The Sun.
London, England, 1829-02-04 00:00:00

GUILDHALL

It is known that Mr. Ilume's Combination Act
(.5 Geo. I.V. c. 95) not only repealed all the pre-
vious statutes relative to combinations among work-
men, but took away the tight of proceeding by
common law against such conspiracies. This Act
was amended in the next session (by 6 Geo. IV. c.
129), and the restriction against proceeding at
common law being omitted, any individual again
became competent to prosecute who should find
persons confederating to impoverish him. The first
proceeding of this nature, by the common law, since
the repeal of Mr. Ilume's Act, occurred at this office
yesterday, before Sir PETER LAuntt].
A journeyman bookbinder, named Wilkinson, in
the employ of Mrs. Chip, of Ivy-lane, attended upon
a summons, at the instance of Richard Painting, for
unlawfully conspiring and confederating with divers
other persons in the city of London, to prevent him
from fo!lowin his employment, and getting Vs
living as a journeyman bookbinder, against the
peace, &c. &c.
The complainant said he had followed the trade
22 years, and there was a society among the jour-
ney men—
The defendant objected to any allusion being made
to this society, he (the defendant) not being a
member of it.

Sir PETER LAURIE would hear whatever the
complainant thought relevant, and if it did not affect
the defendant, he would not be prejudiced by the
mention of the society.
Complainant proceeded—The society of journey-
men had a law, that' only persons who had served
seven years should be accepted as members. He.
had applied to be admitted so lately as a fortnight
ago, and had been refused. On the 24th of Dec.
he applied for employment at Mrs. Chip's, found
they wanted a hand, was desired to come to work on
Saturday, and went there accordingly. However,
Mrs. Chip then referred to the defendant, who said,
" We object to him because he does not belong to
the society ;" and he was thrown out of work, and •
continued unemployed till Monday last. He had
been hindered from obtaining employ on the very
same ground four times,- and remained unemployed-
from one to four months in every instance,
The defendant said he was alarmed upon finding
himself charged with combining with other persons, •
because he wee utit himself a society man, nor was
any one present, ecept 4fra. Chip, when the com-
plainant was spoken with. Irlrs, Chip never en.
gaged a new hand without consulting him. She
would ask " Shall we take on unother man ?" and
yould listen to any objection to the person offer-
ing. lie c4llO Mrs. Chip to show that there was
no society men prespnt when she declined hiring
the complainant.
Sir P. LAURIE-asked Mrs. Chip why she refused
to employ any but seven-year-men ?
Mrs. Chip said, because the men refused to work
were to hire a person objected
to by the society, the oeper men would leave, and
throw her business into confusion.
Sir P. Laultr asked the defendant if lie did not
know that Mr. Sergeant Onslow's act had repealed
the law made it illegal for a man to follow a
trade without serving a seven years'apprenticeship to i t.
Defendant said, the reason for pbt crepluy;ag per,
sons who had slipped into the business was, that by
their incompetency they might do great mischief. A
tramper of this kind had nearly spoiled a 365. book,
in a case within his own knowledge.
Si} P. I.4pstm reminded him, that he had taken
iovay the eornplairient'e eharecter, if, by saying he
did not belong to the society, he 400 lie %9S not
capable to do the work,.
Defendant—But when I asked him if he had
perved seven years, he said he had not.'
Complainant—You know I had worked a jour-
neyman at i 1 r. Sra;th's! -
Sir PETER—WeII, we will hear 4,1 r,
NJ.. Smith said he had employed the complainant
at a guinea assygele, He could not call Lim a yvOrk:-
man, because he did not pp4orspq binding in sheep
as well as boards. He discharged him? because,
during his (Mr. Smith's) absence in the country last.
August, the complainant charged for the work done
the breakfast half-hour, although he came an hour
Or so behind 44 regular hour in the morning. Com-
plainant obtained his charge .0e Court of lie-
'r qests, because it was not objected to `the first week
it was made. He considered the complainant an
ill-tempered litigious man. lie employed whatever
"Men be pleased, wiihput fear of the society.
The Aldermai►. dismissed the complaint.
Complainant asked what he was to do. The so-
ciety would prevent him from obtaining work, and
Mr. Smith bad now injured his charaeter,—At the

intercession of Sir P. Laurie, Mr. Smith kindly
consented to employ the man again.
BOW-STILLET.

