The Sun.
London, England, 1826-07-18 00:00:00

COUNTY COURT FOR MIDDLESEX.

TUZ EZMALX CROVITS SINGE is o TIIP: oris,A t, sturton

VELLUTI.

Signor Baptista Velluti was proceeded against by the telltale
chorus singers of the King's Theatre, to recover the Inn of U.
each, for work and labour done, by singing for him'On the night
of his benefit. The court was crowded by tbeatritals and others
interested in the cause. There appeared a dashing array of anted
girls against him. Great disappointment was caused by hi* nun-
appearance, but Mr. Monkhouse attended on his behalf, and there
was also a number of Italian singers.
Miss Rutmnins stated the case for the plaintiffs.. They were
engaged by Mr. Then to sing during the aeasou, but they had
concluded their engagements before the benefit of Signor Velluti
arrived, About a mouth before this time, Mr. Ruhbi, the master
of the chorus singers, having assembled them all, mule and female,
in the Green-romn, read a letter to them from Mr. Velluti, pro-
mising them one guinea - each if they performed their parts well.
Being excited by this extraordinary reward, they attended re-
heareaWiltaing rearly'thrte weeks, from half-past nine o'clock in
the morning until two, three, four, and five o'clock in the after-
noon, and sometimes they were called again at half-past six
o'clock, and engaged until ten at night. The night arrived, and
it was acknowledged that they performed their parts well. The
gentlemen chorus singers had been paid, but the ladies bad been
refused; on what pretence it would be fa the Court to hear and
decide.

The learned Judge, Mr. Dußois, asked for the letter sent by
Mr. Rubbi.
Mr. Atonkhouse said Mr. Rubbi was not here.
Mr. DUBOIS.—Then I shall adjourn the case, as he is your
agent, and you must produce him.
Mr. Monkhouse then produced what he said was the raw. It
promised 11. to the gentlemen, on condition that they were perfect
in their parts, but nut one word about the ladies.

The hidies one and all declared that the letter produced was not
the letter read to them in the Green-room.
Mr. Duaois.—Where is the real letter?
Mr. Monkhouse.—l have none other.
Mr. Donots.—Then favour us with a 'reason why he paid the
gentlemen and refuses the ladies.

Mr. Moukhouse said the fact wait, the Signor had a decided ob-
jection to the ladies, and never allowed them to ippen in any
place where he was concerned. He had been indisposed at home,
tnd had sent the letter in question (which was undoubtedly the
letter he had sent), requesting that one guinea should be offered as
a gratuity to the gentlemen only.

-Air. &fem..; Why this is an extraordinary- want of gni-
tantry, to pay the men and re-fuse to pay the females.
Mr. Monkhouse.-11e did not know of the Julies being so
engaged, contrary to hie wish and express directions.
One of the plaintiffis, —Why, he has beat time to me.
[Here there was a chorus of—" Ile pricks out the score for Ir.. "1
Miss Rummins.—He could not have done without us, as we had
solos, which could not have been omitted. He beat time to tit.

Here there were so many of the fair plaintiffs talking eloquently
It once, that nothing could he heard, and the officers of the Court
had some difficulty in procuring silence.

Mr. Monkhouse said that the guinea Nt'lt3 promised as a gre..
taity only ; that the Signor ought not to be called upon to pay
it as a debt, more particularly as he had objceted to permit the
Ladles to sing its any piece where he performed.
Here there was a strong manifestation of feeling on the part of
the female as well the male portion of the auditory.
Mr. Monkhouse, notwithstanding, contended, that as the letter
referred only to the mascitline gender, they alone were entitled to
the gratuity..

Mr. Makils could not help saying that the defence was paltry.
He considered that the terms of the letter might be taken to
mean the choristers generally ; and, though the masculine gender
was particularly referred to, as that (according to the opinion of
some) denominated the superior sort of the creation, the others.
as inferiors, were included in the term. The Ladies had per-
formed the labour; and why, if he had so strong an objection to
them, did he riot prevent them?
The Choristers—Lie beat time to us.
The Learned Julius decided, that the Ladies having performed
the labour, were entitled to the reward.

