Star.
London, England, 1829-05-30 00:00:00

A•

POLICE INTEL MEWL

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GUILDHALL. . •
•InUess Flows, a journeyman weaver. will broillisc. beefy
Mr. Alderman Ames'. yeaterday. charged with dborderly coo
duct on the premises of Messrs. Wilson, Moore, and Co. in Milk-
street, Cheapside.
Mr. Ambrose Wilson said the prisoner was one of their journey-
men. and be charged him with refusing to quit the premises when
ordered to do so, on the previlas evening. He had previous'?"
used rude, indeed threatening language. He made a claim of
money, and witness disputed his liability to pay; telling him he
might apply at Guildhall for redress. As he refused to leave the
premises, witness was obliged to give him in charge.
Prisoner said that he and many others took home their work en
Wednesday moraing. and had been waiting to be settled with all
Wednesday and all Thursday. It was the rule of the trade when
a cut (portion of a whole piece) was taken home to settle for that
at the time, and for the remainder when it was brought in; but
Mr. Moore refused either to settle for tire cut or to advance a part
of the amount, and as he (prisoner) could not support his family
longer without assistance, be bad refused to go away, and had been
locked up.
Mr. Alderman Aimee said the Magistrate bad so power to con-
trol a Gentleman in the way he should carry on his badness, and
say you shall advance so much to your men. Prisoner ought not
to have acted in such an obstinate improper way.
Some person said be had employed the prisoner five years
before be came to Mr. Moore, and found him an honest up
right man. It was the common practice to pay for every cut when
it goes in.
Mr. Moore begged this person might be sworn.
Mr. Alderman Amer thought this unnecessary, as be was not
ta pony in the case ' • prisoner should have come to the Magistrate
•whep his employer refused to pay, and not have behaved riotously.
Mr. Moore observed, that the prisoner went so far as to say.
thee be wished be bad bad something in kis hand, or that be had
!bee& present when deponent was in the witness box at another
Tbeerr of "false ! false! false ! " among the crowd of weavers
present, *welled from a murmur to a roar.
Mr. Alder's'. Amoy—Silence. This is very improper.
Prisootte,..-rsaid rather than go home I woold•go to gaol; there
I should gervictuals.
Mr. Moore—On my oath, as I was walking away, I beard the
'dosser distinctly threaten me for the evidence I bad given. and I
think I am entitled to protection while giving my evidence hen.
Mr. Alderman Amer—Certainly, but we cannot prevent, we
can only reprove, these expressions of feeling. Was any one pre-
east when-this threat was used?
Mr. Moore—One, or perhaps two of my young men.
Alderman Ammer—Any of your weavers?

Mr. Moore--I believe not
Alderman Awstxr (pointing to the crowd with some warmth)—
Then that phalanx bare been crying false, and contradicting a Gen-
tleman, respecting what was said when they were not present, and
could knowpotbing about it.
Mr. Moore said he aUowed the man might summon him before
the Magistrate, and he was-ready to meet hint at once upon his

complaint.
Mr. Alderman Atittrr—But we must dispose of your charge
first. I might hold him to bail for the threat, but I suppose you
do not wish that.
Mr. Moore intimating be had no wish to press the complaint,tbe
Alderman dismissed the prisoner, with an admonition not to annoy
and obstruct Mr. Moore to his business in future.
Flowers then made his complaint. He carried home M yards
of mints; on Wednesday, Mr. Moore baying required all the
finished work to be brought in, and Mr. Moore refused to pay him
or any of the other men. lie took the work from the warehouse
at itd. a yard, but Mr. Moore had sent his weavers word that he
would give ad.
Alderman Assater.—lf you agreed to do It foe Id. that is your
claim, and the amount will be 11. 17s. 4d. Now, Mr. Moak*.
Mr. Moore (to Flowers)—ls the work now in your hands
sealed up ?
Flowers—lt is not.
Mr. Moore— When was it unsealed? .
A voice in the crowd—Don't answer that.
Flowers—l was not at home all yesterday, and I can't mower.
Mr. Moore—Did you sleep at home on Wednesday night ?
Flowers... Yes, I did.
Mr. Moove.—Was the work sealed yesterday morning?
Flowers—l did not look at it—l wanted to get at your ware-
house.
Mr. Moore—Was it net sealed on Tiaday night, when you cut
the work off, which you brought hoesettet morning?
Flowers.—Yes. h
Mr. Moore—When was it first sealed.?
Flowers paused, and the voice repeated, " Don't answer.—
Come, I'll answer that—it was late on Friday night."
Mr. Alderman Amur said he did not comprehend what sealing'
‘. •
meant.
Mr. Moore said, a deputation of Hi storkmen waited as him on
the end instant, with some resoluti&t. Which had been carried at
a meeting of 0,000 w the day before, to the effect that if the
masters refused to give width, 10 per cent. of the prices set out
to the book of wages of 1824, the workmen should mutually visit
each other's work rooms, and seal a piece of tape over some part
of the loom, so that no more silk should be wove for the masters
so refusing. This the journeyman could tear off in an instant, but
be chose to consider it an obstruction to working, and desisted en•
tirely from labour. Mr. Moore asked complaivant if be was at
home when the work wls sealed ?

