Star.
London, England, 1821-12-14 00:00:00

OLD 'JAMEY SESSIONS.

Yesterday, .1. Smith, S. Hicks, W. Foreman, and
G. Hall, were indicted for compiling to raise their
wages as Caopets to the West India Dock Company.
Mr. Adams was principal cooper in the West In-
dia Docks. On the evening of the 7th of August,
they were told that they (the coopers) must stop ten
minutes on going out, or be discharged. Next morn-
ing he was ordered by the heads of the Docks to read
a paper to the coopers to return upon their old terms.
This he did to about 300 of them, assembled
field near the Docks. No one answered, but they
consulted among themselves, and he called out
Barnsworth to answer for them all. He came out,
and said the men would not wait ten minutes beyond
their time ; and that if ever they did come to wilt k,
they would have 6s. instead of ss. a day, which they
worked for before. Their hours of work were frem
eight till four. Witness walked away, and the men
remained, and as he passed along they gave three
cheers. They were very busy then, as much so as
ever they were.
Cross-examined.—On the 4th of August, the order
that the men should stay ten minutes longer first
.came out. Their time, by Act of Parliament, was
from eight till four, and the Dock Company clelse
to keep them ten minutes longer. About four years
ago, their wages were reduced from 6s. to ss. Ile
reduced their wages by order of the principal Dock-
master. They were reduced to half days, but first
to quarter days. 13,m:swot-di was a man of
intelli-
gence, and was called out because he could be de-
pended on. He was one of the most active, but not
most noisy. His name is down amongst the wit-
nesses, but witness had not seen him for some time.
On being desired to read the order for the return of
the men on the old terms, as he did, to be heard by
300 men, he did it in a very ludicrous style. The
men on the rum side remained at work, and Smith
among them. He heard no mut =ring among the
men when the wages were reduced from Gs. to ss. in
181 G. The men were thankful for the half days
granted to them. He did not know of any regular
murmur among the men until they were required to
stay ten mihutes a day extra. This was tie cause of
the murmur. The field where they assembled was
close to the Dock-gate. They had said, the night
before, to Captain Parish, that they would not came
to work without the additional shiiiing ; hut be did
not hear any of the defendants say so. All the time
that he had been in the Company's employment, he
had never heard a complaint against Smith.
Captain C. Parish is principal Dock master to the
West India Dock Company ; has the charge of the
Docks and the property therein. He proved the
order that he issued by direction of the Dock Com-
pany, that the men should not come to the gate till
the bell had rang, at ten minutes past four. The
coopers had resisted the search at the gate, and col-
lared the constable. It is usual to search every man
as he goes out at the gate, unless he is of respectable
appearance. At that time they had three thousand
men at work, besides crews of ships. Tire Docks
were full of shipping. At that time there were
ninety-four ships, laden with su:;ar, undelivered, and
that was injurious to the Public, the Merchants, and
the Revenue. They were obliged to send two of
their Clerks to Bristol and Liverpool to hire coopers,
in consequence of this strike, and about ninety men
came from these two out-ports. The rum coopers
were asked to assist in the sugar department: but
they declined it to a man.

Cross•eramired.--He had made this regulation
about the extra ten minutes without the authority of
the Directors. Ile made the regulation as to the
half days and quarter days without the orders of the
Directors also, in consequence of a representation
from the principal cooper.
J. Barnsworth, a sugar cooper, at the West India
Docks, remembered the order that they should stop
an extra ten minutes. Next morning he attended at
a Meeting of the Coopers, at the Angel in the Mato-
ries. He did not know whether he was considered
as Chairman or not ; a proposition was made that
the coopers who stood out should receive 3s. a day
Some thought this too much ; but it was ultimately
carried. This money was to be raised by subscrip-
tion, and persons were appointed to go round to the
different shops in the trade to tell them that they
must subscribe 2s. 6d. each for a fund. It was also
proposed and carried, that the rum coopers in the
Docks should continue at woi k in order to assist in
supporting the sugar coopers out of employment.—
Witness received the money for his gang of hands,
and paid it to them, as did others to thews. lie at-
tended at the Ben Jonson, Stepney, for fifteen days,.
during which the sugar coopers held out. They had
a large Meeting in the Ben Jonson tea-gardens, when
Smith and Hicks were there. Hall brought several
meal who had come by the Liverpool and Bristol
coaches, from which he had brought them, and said
they must be taken case of, as the men had come
for the Company, but he bad brought them from the
coaches. The strangers had bread, cheese, and beer.
There was another Meeting, at which Smith pre-
sided, and where they agreed to remunerate those
who had advanced money for them during the strike.'
This was after the sugar coopers had returned to
work. Hall claimed .ss. a day for bringing in the
Liverpool and Bristol men. This was to shew the
country coopers that there were mere in London
than could find work.

