Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-14 00:00:00

MORE TOUTING AT THE POLICE COURT-A
REGULAR "RUCKiIIIN."

For some months past, from time t' time, our columns
have been enriched with details of scenes in the police
court, regarding touting for attornies. This system has
become too broad to bear with, and we unhesitatingly tell
the magistrates that they are looked on by the public out-
side the court as very much to blame for not having put a
perfect stop to the disgraceful practices carried on about
the court, where poor people, who have unfortunately to
resort there, are fleeced and plundered far worse than if
attacked and robbed in the streets by footpads. The worst
feature in these cases is that the robberies are committed
under legal representation ; and, in this sense, the bench
has the power at least to exclude the perpetrators of such
outrages from the precincts of the court altogether.
We gave, a short time since, as an example, the direction
of a Dublin police magistrate regarding some touters,
and that was, if they were caught in the precincts of
the court, speaking to, or entrapping clients, to
have them arrested. The Liverpool bench possess the
same power, but they do not exercise it, and hence the
Police Court —which is the primary and most important of
criminal tribnniels, has become the laughing stock of the
town, and daily plesente the appearance of a farcical stage,
rather than a solemn court of justice. If the magistrates
refuse or neglect to do their duty, the legislature must be
called on to abolish the nuisance. The details of the
following case speak for themselves. Richard Buckley and
James Brooke, were summoned by Mary George, for
having by false representations, &c , obtained from her
the sum of 43. 61 and a valuable security called an
I. 0. U., for 6e., with intent to cheat and defraud her,
&c., contrary to the statute Brooks did not appear, but
Buckley, along with his master, Mr. Parke-, an attorney,
attended—the latter appearing professionally for Ifs
" clerk." Mr. Inspector Kehoe, conducted the prosecution.
Mary George was then sworn, and said her mother had
been summoned on Tuesday last to the court, and she
came to hear the case. A person (B-ooke) asked her if
she was about to employ an attorney, and the fee would be
half-a-guinea. He brought her to Cutts' public house, in
Chapel-street, where they m't Buckley, and he spoke to
Brooks privately. Brooks then took her up stairs and left
her in a room, and then returned along with Buckley.
He asked her if she had the money ? She said she had
not. She said she had only 43 61., and Buckley said,
give me an 1.0. U. for the balance. Brooks told Buckley
to write the 1.0. U., and said she (witness) would sip it.
Beckley then wrote the 1.0. U. Buckley wrote this
paper (a brief of two or three lines), gave the
4e. 6d. to Buckley at the time she gave the 1.0. U.
Buckley then came out with her, and asked her
to go to the court, but he only went as far as the door.
He said if the case had come on he would return the
money, and she said ha must in that caie have something
for his trouble, as he was kind to her. He asked a gentle-
man to hold the brief for a Mr. Parker. (Laughter.)
Saw Brooks on the top of 'he stairs. 'I he two papers and
the money were handed to the gentleman. Mr. Cobb
came to the landing, and said he would not have anything
to do with it. They did not mention Mr. Cobb's name at
all to her. Mr. Cobb said he would not have anything to
do with it there, but if she came to his office the next
day he would take instructions from her. Mr. Cobb's
clerk then returned her the papers and the money.
Mr. Parker cross-ermined the witness for Buckley.
She did not give Buckley a glass or any-
thing for his trouble, but she said he must have
something for his trouble but he said "No, nothing of the
tort." Mr. Cobb was examined, and said ho had not
spoken to Buckley on the subject, and had given no
authority, directly or indirectly, to Buckley, to wit to an
1.0. U. in his name, nor was he in his employment; he
had no authority, in any wee', to use his name in any
manner whatever. Mr. Cobb added, " You are. Mr.
Kehoe, endeavouring to put down touting in this court,
and I will assist you in every way." Mr. W. Watts, clerk
of Mr. Cobb, was then examined, and said that on the day
in question he was celled upon by Buckley, who asked
him if Mr. Cobb would hold the case for Mr Parker, as
the latter was abseat, and he said no doubt he (Mr. Cobb)
would do so. Buckley then gave him the ppers, and
want away. In a few moments Mr. Cobb called him and
said, " How dare you bring me a case from Brooks ?" and
I said " I did not," when he said, "Betoks has been to
me and said he sent me the case," and he then told me to
return the money and papers to the young woman.
I did not examine the papers to see what the
1.0 U. wag, ss I thought it was alt for Mr. Park-r.
The 1.0 U. was as follows—" 1.0. U. Mr. Cobb, 63. Mary
George." The witness said he never looked at it, think ng
it was for Mr. Parker, as Buckley ha,i told him so. Mr.
