The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-10-04 00:00:00

THE AKBAR REFORMATORY.

osn Thursday we had the pleasure of inspecting the
litriar Floating Reformatory, lying in the Great Float,
liattrenho ad, and of witnessing the boys go through their
bere.Tal exercises This reformatory, be rernemi-
the4l, was_
opened in February of the present year, and
from are now 52 boys on board of her, of ages varying
bo-I-1-Iten. to fourteen years. They are all fine well-built
Ina. with ruddy complexions, and eves full of spirit and
tak ngenee, and for physical beauty, might fairly be
dipi'fill,,,a,'s.rnodels of the youth of this country. They are
s
assinliii Into two classes or watches, and their disciplinedon
hoard ,antPt4, us much as possible. to that enforce
Aart-
man-of-war. They rise for the greater
eight
,the Year at six o'clock, a.m., and retire to rest at
18 clock,
P'ine ; and the interval between these hour;
ing°44,,Pied in nearly equal proportions with theiorthscil-31eolonlg-
th',112,autical exercises—their progress in b
tatto„."' the most ardent advocates of reformatory insti-
oft '
ho 9 could desire. Indeed, we venture to say that no
s,
,llatere w"ver sceptical of the perfectibility ?fl.human
instr could visit the Akbar, and see what discipline and
donellte"on, combined with attention and kindness, have
and t),?wards the reformation of the boys on board. of her,
othr,,ntluch,rtit'''itPurteiossnesd, with the social value and importance
and not desire their general
Wiihtgbeunt these countries. We were particularly strucko,t
th Pirit of emulation seems to prrail amon,s
flew tl henthe order was given to reef topsails, away they
hoYsttiemasts, and when on deck again, the foremost
totes 'grit he heard whispering together, and comparing
to the time and manner in which those t e
it Was
niizen-rnasts had executed the order. They all
tray much as possible the gait. of "old salts ; and
with -a `rinV amusing to see one diminutive urchin of ten,
hitch wa,ggish gravity most provocative of laughter,
tqle This
his little trousers after the true T. P. Cook
"i^ d. }‘,"lB operation seemed to be with him a part• of
Perfolir_J, and he availed himself of every operation to.
.14,5 ~;."tt with satisfaction, let us hope, to himself, as it
;ireefin"n,, pleasure to those who watched him. After
he and " furling," the crews of the two cutters got
Atone r boats and pulled a most exciting race. of about.
with a quarter. The first cutter—a swift pulling
(*lvy 11,,,`" a crew of twelve, the other being a rather
a Rh,r oat and with only a crew of ten—won, but af!er
(and thl? contest, the crew of the second cutter pulling
and at:',ia sure sign of pluck and energy) an unflagging
i*paii;" Llt?cl strok‘ e throughout. Both crews pulled
;11'11 and seemed to afford some satisfaction to
it,"lan4hsn.t.° informi the reporters as they were pulling
a"ele that, when in the first cutter, they had beaten
thl.e-b.a'• The best-con.ducted boys wear on their
I" wn , the usual mark in the navy for good. c.onduct;
Orly;:veto informed that this badge of distinction was
,7ittert,.l4ecl by a boy who, having been eight times corn-
'2lbniittu gaol-for criminal offences, was received by the
hio with much fear and misgiving as to the effrct
Proof apoeiation on the other boys. A more striking
than t°,` the value of reformatories could not be presented
1-,4eter'r.;wonderful change effected in this connectiona-
/with and conduct There is one feature in
.8 dest(;i: anagement of' the Akbar Reformatory which
teatlpeThving of remark, because reflecting credit on the
tise 41 11 who have had the wisdom to adopt it—
ti th dress f the boys. There is nothing of
Lnolfe-grit; boy "oshoe-black brigade " about
eYe ee(ll,ng that can degrade the boys in their own
kaltho,„ those of others. Their dress is that worn by
the navy—co.arse white trousers, and shirt or
„`"c efro7, uWe observe that its very smartness has had
Wier hi,'"" co them which we have witnessed in nearly all
'tietSl-18---it has made them rather " foppish." But
sgodtlf truth in the saying, that " clean linen is next to
;11411 theasts'Z and far better is it that the boys should be so
it,,lch genet--" should evince the distaste to soap and water
4114.1tatfo.allY characterises the street gamin. The
aloted Is under the charge of Lieut. 'Witch, R.N.,
:441E% .9' boatswain, Mr. H. Perkins, with. two
Vide h"Ild a schoolmaster, Mr. Ross. and he m
.here fin the appearance and progress of the.boys.
thre ofWere several gentlemen on board, including mem-
'ln the conitnitt P, during the exercises, and among
-4.11 z, noticed Mr.eJ h Cropper, junr., Capt. Maude,
4t.da.k W• Whittaker,on
Mr. George M'Kenzie, Mr.
,/,.—,iadstone Mr. John Woodruff, Mr. S. Rathbone,
Anderson Mr. John Clint, Mr. S. Martin, Mr.
Zelet-i:Vir- George' Aiken, Mr. James Blake, Rev. W.
-`''',l"—ev* J. Carter Mr Bramah, Mr. Sidney Turner,
floo, ' •
and 1, r. Langton, Lieut..Hookey, Mr. S. Thomp-
Turner, of the Redhill Reformatory.
et