.He could not say whether he
was the worst among them, not being his own judge.
Is not now in-the employ of the Dock Company. He
had been at Hicks's Hall when his poor old father
prosecuted him for an assault; but that was through
three prostitutes. Ile had also been indicted for a
libel. He did not set himself up as a spokesman.
He said to the men, " as we have all come out toge-
ther, let us all go in together." He admitted that he
was one of the most active of the turn-out, but de-
nied that he had used any words to mike them to
disobedience; but said he would head them inside the
Dock-gates. He did say to the Committee that the
Docks were considered worse than the slave-markets
in the West Indies.

11 J. Owen, a journeyman coo-per in the West India
Docks, attended the meeting at the Angel after the
strike, when Barnsw•orth was in the Chair, holding
forth, and telling the men what they should do.—
Smith was asked by a person what the rum coopers
intended to do? and the othe.r replied, " Don't
trouble your head about the rum coopers; they know
what to do." Barnsworth said, that the rum coopers

must ttrike, in order that the sugar enopor s i 1
raLa
gain their ends.
Cross-exa »:i ned.-13Arnsworth was Ch..:rman zra
the whole body 'cat led by him.llnnisworill u;,; if,
w c
most violent at the mee;irgs. lie s.:i 1 thet t!.
ought to die rather than return to o:k. 11„e ruet
m'
• coovers never struck.
Witnesses weal! then called to corroborate thei,,,,,
going ; and seycr::l ' other Liverrool and g,:i,,it
coopers proved that they had been eamed ;or is
Dock Compa.iy, but had been intercooe.l, fed, Hill
lodged, by the sugar coopers who had struck.
Several other witnes-ses were examined; ad tie
case for the prosecution having closed,
Mr. CI7IIWOOD addressed the Jury with gren ii..
lity for the defendant 'lick, commenting withfc,;*
force upon the contradictory nature of the testim,s
ar ! upon the infamy of the principal witness,Rav
worth, who was the cause of all that had occurrel
Mr. Aon Lint us addressed the Jury; with his usual
ability; for Foreman. ___

Athall-past nine o'clock, Mr. Cu ARLES Puttark
rose to address the Jury on behalf of Smith. All that
his client bad done, he said, was to lend his assitar.4
to prevent the wives and children of his fe110w.u.,„4.,
mea from starving. Lie trusted that the Jury woos
spew by their verdict, that they did net cons,der
a crime. The Learned (gentleman displayed hi, n ..1;
eloquence and ability. Ills speech was onc•a or tv:kt
interrured by expresiions of applause from the 0.
leries; an impropriety which called down the ati,
Madversicns cf the Learned Judge.
The CONINION SERJEA NT commenced minim-in:tea
soon after ten o'clock. About a cptatter before
this morning, when he had nearly concluded, one 4
the Jurors %VAS taken so ill as to sit with difficulty it
the box, and he begged the Court would permithi
to retire, and appo4int another Juror in his room.
The Coe mot.; Scn.rEA NT said, he could not 4 till
period a f the trial.
_ _

The Gentleman was furnished v::th a
bottle and a glass of water, and after a few inivaie,
appeared to get better.
The Com Itote SERJEANT proceeded, and had nearle
finishrd, when the Jury turned round in the b+:1,24
alter comulting for a few moments, returned a vet.
dict, finding all the defendants Not Guilty, and they
were immediately discharged.

Upon the delivery of the verdict, a dispositionu
applaud was manifested by some of the auditory,be
which was suppreised by the officers of the Coe_
On the event, however, being made knows tote
ft iends of the prisoners outside of the Coda, threeloul
cheers were given.
Mary .elJertzood, found guilty of .uttering a co*
telfeit half-ctown, was sentenced to be tnipritorel
six rnoilths in NeA gate.

