The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-16 00:00:00

ZHE POLICE G'OUR7B.

GUILDHALL.

Mr. Phillips, the roaster of the West London Union,
attended Were 81r Peter Laurie, aooompanied by an in-
thellnintWLellkerv=ekokhie aros and,.
=-1-nd'esmegell guardians of the Weet Londootter, n
Unica,
lo with the come on behalf of that union, and Mr.
Demist dirk to the City of London Union, on behalf of the
gmmtliaas of thot oaks.
Mr. Phillips said that about three weeks ago last Monday
the girl bike him, whoa name was Margaret Robinson,
was brought to the Wen London Union by one of the
police am being destitute end in want of a hems. She had
been taken in at the City of London Union Workhouse on
Saturday, sad kept there till Monday morning, when they
sent her out, and she was brought to Om West London
Union. How or why she left would no doubt be explained.
Mr. Bowing said this appeared te be something like a
judicial inquiry. Mr. Phillips had written to him to come
here to-day, for what purpose he did not know. He wished
now to ask the magistrate whether this was a case that ought
to be brought before this court; and if so, whether it ought to
be proceeded with in the &beano. of the officers concerned in
the inquiry.
Sir Peter Laurie said he would take all the responsibility
of hosting it on himself, end mare a great deal of trouble in
arguMg it.
r. Bowling said be should hare no objection to Inquiring
into how the girl came up from Scotland, but be objected to
any inquiries that might affect any officer of the City of
London Union. _

iti:#ltirlipsssid Mr. Bowling had taken a minute amount
from the girl a lips, end he should wish that statement to be
read. _ _

Mr. Bowing then read a statement made by the girl, of
which the following is an extract .—" Margaret Robinson—
lam 18 years old. I have been in London three weeks last
Saturday, the 19th of Joe I believe. I came from Muasel-
burgh, In Scotland. I been there about eighteen months.
11 I worked in the iliddag-net factory. On the average I
earned Ba. weekly through the year. I lived in a house pro-
vided by the master tar all the work girl". The master'.
name to Stewart. Than wen about 100 hunks, some
married. There were two English girls working there,
called Margaret Farrier sad Jane Potter. They had been
' working there all the time 1 had been there. My brother-in-
law and his wife (my elder) worked at the same place.
I had • =led to go to Avabraila, and the English girls
told me they were going too. I tel them I did wish to let
my mother know. Illy brother-In-law wrote to my mother
to ea her. She utsed. Then I had no mind to go after
alas rdemd. Some lady is London had written to these
girls, end asked them to come to London. The lady's name
wan Madame Da Silva. I sew the letter ; the girl read It to
me. I don't exactly recollect the words, but it said, "Dear
sister, I wish you to come to London, for I ham sold all my
furniture, and I am ready to ge to Australia ethos the 25th
of brat mouth. I shall be happy to see Margaret Robin-
son to ship with us, and she will be supplied by government
with all her clothing." There was a good deal more in the
letter, but that was ell that was said about me. A week
after that I left Musselbluait with the girls Furier and
Potter. Jane Potter was Da 80va's sister. Da Silva came
to Mosselburgh about a twelvemonth ego to see these two
girls. I saw Da Silva with them. She called Potter sister.
'limy were not alike. That's how I knew Dx Silva. I
Mumelburgh and came to Loudon. We left about 6 o'clock
in the morning. and walked to Edinburgh—a distance of six
miles, and got there about 9in the morning. We took the
train from Edinburgh to Glaegow, and arrived there about 4
o'clock in the afternoon. We took the train at Glasgow
about 8 o'clock in the evening, and arrived in Loudon
about 11 o'clock on Saturday morning, the 19th
of Joie. I did not tell my mother I was going
to leave Museelbargh, nor did I ask any person to
write to her. I did not tell any person I was going to leave,
or ask any person's advice as to going to Australia. No one
but these two girls knew I was (clog to leave Museslburgh.
I had about 10.. of my own when I left Mtuesiburgh. I
paid 3s. 6d. for my tare to Glasgow from Edinburgh, and
the girls' fares were paid by the lady. They told me so. I
gave the 10s, to the girls sad they pad my expenses out alit,
and I paid nothing more for my expenses up to London. At
Glasgow we stayed from four In the morning till eight at
night. We all went to a ales-house a good diMmes from
the station. They called for tea and had it. We stayed
there about an hour, reading the newsmen by ourselves.
We afterwards went to some gardens where there were a
great many people walking about. We left Glasgow at
eight o'clock in the evening, stopped at Carlisle and had a
cep of tea, for which the girls paid, and then come straight
to Landon. When we came to the station at London the
lady, Da Silva, was waiting there. She got a cab. She asked
what the fare was, and the man mid 6a. We thole got into
the cab and went away. We were a !mg time going to
Da Sllva's house. I should think about an hour.
We all four got into the house. It is a Very
large house and splendidly furnished, but I don't
know where it la, nor could I direct to it. She
opened the front door, and we all got into the house.
We went into a drawing-room. Sheeting a bell and a servant
came In. Da Silva told the servant "It was the housekeeper
she wanted." Then the housekeeper came in. Ds Silva
told the housekeeper &Demoted some drink. It was brought
Is. It was two bottler—decanter.. There were two sorted