Flower—No.
Mr. Moore—Do yon know who sealei it?

Flowers—l cannot tell.
Mr. Moore said, bis answer to the complaint that be refused to
pay according to custom, upon the cut coming in, was that the
master was released from fulfilling a contract, when the workman
only partially fulfilled it on his part. It was an implied condition
that the journeyman should pursue the work with reasonable expe-
dition. About 132 yards had been given out to the complainant,
and he brought home half at the end of eighteen days; twenty.hve
days had elapsed since, and the other half was not finished by nine
or ten yards. This delay he considered amounted to a breach of
contract. When the piece was finished he would pay for it, and be
told the complainant so long ago.
A Weaver said it was unfair to reckon the time in this way ; the
man must have worked from four in the morning till eight at night,
and on Sundays too, to do sixty-six yards in eighteen days.
Another Weaver said three persons must have worked at it; a
man could earn but 12s. a week at such work, and this was the
way their wives and children were reduced to wanting shoes and
stockings, meat and bread.
Mr. Alderman ANiLBY sa;d,every body pitied their distress, and
a great deal had been done for them ; but with respect to the sealing,
be never beard of a stronger case of combination, and •if the men
had been charged with that cWcnce before him, he should have
certainly decidod against;thens. Their conduct was extremely
foolish, as it must,drive the masters to send their work into country
manufactories, where it could be got up cheaper.
A weaver said, the public charity only enabled the masters to
grind them down the mere.. When Government sent one thousand
pounds to Spitalfields, the masters reduced the wages instantly one
penny a yard..
Mr. Moore said. it ought not to go abroad that the wages given
were such that the men could not exist on them. lie bad paid the
complainant 445. 2d. for the 18 days' labour already spoken of.
Some of his (Mr. biome's) work tad been cut to pieces in the
loom ; but it was a fact, that in no instance was the work cut until
the journeymen had been paid for their labour on it.
A worknian complained of the combination among the masters.
and the starvation among the operatives; and another remarked,
that the combination laws being repealed, the workmen had a right
to combine, and seal the week, or do any thing else that was ne-
cessary, to save them irons sinking under oppression. Wages bad
been reduced Is. 3d.
Mr. Anktman Ammer repeated his obeetvervations, on thefolly
of .Wog the mastitis to give high wages..
A voice—There are 32 of us in the same divation with Flowers.
We have taken in work, and cannot get our earnings, though our
families are starving.
A paper was banded in, containing a list of *my deedeads;
amounting to about 50i.
Mr. Moore said be would not enter into speech-making with his '
workmen ; they were distressed enough, no doubt, but they bad
work and. neglected to do it. When any money was due to them
the Magistrate would; he knew, if it werenecelistry, compel him
to pay.. Hetunderatoosi the Alderman to be of opinion he was •
not bound terpar the complaisant tiU be brought the whole of the
work W.
Complainant said he would bring the remaining ten yards tome
'on Monday, and give security for it, but he was really in great
distress.
Mr.- Moore. said be would take no security, and again asked the
Alderman's opinion.
Mr. Aidermat Master said he could not make the order the
complainant required, but he would recommend WA to 41t. Pittroce's
notice, on.aceouot of • his diem's& lie bad ao•elalm, but he was
In wain.

bie.moore.rerired, without making any promise publicly whether
he would, or would nut, pay them.
%17L.ST RE T.
Jae Merritt, who was once eekbraml as a enchain, was
brought before Sir R. Brant by John Vaal and Keys, the-patrol,
charged. Wisklkiristretertied to this country before the period of
transportation Ao which he . bad been sentenced had expired. The
fats, as stared. were somewhat dnplar. In' the( year. ISIS; • the'
prisoner was tried at the Old Balky lot -a bibikarconutaboid, by