Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-26
4tniun aud esmtritatp.
A MEErINe 0F LONpoN TnIEvEs.

~ n ~
A gathering Of most peculiar charac.
Ter took place in the neighborhood Of the
Green, on the 18th instant, in accordance
with an advertised notice running thus:
Thieves, thieves, thieves, attend the pub
JIG meeting in the Mission House, Turn
mill street. Clerkenwell, near to HICKS
Hall, on Wednesday evening next Ad-
dresses viii be delivered by a returned con-
Wet and three convicted thieves. Doors
open al Z. Free admission" The build
ing in which the meeting was held Is part
Of rebuilt premises, No. % Turnmill street,
Immediately facing the wall Of the Metro
politan Railway, and used as the COw-crOss
District Mission House. The large room
originally intended for the assembling of
the fraternity is nice and clearly white
washed: with comfortable seats and a sort
Of platform or rostrum at the end facing the
entrance, and capable Of accommodating
about 800 or $50 persons when filled.
In addition 10 the above, which was ad-
vertised, very pressing invitation was is
sued by Mr.. w. J. CATLE, who acts as
secretary 10 the mission, 10 all the most de-
PRAYED characters in this notorious neigh
Of CoW-cross, West street, Saffron Hill and
the hundred and one adjuncts Of the Fry
inepan allev stamp. The thieves were Wis
tied at their own homes and in the quar-
tiers where they we're known by privl-
legged few 20 resort: but the result was that
soon after the appointed hour the large
room was crowded 10 sufocatiOn, and indeed
at a subsequent period Of the evening the
demand Of the crowd 10 hear the various
speakers was so vehement that IL was found
necessary to dispatch some Of those down
on the list to speak TO hold a second meet
ing in another part Of the building and this
was as speedily and as densely crowded as
the first, and still there were crowds Of lin
gers outside who found il impossible to gain
admission, and expressed their disappoint-
ment in no very measured terms
Precisely at79 O'clock the proceedings
commenced with Mr.. CATLIN offering up
suitable prayer, after which the assemblage,
which up 70 this time was composed about
equally OF males and females Of nearly all
ages. and a very quiet and respectful de-
meanor, commenced singing hymns 10 the
accompaniment Of blind young woman on
the harmonium, when a violent rush was
heard from the approaches from the street,
and Immediately the place was besieged by
a mob of men and boys, who wore most in
dubility the badge Of the class to which they
belonged, and for whose especial benefit
the meeting had been called. In every de-
scription Of dress, broadcloth coats, fustian
suits, the seedy and genteel, the ragged
shirt-sleeve, invested, and piece Of string
10 uphold the neither garment with a ma
iority Of oegrimmed flesh and suspiciously
cropped hair; this stream poured into the
place. The coarse rallies and iests, and in
some few cases the condemnation Of the at
mosphere in language not fitted for ears
polite, completely drowned the singing and
playing, and il was some time before the
efforts Of the committee succeeded in getting
this great influx properly seated and restor-
ing something like quiet
However, with all this rabble, the Ian
guage uttered generally was not Of that
character which might have been expected
from that class. Beyond a slight admoni-
ton for laughing and talking, there was
nothing 10 complain Of in the general con-
duct Of the closely packed mass, unless it
was the use of such expressions as Come
out, JIM, this is too hot for me" or call
right, BILL; I've sent out for gallon Of ale;
let's have that" On the other hand the
majority paid marked attention and respect
20 the addresses Of the various speakers, and
joined heartily in the singing Of the hymns,
and in more than one case the tears could
be seen rolling down the cheeks Of some Of
the older thieves, one man, evidently APP
preaching his allotted three score and ten,
sobbed audibly, on the expression of some
wel-pointed moral, and wiped his eyes with
~ - Il - als.H
Lord SHATrEsBURRY's young London Arab
was plainly manifested.
After singing the Gath hymn, Mr.. CAT
LIN delivered n short but impressive adj
dress, introducing the returned convict"
and the converted thieves" TO the meeting,
and, in doing 80, spoke Of his experience in
the mission, and Of the sorrow and misery Of
the thief, even in the best times, and their
mental and bodily sufierings at others. He
pointed 10 the various scriptural texts which
were oonspicuously placed in different parts
of the room, in support Of his exhortions TO
his hearers 20 repentance. A young looking
man, of foreign appearance JOHN F.,
who was described as a converted billiard
marker and gambler, then offered a very
long prayer, and some portions Of the scrip
lures we're read. JIM S-was then intro
duced as one Of the converted thieves, lie
was dressed in a suit Of black. and appar-
entity in a very anxious mood TO deliver his
address. He traced the history Of his fall
from the path Of honesty and his return to il
again.
As the speaker was retiring a scene Of
great violence and uproar took place, in
consequence Of the entrance Of a man in
state Of mad intoxication, and who was said
70 be blind; he screeched and howled, and
tearing off his coat, challenged the best man
to fight The women rushed out of the
place screaming, and in the melee several
people were knocked down, but at length
two or three powerful men seized the intru-
der and carried him out, receiving severe
injury. The returned convict, on order be-
ing restored, then came forward and deliver
ed his address; and after some further pray
ing and singing, the assemblagc quietly dis
porsed. There we're no police about the
place in uniform, although detective or
two were recognized by some Of the frater-