A friend of the Signor's here stepped forward, and said, that it
was not the object of the money, but the mode in which it WU
demanded, that induced him to defend the present procettlinrc
Air. Dulunti—.--Poh! poll! I do not hesitate to say that I con-
sider it as a trumpery defence.

The other plaintiffs were burdened with compliments an to their
general treatment. It appears, that according to the system of
the large theatres, of screwing down the salaries of the minor per-
formers, in order to give enormous sums to the principals, the else.
rioters had been paid during the first part of the season at be.
per night, or l Is. 7d. per week, out of which they hat'. to buy
shoes, gloves, and flowers, adapted to the costutne of the various
characters ; they had for some months to attend the rehearsals
every day, half-past nine to Jive; on some days dress was to be
found them, but was often neglected, and they were seen perform;
ing the characters of Grecian virgins in the dresses of Spanish
peasants, lkc. ; and petticoats of such extraordinary brevity, that.
they might have beau mistaken for kilts, were sent down to them
from the wardrobe. In the course of the season Signor Velluti
interceded for the gentlemen, and obtained an vivant* of their sa-
lary to l ss. per night. The ladies struck—Madame Pasta in-
terceded for them—and obtained the enormous advance of is.
making altogether 7s. per night. Of course this was not matter
with which this court, (though it possesses, as the Learned Judge
stated iu the course of the cause, an equitable jurisdiction) could
have interfered in, any way. The ladies retired, Jejoieing in
their success.

One of our contemporaries observes that a young
female singer, who made her entree at the Haymarket last week,
is decidedly the best English
.singer of the day, with three or
four exceptions !'
RIGHT OF OPENING DEAD lioDlEs.—On Sa-
turday an inquest was held on the body of James Colley, a car-
penter, employed on the works of the new London Bridge, who
was drowned by falling into the river on Friday morning, between
10 and 11 o'clock. The jury, consisting of the most respectable
inhabitants of the perish, having been sworn, proceeded to the
room where the :bodies are usually viewed, but was informed it
hail not then been brought from the dead-house. Atter a lapse
of some minutes, it arrived in a shell, without the least covering
whatever, when the jury expressed their astonishment at the
Went of decency evinced. The friends of the deceased also, on
"perceiving the marks of the surgeon's knife, complained bitterly
of the violation of the promise given them that the body should
not be opened. On the return of the jury to the inquest-room,
the evidence of James Evan* and John Lee was received, they
being two other workmen employed in the erection of the new
London Bridge ; and it appeared that the deceased in the act of
passing to his tool-basket, to lend a fellow-workman a file,
.trod upon a wooden clamp, that turned under him, as it is
suppose], a splash being heard in the water directly after,
and his paper cap, and handkerchief observed floating on
the outside ring of the dam. The drags were immediately ob-
tained, and, in five minutes, the body was raised to the surface
but the clothes tearing from the hooks, it sunk apish, and was
not recovered till near half an hour after. Mr. Bitchman, dresser
to the hospital, described the deceased to, died when brought in.
A verdict of " accidentally drowned" was then returned, which
was no sooner given than the witnesses, Evans and Lee, requestsd
the Coroner to infirm them by what means they conk] obtain re-
dress for the pain inflicted on the friends of the deceased by
:t.1!4.0
wanton opening of the body. Mr. Shelton observed, that it: lit,
Bartholomew's hospital, of which he had been a govewt,l..n.
many years, no pupil testa 'allowed to open the lx)4,r 41Zr he
written permission, from the hotescoairgeont 7 701:.,
was
sorry
to
ohs"
the
"10
rule
Ir4-*
theltift :Irlionl3l7tg
rough hospitals. Hire an inninl'n ry to open the body
tit to expose Itin"eit" raying it w" ilt(eived into the stomach.
to ascertain whether poison had beei:a4ir
eynect_ng
_ to find St.
Mr. Shelton.---44 You equal who had been ma_
Paul's 01'7' „..../li"„havn*li,4 • tan.e,y the strong feeling excited ;
mined, em'eavaurru "FT-lined to phi their faith upon his
but the Coroner
coonnesrid:da it:rtKin'46caatts fiwtory had been offered. The
rah and
Advised the friends of the deceased to apply
()crones, dk MICA
to the treasurer of the hospital, observing, that he himself would
apply in person,