drink , sae was light, end the other dark. She filled out
four glaesse_. She gave Potter and Farrier one each. I think
It was the dark she pre them. The other two glares she
kept beside herself. She then wet her finer in her mouth
and put it in her watch-pocket, end in taking her hand out
she put something in the glass. She parsed her finger round
the edge of the glass. She then handed It to me, bat I re-
fused it, because I wee never accustomed to taking drink, and
knew It was not to do me good. She said, " Take It, for you
are so tired." I said, " No, I'd rather not." She said nothing
mon, but called the housekeeper to get ready the breakfast.
About this time 20 girls came down stairs to Farrier and Potter,
foe they knew them. They were all In thedr night dresses, and
rather tipey. I said I wished to get out, but they said, " You
shan't go cut." I insisted, and they would not allow me.
They asked me where I would go to. I told them I wished
to go out, and would oome back spin, I did not mean to do
so, but I wanted to get away. They dinged me down on a
chair, told me to take off my things and take breektast. I ro-
bes& Da Silva said she would send fur a
if I dared to go out. The two girls Farrier and poi
titau r sr-
ass or aezieas to go out said, " Let her go, she'll soon
cam bee opda. she Ise no otherwhere to go." They then
oriel the drswing-room door and let me out. I went out
sad left two prods containing a pair of shoes, chemise, dress,
sad dos towels. I left Da Silvis house about half-past
twelve o'clock, having been there about half an hour. The
reminder of the statement was a minute detail of the poor
erestare's wanderings about London until she arrived at
Union-bridge, where she applied to a policeman, and told
his her tele. She sun told him she knew a clergyman
eased reelsitine, who was somewhere in London, ae
meld led hie she would endeavour to get home spin. He
dieseled lir Won to as the most likely place to Bad him,
hat eller big cussed from place to place she was at length
=the piles to the City of London union where du or
till Monday morning, when she was sent out, and
all .l was heftght under the care cif Kr. Phillips, the
assetof the West London union.
Mr. Phillips said he had taken care of the girl. Since she
had applied to him ha bad written to her father and her etn-
of tiro
Popes at Mueselburgh, and had readved a letter from both

—Mr Peter Laurie said he had acted very wisely, and had
dem himself great credit.
Mr. Phillips said the father in his Misr expressed hie wil-
Napier to take his digghter hone ern, and thanked him
(tdr. Phillip) for the am ha lad him el her. Helped also
a letter written by the 11l to her pmts, which expressed
dsse eildeftlen Rrlhs MeetioSeoe die had bon (guilty of,
b hostioses old tone le rot= Uses.
firYt fir rl >r did sd mesa to pot with this
girl, bat wed. the beeleol.
Mr. PhMip on be li= to t
It had better la glued in the
herb el laepeter Hamilhoo, whom hew la soure.
hapastor Essellton soil bp had ealeadvely Seemed to the
et iftwili of the girl, sad mil edi vadoeshad the trap she
had falba tato.

Sir PalmaSurto odd thee" mesedlnp must be put a stop
to, sad be elm& the best way was to give nodes to di
polies Maim awl Ism It in theirksalls.
Mr. Dowd,. eaestared ha thee pmeleall, sad be would be
well intienile hayre M to the herb ad alb
Impeller Rose= add be &odd Moe as Meshy In
lading NS Mr enliateralhe leek the pan es thet was the
Mt s _mhhe tape he labia la sub an
n.pe WI la hal seta Ihs vorperbed al" end
irt ben ells eaL die bed ase yodel use lose is
ate asameaL
Mr. Detedag mil dalbel been as sareightionead as par.
Ale In her elndsmstt est I sailed et no doubt.
Sir Peter lamb amid be wanM ant law anythlw more at
present, but wbes Impeder lissaiss had !la in-
anities they might apply to hint main so ese whet add be

?he perdu that hilt the court, bet shortly Amman Mr.
Phillips sal lisrabe MemMen Memel kb took alma
Mr. Pllelp is wee la very mine prelim He
wee sot slammed le Owe Isereetre leitremikor
to period, est the bona creala ask meet
rnirct.
There wail le levee Minding Mr sal
emosint to Igt all_t=lar was in pea.
des le shy deete men do Map
bouresiol, ran =Vs bow whet be we to do.
Mr roil, Lev& sea would hes the reeparlbUtty co
Mateell,erl IsiptiAsr Maaalat abeeM proceed on hi.
directions.