The following is a copy of a letter scat by n;
Limson, one of the men lately esecutei at Mc rpet4
to a friend:

4' 'Morpeth Jail, September 17.
" Dear I am afraid it is all over whit ss, fur Wei
me are both cordemned—if old Bayley had tried te:, we.!,m/
only be lagged, for he hangs nobody; but they say
devil, and as bad at barging folks as that cock-eyed idiots tla;
sometime F passes for a Judge. But, perhaps, see may get (f 4 ssi
be sent to the Bay, -bet they want to tighten to bet all ctrl
can out of tis. If it had not been for taut damtwd N.,..staea
trap, we might still have been upon the hit v.ith nit
rest of them. That M— has done Our husiunt, bat ittralht
his turn next, for I know who is upon the watch for him, mg
he is a d—d sn;veller at bottom ; I always tall biotin, index
afraid of his snitching from the first. bill is very bad .bat ,
and so am I, when I come totbink ; to he hanged!— 0 Gig
I cannot bear the thought. We have been looking fa at*
prieve constantly, but the time is coming eery near:wow lbw
you will laugh at me for canting so, but things are very dam
now with me, and if I bad all the world I would givettokt I
had never used any of them ill that we robbed, noel amid pt
everything hack if I could. We did not mine`, the Pines
first, for if we were tally going to the Bay we did :aeurma;
but he has talked a deal about penitence and trust in Gem, ni
has seemed to serious and anxious about us fur thew last la
days, that we begin to fear the'worst. Sleep is no rest La at,
for I dream I have ten thousand devils banging about air; sal
when I give way to thought it is misery past expressing. Soo
more from your unfortunate friend and companion, and Rill Ea
sires to join, " JUAN WILKINSON:

DIED.

In India, Lieutenant Cearge---11eath; of the 'Madras snia,
fourth son of the late Henry Heath, Esq. of South Stiddh
aged 35.
At Chupra, in Bengal, the 211t1 June last, William Ha*
Smith, Esq. of the Hun. Company's Civil Service, eldrstsoad
N. Hankey Smith, Esq. of Deerbotts, Suffolk, in th:: 2'2,l7tat
of his age.

In litrden-street, Hull, in his 100th year, Mr. Pubic"
native of /3evLiley. He retained all his faculties to the last._
_ .

At Glasgow, the 27th ult. after an illness;lfi;;d.;-5,4
limn, only son of the Rev. T. Durant, of Poole, in the lid
year of bis age.
_ .

The Gth Tilt. at St. Vanier, in the dc.partment of Draft
south of France, on her Iva-, to England, Elizabeth, did
daughter of the late William MackiLuon, Esq. of Llinli„:4l,
the county of Berks.
Mur,lo ifacker,zir, cf UllapooL He was return;r7 f:sa
the Kincardine market last week, and, in fording the tiv Ct-
ron, was swept away by tar: strenBth of the tivt r, %VW, his
much swollen by the late heavy rains. After being n:issit;it
two days, his body was found in a deep pool, at a little distinct
from the spot where he had attempted to ford the ricer.

In the llospitah or IL.:ors'-lioute, of ihith.:rie,4,
aged 36, many years an inmate of that hem-vokr:
ite was one of the persons celebrated in Ur. Mayne's Poem of tie
" Siller Gun," and the I.;st of ;be mus:zians tner.i,:ard tat:cis
The following are the Verses in which bis 1:4111e is coms:em►
rated :

Jock Willison, a Suter bred,
Wile., for the fiddle, left his teed,.
Jigg'd it far better than he sped,
For, ch! poor Jock.
Gad neer gang soberly to bed,
Like other fo'k:
Blind-fu', at wedding=, or a dance,
He play, though like ane in a trance;
And then, for lighting, Jock wou'd prance
At fair, or market,
And box whaever durst advance,
Till they were yarkit
Yet Jock was as humane as brave,
And alien for the belp!..ss slrave
To snatch the drowning fray the wave,
quickly dive,
And to a weeping mi.tber save

I lerbarrn

A 1 IS rnu I).AVIA TIC DE Z.
0 1 I
Watcri'ord 0 1
anLlerfey 0 1 I
Hoßard 1 0
Flandt:rs 0 0 i
0 0

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I.ishon 0 I
France 1 0
Hamburgh I 0
Gottenhurgh 0 2
14•emird !!lands U °
Jam lica 0 0

I-11G H. W NTER at LONDON BILIDG E ca.:mane*
• bac ruing - 27 minutes after
After-m.ln - 49

_ -
LONDON: Princvd and publlshed by Los. SU; 11/411.

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