced to twelve months'
imprisonment ; but the punishment for the same offence
by a trades unionist was limited to three months' impri-
sonment. What most affected trades unionists was the
law of conspiracy. Mr. Lloyd Jones supported the clause
.in question. Mr. George Potter moved the appointment
of a committee of six, with the view of reconstructing the

third clause, and after some discussion the proposition was
agreed tu.

LAW AND POLICE.

RAILWAY KEYS. —A case involving in some measure the
right of persons to use keys for the purpose of unlocking
the doors of railway carriages came before Mr. Alderman
Gibbons, at the Mansion House, in the shape of a sum-
mons against a Mr. Thomas Good, for having unlocked a
first-class carriage at Cannon-street. But it was by no
means a test case, for the defendant appeared to have
acted with considerable and unnecessary violence to the
inspector at the station, and for this, perhaps, as much
as for the breach of the bye-laws, he was fineLPA Bs.

FORGERIES BY A LIVERPOOL MERCHANT.-Mr. Colin
Alexander Drysdale, who carried on an extensive business
as a hide and leather factor, in College-lane, Liverpool,
has been brought up at the police-court of that town,
charged with forging and uttering a bill of exchange for
£143 7s. 11d. He had an account at the National
Bank of Liverpool, and in June last he paid in there
the bill in question, which purported to be accepted by
Mr. David. Alexander Scott, tanner and wool merchant,
of Silver Mills, Edinburgh. The bill was negotiated
and sent to a bank in London. Their officials there com-
municated with their correspondents at Edinburgh, when
the forgery was discovered. The bill arrived at maturity
on the 2nd inst., and was retired on that day by a Mr.
Kneeshaw, a banking agent, who received from Drysdale
the amount for which it was drawn. The prisoner was
committed for trial at the assizes, being admitted to bail
on finding two sureties in £5OO each. It was understood
that there were other charges against him, but they were
not gone into.

BURGLARY. —Two experienced thieves have been tried at
Lewes Sessions for a robbery at Brighton during the
races there in August last. Master Vivian, a son of
Lord Vivian, happening to pass down the staircase
about noon, when all the household were at the
races, saw two men in his mother's bedroom.
They took the alarm, and made their way out of
the house as speedily as possible. In the meantime
Master Vivian found an elder brother, and the two young
gentlemen followed the thieves. An interesting chase
ensued; the men separated, and so did their pursuers, who
thus never lost sight of them until they were severally
hunted into the hands of thepolice. In the possession of one
of them jewellery of the estimated value of £l,OOO, taken
from Lady Vivian's room, was found. They were con-
victed, and sentenced to seven years' penal servitude
each.

BOTT v. BASIFORD,—In the City of London Court,
before Mr. Commissioner Kerr, an action was brought to
recover £5, " money lent." It appeared that defendant had
received an anonymous letter containing a£s note. It
subsequently appeared that a nephew of the plaintiff had
robbed his uncle's firm of between £5OO and £6OO,
and distributed the money for charitable purposes. A
good deal was, sent anonymously to Government clerks.
Amongst those who benefited by the charity of Mr. Butt's
nephew were the Bishop of London's Church Building
Fund and the Royal Maternity Charity. The defendant
(a Government clerk with a sick wife at the time) was very
glad to have the £5, but on learning the circumstances of its
being sent gave an I 0 U to the plaintiff for the amount.
—His Honour : You must pay this money, Mr. Bamford.
No doubt it is a hard case upon you, but then you have
given an I 0 U.—Defendant : Your Honour knows how
badly we are paid, and I wish to have time to clear this off.
When I received the £5 I confess it was a most accept.
able sum, and I used it innocently. I did give the I 0 U,
but it was more as a question of honour than anything
else.—His Honour: Well, there is the I 0 U, and you
must pay the money ; perhaps, under all the circum-
stances, the plaintiff will give you time.--Verdict for
plaintiff, with costs,

EARLY WINTER.—Pendle Hill is covcred with
snow, and through East Lancaphirc about six inches of
snow fell on Monday morning. All the hills by Bus kden
and Ket tlewell aro covered with snow, and the teml?era
tut ry cold.

CRIME IN PAnrs.—A tradesman of the Qu Artier
Saint Arartin was walking with his wife in the -Rue de
ilght or two ago about eleven, when he stopped
a inn :it. to light a cigar. The lady, who had gorse slowly
on, v. a rt...lely accosted by an individual, whom. the hoz-,
band, wt approaching, told to go away or ho Wouacall
the The ruffian replied, " You shall not hiave
time," and drawing a poniard struck him three times; in
the breast. The assailant was arrested. One of , the
wounds is serious, but hopes are iiiiertairl that
_lit will
not prove mortal.