The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-05-30 00:00:00

"SACK FROM THE COUNTY!"

The Marquis Townshend introduced to Mr. Paget,
the magistrate at a London Police-court, a poor lad
in a canvas dress, who appeared very ill, and to be
suffering from insufficient food and clothing. The can-
vas dress had been given to the poor fellow by the la-
bour-master of the Rateliff workhouse, one of the poor-
houses of the Stepney Union, who stamped the back of
the jacket with the word, "Sack from the county,"
and the legs if the trousers with the words "lazy
scamp," and other words, and sent him out into the
streets. Mr. Paget immediately despatched a mes-
senger to direct the attendance of Wilding, the labour-
master and superintendent of the casual ward of Rateliff
wt. khouse. He WM asked for an explanation, and he
said the pauper had a night's lodging and slipper and
breakfast in the casual ward, and tore up his clothes,
and that he gave him a canvas suit and marked them
with the objectionable wools as a punishment.
Mr. Paget said that the power 14 inflicting punish-
ment on paupers for tearing up their clothes was en-
trusted to the magistracy and not to the suoerin-
tende. ts of casual wards, and if the youth had been
charged before him he should have investigated the
case. Mr. Paget added that the case was not officially
before him, but he could not help saying the conduct
of Wilding was improper and injudicious, and that the
public ought to be much indebted to the Marquis
Townsliend for his interference. The law did not
authorise labour masters to punish casual paupers for
te ring up their clothes.
The Manilas a.sured the magistrate that he should
immediately communicate the whole of the circum-
stances to the Pisw Law Board. The noble Marquis
provided the lad with a new suit of clothes, and two
pairs of new boots, as soon as he left the court.

SHOCKING CRUELTY TO A CHILD.
-----
At Blackburn police-court, Wm. and Harriet Thomp-
son, man and wife, have been charged with cruelly
ill-treating a boy, nine years of age, named Dix-
bury, son of the female by her first husband, by
fastening him down in a wicker skip for several hours
on Saturday last.
From the evidence it seemed that each of the pri-
seiner% had three children When they were married a
short time ago, the man being a carter, and the female
an operative in a mill. From information given to the
police, Inspector Eastwood searched the house on
• Saturday afternoon, and found four small children by
themselves, the oldest not more than seven years. This
boy was found upstairs in a back lied-room, securely
fastened down in a skip 1-4 inches deep, 25 inches long,
and Is inches wide, lie lid was closed, and the poor
child had been in that cramped position since half-past
five o'clock that morning, nor had any food been given
to him. A blanket was in the bottom of the basket, ,
lot the boy had no covering led his shirt. He nmld
neither stand, sit, or lie in a comfortable position,
rota appeared exhausted to the officer when releared.
He had been confined in a similar way for some
home on Friday, but managed to get out 011 that day.
The statements of the lad who had been in the
basket and another child were to the effect that they
had been keid without food sometimes for a day, :Ind
evidence was given by the neighbours showing a
systematic course of " clamming" and brutal treat-
ment on the part of both priaoners. All the children
were greatly afraid of their mother, and even in the
presence of the inspector dared not say anything but
what she told them.
The defence was, that in all cases the punishment
hail been inflicted for bad behaviour.
The prisoners were sent to the House of Correction
for six months each, and the children were Oared
under the care of the relieving officer.