kW A SITUATION
MEANS OFOBTAINING A FALSE CHARACTER. BY

relfieeireter set ilte' of the firm of Messrs.
.Wire and Child,me
Licensed Victuallers' Protection Society, came
kern.l7,vv:iiir.i.arurardley at the Thames Police court, London,i w 4
Sams: landlord of the Roebuck public iou... ,
estaiti street road, St. George-in-the-Fast, for the purposewhof
bad o,g, a warrant against a man named John Hansley,3
Of s Qi• i'aleed admission to the service of Mr. Sams, by mean
The 4:iee character given to him by a person named Welch...
tad which stances gave rise to the present application,
victuallers ougbt to operate as a serious caution to licensed
lianeti lers and others, were these :—On Wednesday last John
f all '3', barsoso, aged 23, and Margaret Cockerell, ab
servant„ i o f
• sts,it‘:°,lcr aged 24, were charged with stTeahlinmgaale
prisoner
enteresal.le 7d, the property of Mr. Sams.
as the the service of Mr. Sams on Thursday, ethe 15:h inst.,
hal be "rand the prosecutor had reason to suspect the prisoner
tisk :O eontinuallyplundering him from the moment_s. he entered
es._ ! 'ee, until his apprehension, and Mr. S looked ye,
teas cello
after him. The woman Cockerell, or Camoghlan,i_for
I:Cl4e:riled by both names, had been in the service of t kiss since April last. On Wednesday morning,
Nead placed it ma the previous' night. He suspecteh
td that t,
Ile 2Prn'oner had taken it and charged Hawley withe theft
laid? ,t'at denied knowing anything about it, and afterwards
11.1, ° Ilia master, " I wish to speak with you. The servant
t,:guai set
br°llght me a bottle of stout last night, and I had
the 4 488eil of it. The prisoner also stated that he slept with
viheen'.ale servant on the previous night. The female prisoner.p
hottie'onfe heard that Hansley had accused her of stealin
spilt,. Btout, said she would transport him for
tlein i lo consequence of what the prisoner had said,
1)04. I°l(ed into a drawer, where he found an empty Si(.
ato4te* It was not there when he looked into the same drawer
,tehishisttionr before. Mr. Sams also discovered a bottle
°ed ss"atl contained spirits in the chimney place in Hansley 's
the 1:1°. He missed spirits on the morning of Friday,
toeserLo instant, and Hansley was drunk very early that
klats, n.it when he (the prosecutor) came down stairs. Mr.
gars' in an to blr. Yardley, said he had received a good
jatidioeter with
the male prisoner, from Mr. Welch, t e
kr, 1;11.1 °f. the Blacksmith's Arms, in Brook-street, Ratcliff..
hstabi"tae Tiharn, a grocer, stated, that after the police
eo° %Was called into the Roebuck to take the prisoners
18teictIllIt° Y 5 and, while the officer was conversitig with Mr.
f one of
the t s e Baw %nate., draw a glass of brandy "min
4Piniat in the bar, and drink it off. Mr. Yardley was of
the : there was no evidence to justify him in detainingbe
lisel4;tuati Cockerell or Coghlan, and ordered her to. d
Nltia aLcd• The ease against Hansley must be further enquire
11,_r: Fi .ihe remanded him until Saturday. On Saturday,
Yietualeci(l, said he appeared on behalf of the Licensed
hew Protection Society, and the case assumed at
is),Y thaleket The 'prisoner Hansley, who sometimes wenr
ratos me of Rennessev, had entered the service of M .
L'eeased-Y_,Lteans -of ' a false character given by another
N,seteizb sietualler. Hanslost was convicted on the Ist of
ice eri 1854, by Mr - lisoughton, at the
iMairayuledbluornde
(if•ths.ipirti for entering the service of Mr. Smell e, -
