The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-01-16 00:00:00

"SMART MONEY.".

Tn London' at the Mansion-House, during the
sitting of the Court, last Saturday, a young letter-
carrier in the service of the General Post Office,
applydt Alderman Sir Robert Carden, the presiding
magistrate, t obe released from an enlistment into the
Army, which he had made thoughtlessly on the
previous day, and tendered with that view the usual
"smart money" of a guinea. With him were the
recruiting sergeant of a regiment of household cavalry,
which he had joined, and his mother, who was in
great anxiety.
The sergeant, replying to the magistrate, stated that
the lad, who said he was just nineteen, came to him
and enlisted voluntarily, and he paid him the customary
shilling.' All the forms Riad been filled up, aid after a
medical examination he would have been received into
the-Army. •At the time of the enlistment the lad was
wearing the Post-Office uniform.
• -

Sir Robert Carden asked if it was legal to recruit
people already in the service of the Crown. The
sergeant said he really knew nothing to prevent it,
and they were only too glad to get likely young men
such as the letter-carrier was to join the Army. He was
given to understand that several men in the same
position as-the applicant had recently determined to
enter the Army, and that he had been the first to
make the experiment. Having once enlisted he could
be released only on payment of a guinea as "smart
money" in the presence of a magistrate; .
Sir Robert Carden said it was certainly improper,
and he believed illegal, to accept as recruits men
already wearing her Majesty's uniform. Mr. Gresham,
the chief clerk, said he knew nothing against it in
point of law, but if the enlistment was illegal the
letter-carrier would be absolved from the payment of
"smart money."
The sergeant observed that recruiting was very slack
at present, and that if they took notice of things of
this kind they would never get men into the Army.
The letter-carrier, replying to the Alderman, said
that he never mentioned his determination to enlist to
his father and mother, with whom he lived, and that
he liked his present occupation in the Post-office. He
did not think he should lose his situation there through
this freak. His mother said he had always been a very
steady boy, and she did not know what had driven him
to such folly.
Sir Robert Carden said it was quite evident that he
would have broken his mother's heart if he had gone.
What could have induced him to prefer the rough life
of a soldier, perhaps far away from home—to his pre-
sent employment, which was really an excellent begin-
ning for him? He hoped that would be the only false
step be would ever make, and that in future he would
consult his parents before taking leaps in the dark of
that sort.
The recruiting sergeant, in answer to a question,
said 11s. 6d. of the "smart money" went to the coun-
try and 9s. 6d. to himself.
Sir Robert Carden remarked that he thus had a
direct interest in these incautious and lax enlistments.
The sergeant said the regulations were not of his
making, and he would have much preferred that the
letter-carrier had gone through in the usual course.
After some further words of advice, Sir Robert
Carden signed the documents of release, and the
sergeant accepted the "smart money."