The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-05-14 00:00:00

SHOCKING DEPRAVITY.

Same few weeks ago a little girl named Piper, aged
11 years, and residing at Lanark-place, Maida Vale,
was brought before the Marylebone court charged
with stealing a half-sovereign, the money of the mis-
tress of a sister two years her senior. It was shown
that the money was placed inside a clock en the
mantel-shelf, and was taken by the girl while the
mistress was temporarily absent from home. When
the theft was discovered the girl was given into ,
custody, her sister being a witness against her. The'
A PERSONAL EXPLANATION.
girl's father, in reply to the magistrate, gave both his Mr. Molloy, as a matter of personal explanation,
daughters a very bad character, and said he could do
stated that in consequence of the course taken by the
nothing with them. The little girl admitted the Government with respect to the scandalous accusations
offence, and explained that she spent the half-sovereign against the Irish members recently published in the
in sweets, cakes, and finery. The case was adjourned, " Times "he had resigned his seat on the Royal Corn-
and Mr. Burcher, an industrial - school officer, sion on Education.
was requested to make inquiry into the case and THE CRIMES RILL,
to find a school for the accused. Mr. Burcher re- The House having gone into committee on the
ported to the magistrate that he had discovered that Criminal Law Amendment (Ireland) Bill, the consi-
deration of 01au9e 1 was resumed. To the second sub-
the mother committed suicide in the Regent's Canal
some time ago, and that their father, who was a
section—which renders liable to punishment for con-
labouring man, had no control over the prisoner or tempt anyt
y person who
rhefludsesby to attetpdce in prto give
her sister, both of whom were leading a life which, evidence
a
oencewithatnhe inquiryoomi commission of whEiciausniopersonains
unless at once stopped, would very soon culminate in char. d Mge r. T. Healy moved an amendment provid-
th_eir irretrievable ruin. Both the children had been ing that a person so committed for contempt should
itted into the Paddington Infirmary, and an be treated as a first-class misdemeanant. After con-
-19, was in the same establishment. siderable discussion this was ne,atived by 195 to 144.
Alfred 17, a baker, of Kilburn Park-road, was A further emendment moved by Mr. Healy, limiting
now charged with assaulting the girls Elizabeth and the punishment of a person so committed to seven
Sarah Piper, aged 11 and 13 respectively, The father, days' imprisonment, was negatived by 138 to 111.
on being examined by the magistrate, said he did not A number of other amendments having been die-
speak to the prisoner about his conduct to the girls,'F cussed and negatived by large majorities, progress was
for he knew nothing about it. Pressed as to whether eventually reported, and the House adjourned at 25
the younger girl did not make a complaint to the minutes past one._
witness', the latter replied that he did not know. He -
added, "She might have told me, but when
you are busy you can't think of everything." Mr.
Cooke: Do you mean to say you don't remember a
matter of this sort, which certainly should have im-
pressed you? The witness: No, I don't. Mr. Cooke :
It is very extraordinary. At the suggestion of
Detective-inspector Morgan the witness was further
questioned by the magistrate, and he admitted that
the prisoner Cox bad behaved improperly towards an
insane daughter of his, aged eighteen, and he had to
send him away, also that Cox had made improper
suggestions to the younger children. Having heard
medical evidence, Mr. Cooke ordered a remand, as
Inspector Morgan said he should probably have to
nrefer another charge against Cos..