market,
!lid, its isgit Admiral, New Church-street. Portman
to
Prito,, , default 01 paying a penalty, was committed _
tile
lb' for three months and to be kept to hard la ou .
.lief
Lheal(NBtrate Would remand the prisoner to a future &ly, los
111-7. Sams: Ible to prove 'the charge of entering the service. was
'e vastyof)Means of a false character, The question wa
.e 08" . Ironortance to a large body of tratesmen,
much
noitt ;17. victuallers of the metropolis, who had suffered M
Ind
:t.° 411trat servants, and were likely to suffer a good deal
thQh. 14.1° 'Mem of giving false characters was not put
k4eliass,r' Yardley said he would remand the. prisoner on
,04„,,,r of flony, if any more evidence affecting . t
sM, 'en -;
Mr. Child wished to obtain a warrant agams f
isL
chi4cssr '''r obtai • g his last situation by means of a a
cur'''e
4.1
an
-4 nthina't he should be detained until the
'44l't se°4ld be fully gone into. Mr. Yardley : I
the ea t'zoand him until you are ready to prove
t'. til6h°r entering Mr•Sams's employ with a false character.
""18tharnellie;,,Illitaid the pr.isoner oh. tained tho situation at Mr.
31- °of 4 the name of Higgins, and was sonvicted i.n thef
grey %soli? ktteasey. While the prisoner was in the service o
psi Week, ss'e Plandere.l him to the amount of LlO. to £l5
false's°ll r r 410 would now apply for a warrant against the
a'll' '"' entero he • ' of Mr. Same, by means of a
-24deGaNeter• Mr.'t Yardley read the clause of the act, the
if th e°rge 111 bearinge"on the question, and asked
Slat. e false eh , cap. 56,
this
vvalhe,
faisaeracehtaerrawriting. Mr. Child said it was
wast
rwians averbal ono. Mr. Yardley said
i
to hite-t,tge first time he had ever read the statute. It appearre,a
Petecisat;ere Must be a false character given in writing, or inatUte ''.,.11, to bring the prisoner within the meaning of othe
‘'iheri r: 4f Al 3 was to say lamC D, or I was the master,
f;tl'" rii"eao 11!" never been so, that would be a personation within
010 lb:ling of the statute. Mr. Child believed there was
g b. Whial would meet this case, but he could not lay his
81t,tierted-P°.° it 'list for he had been very recently in-
Ite)s - Ile pjressednetwhe magistrate to detain the prisoner.
If / a 0 ,
I cannot detain him without further evidence.
441,h it tvill be giving him in custody on one charge, and
°ries% g h." on another. The only legal evidence against the
fessai:r isi that he drank two glasses of stout given him by the
there :ervant- I meant to discharge the prisoner to-day if
°'ele a"a:' no further evidence against him. Mr. Child : He
kt, 1-- g'aei of brand which. he drew from the tap in the bar.
atqlby: That Y'
I is courage when he was
-aro,'
~
~,. ‘ was .o screw up i .
4lati!), es" 'Llony. Tbero is not evidenAceftefrorsummeetfoursuchmer-
diseto , onvict hint or send him for trial.
eoeciker°o, Mr. Child said ho would look up the statute, and
4,:1t
i_ the matter in all its bearings. Tne
upon s'g'Portant one for the trade, who had been grossly imposedquestion was a
aBcer,")' dishonest persons with false characters. He would
in ;4° whether the els law would not reach all parties engaged
Csild,di fraud by which Mr. Sams had suffered so much. Mr.
.eY : Very well ; you can mention the subject again Mr.
bestsNo doubt the prisoner drank the beer and the glass of
Le w3:' but it is not advisable to detain hisia any longer, and
Will b° discbarged.

le
stealing the
ASP.

him was