Yesterday a voting mail, named William Fossett,
.and a respectell-looking married woman, named
Tithaarsh, were charged, before Mr. Hat,Ls, with
having been concerned in a burglary at the house of
Mr. John Denman, grocer, of Camden-town.
From the evidence of Mr. Denman it appeared,
that on the night of the 3d of January, having
secured his house about ten o'clock, he and his
wife left home, anti upon their return in about an
hoar after, they found that the back-door had been
opened in their absence. A cash-box, which Mr.
Denman left in his back parlour, and which contained
a 201. Bank of England note and other monies, was
missing. The prisoner laid lived in his service for
about a -fortnight in November last. Aboit a week
ago, be (the prisoner) presented the 201. note for
payment at the Bank of England, but the number
being known, it was stopped. The prisoner was
not. detained, but his address, No. 25, White Lion-
street, Kent-road, was taken.
Fowler, a patrole, received notice of the above
robbery, and had conliderable difficulty in taking
the prisoners into custody, although aware that they
were both living in White Lion-street. On Mon-
day night witness disguised himself in a smock-frock,
and knocked at the door, saying that lie had just
conic from the country, and was commissioned to
give a letter to Mrs. Tidmarsh containing 51. Upon
this representation he was admitted up stairs, and
took both prisoners into custody. Upon the per-
son of the male prisoner he found three sovereigns
and some silver, and in the pceket of Mrs. Tid-
marsh he found an old guinea, which Mr. Denman
had identified as his property.
Mr. Ilmis asked Mrs. Tidsmarsh how she had
become possessed of the guinea.
She replied that the male prisoner had given it
to her.
Mr. Denman observed to Mr. Malls, that the pri-
soner Fossett said, when he was taken, that he did
not care, as at all events what lie heal done could
not hang him. _ _

Mr. HALLS Said, he was not quite Atire of that :
the prisoner stood in a very awkward predicament.
Fuji kr, t.ie constable, here stated, that there Wits
another charge against the prisoners, and he called
forward a respectable-lo,iliing man, who said that
his name was John Tiduirsh, and that he lived at
No. 19, Redcross-street, Southwark, and was by
trade a staymaker.
Mr. HALLS asked him if any connexion existed
bc-tween him and the female prisoner.
Mr. Tidmamb.—Unfortunately, Sir, she is my
wife. After having lived together for seventeen
years, she has abandoned me for the boy who stands
beside her. He was my apprentice, and I reared
him up in charity, and this is the return 1 hale
met with.

Mr. HALLS remarked, that both prisoners had
acted with the greatest depravity.
Fowler, the constable, explained, that a great deal
of property belonging to Mr. Tidmarsh had been
found at the lodgings of the male prisoner.
Mr. HALLS asked if this property had been stolen
from Mr. Tidmarsh before or after his wile had left
him?

Mr. Tidmarsh said, that he did not miss the pro-
perty On!il after his wife had absconded.
Mr. HALLs wished to know whether Mr. Tid-
marsh meant to charge the male prisoner with fe-
lony, or whether he believed that the property stolen
had been given to him by the wretched woman at
the bar.

Mr. Tidmarsh replied that such was his opinion.
Mr. HILLS said that, under these circumstances,
he shou'd discharge the female prisoner, whose con-
duct, ho never, in a moral point of view, was of the
most depraved description.
Mrs. Tidmarsh was accordingly discharged, and
the male prisoner was remanded for another exami-
nation.

A fellow named Mums Sin field was charged
with having in his possession 21 fowls, nll of which
had been recently killed. Tle prisoner was de-
tected on the Junction road, at an curly hour yesten
day morning, by a constable named Deykin. lie
was remanded.