The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-04 00:00:00

A STAN'S LIFE SACRIFICED FOR A PENNY.

On Saturday night, the 14th ult., a man, named
Wilson, residing near the Deptford victualling yard, came
from Greenwich towards his home, and passed over the
Creek bridge. Whether a stranger to the fact that a toll of
one penny was payable for every foot passenger is not
known, but no demand having been made upon him for
such sum, until some yards beyond tke place of paying, he
refused to comply with the collector's request to do so.
Upon this he was given into the custody of a police
officer, It had been raining heavily during the night, and
the man was nearly wet to the skin. In this state he was
taken to the police station, where the charge having been
duly entered, together pith the man's name and address,
he was conducted to a cell, and there locked up. An
hour afterwards (eleven o'clock) the wife heard of her hus-
band's confinement, and applied ta a neighbour to
become bail for his appearance before the magistrate on
Monday morning. The person so applied to was a house-
keeper, but unfortunately was unable to proceed to the
station himself, and therefore sent his son for that purpose.
The son's word, however, was not deemed sufficient,
and the man was still kept in his miserable position until
five o'clock the following (Sunday) afternoon, when other
bail being procured he was liberated. Nineteen hours
confinement, however, in a cold cell, with wet clothes,
had had its effect upon him, and a serious illness was
depicted upon his countenance. The next morning
ha attended before the magistrate with some difficulty,
and was ordered to pay a fine of 5s in addition to the
penny toll. This money was paid, and the poor follow
returned home, took to la's bed, was attended by Dr.
Downing, of Deptford, and expired on Friday week,
leaving a widow and two young children, one an infant
seven months old, to'ally unprovided for. In noticing this
painful circumstance, there are two questions which may
fairly be put to the Creek bridge Company—first, whether
the men having been allowed to pass the place where such
toll is payable without a demand being made upon him,
such demand could afterwards be made and enforced ?
and secondly, whether, having been put in possession of
the man's name and address, his detention was either
necessary or according to law? Railway companies adopt
a very different course in such matters, and if the Creek
bridge Company are legally wrong, it becomes a question
whether the sad position in which the widow and children
are placed ought not to be alleviated, and provision made
for their future support.—lentish Mercury.

GENTLEMANLY AMUSEMENT.-At one of the London
police courts on Monday, F:ederick Augustus Cope, William
Gaill27, Thomas Edwards, and James Newland, four
fa,hionably dressed young men, were charged with being
drunk and disorderly. PAice constable 185 C, stated that,
about half past three on Sunday morning, he was on duty
in Regent street, when his attention was attracted to the
four defendants, who were singing and shouting at the
utmost pitch of their voices. As their disorderly conduct
was likely to disturb the inhabitants, he went up and begged
of them to desist. They refused to do so, and said they
were gentlemen, and would do just as they liked. He
again begged of them to go away, bat all to no purpose ;
and the defendant Gasiey, persisted in shouting, saying
he was born making a noise, and a noise in the world he
must make as long as he lived. Witness then attempted
to take them into custody, when the defendant Cope, with
his fist, struck him a violent blow in the face. The other
defendants also made great resistance, but eventually, with
the assistance of ()idler constables, they were lodged in the
station house. Witness added that the whole of the
defendants were drunk. The defendants geah:ethaeygeenxebria.l
denial to the charge, and complained that the police knocked
accounted
thiteeind ets,maonsdt ab collarrti y;in
covered with blood, was shown to
the court by Gasney. The constables said the streets were
n
very slippery, and the
opwrisaonnders then,were
w htiocoh drank to
foral k
without getting a fall
and fined thew 20s. each.
their bruises. Mr. Beadon thought the charge fully proved,