Cobb again, in strong terms, repudiated the conduct of
Buckley, and said he had no authority to use his name in
any way, and that he had been guilty of an out-ageous
liberty in doing so. Mr. Parker then addressed the court
for Barkley. and contended that there was no ca;a Against
his client, whom he designated as an honest, industrious
man, with a family to sup tort. He towed a high compli-
ment (in words) on Buckley, who, according to his descrip-
tion, is a paragon of virtue and honesty, and concluded
by calling on his Worship (Mr Dixon) to award his " clerk,"
the said Mr. Buckley, costs of his day's attendan3 against
Mr. Kehoe. Mr. lichee said it had come to a pretty pass at
the police court,when he was called on to pay a fellow s day's
wages f r swindling a poor girl in the back room of a
public-house. Mr. Parker : You have no right to use
such an expression. She was not swindled—
she got her money and the I 0 U. bask. Mr
Kehoe : I am here to protect the public from such
swindlers, and as long as the magistrates permit me I will
do so. You, Mr Parker, say this Buckley is a clerk of
yours, now, do you be sworn as a witness, and we shall
soon see how the affair stands between you Mr. Parker :
I object to Mr. Kehoe acting thus in this case. His Wor-
ship : Mr. Kehoe is only doing his duty. Mr. Parker :
He cannot act as an advocate, and I object to it. Mr.
Kehoe : Well, come and be swora, and we will hear your
version of it as a witness. Mr. Thomas Parker was then
sworn, and said it was an understanding amongst the
attornies. Mr. Garnett : Is Buckley your clerk? Yes, since
he was discharged by Mr. Cobb. Are you aware under what
circumstances he was dismissed by Mr. Cobb? No, I am not
Were you not in court when he was dismissed, and don't
you know the reason of his dismissal from Mr. C bb's
employment ? I knew nothing ab nt it. Examined by
Kehoe : Buckley, you say, is your clerk ? Yes. What
do you pay him as salary ? Ten shillings a-week. Is that
sufficient to maintein his family, and make him the respect-
able man you have endeavoured to show he is ? Ido not
know what his other sources of income are. Don't you
know he has no other income ? I do not. Will you
swear that ? I don't know if he has any other income.
Does he spend all his time with you for 103 a-week ? As
much as I want of his time he does. Have you an office
in this town ? No. Where do you pay him his wages ?
Sometimes in this court, sometimes in a house, and some-
times in the street. On your oath, sir, do you pay him in
the back room of a public house ? No You say you
have no o:fice hers ? I have not, for lam only a short
time here. lam not cognisant that he has tretrgressed
the law in any way. Don't you know he was discharged
by Mr. Cobb for maleeractices ? No, Ido not for if I did,
I would not engage him. ( Buckley : " Bravo !") Don't you
know he does your business in a public house? Not to
my knowledge. Do you mean to swear, sir, that you were
not in court when he was diseharged from Mr.
Cobb's service, and that you do not know the
cause ? Here Mr. Campbell addressed the bench,
and said, on the part of the attornies of that
court, he must strongly object against Mr. Kehoe being
allowed to act as an advocate, and to cuss-examine
witnesses. It was not the duty of a IA ce officer to act
so, and he must protest against it on the part of the p os
fission. His Worship : Here is a serious criminal charge
made against a person, and I think Mr. Kehoe is only
performieg his duty, as a police officer, to elicit all the
facts. Mr. Campbell : I will show you the act of parlia
ment where all persons, save the properly qualified and
admitted advocates, are prohibited from doing so. Ido
not object to Mr. Kehoe on personal or other grounds, but,
on principle. He conducts his cases ably and well, but I
must object to his acting as an advocate—it is a violation
of the decorum of this court,'and must not be allowed.
Mr. Kehoe : The decorum of this court is violated by
persons calling themselves gentlemen, attornies, and their
touters, who entrap poor ignorant persons into public
houses, and extort money from them by all means, and as
long as such people traesgress the law, I wilt expose and
prosecute them, no matter what objec ion Sou raise to it.
Mr. Campbell : I must, on the part of the profession,
protest against this. He has no right to make assertions
of this sort, nor to set as an advocate by cross-examining
witnesses. Mr. Wybergh : Mr. Clough has acted so for
a long time, and was never objected to, and if he had
a right to do so, Mr. Kehoe has the same right.
His Worship : Mr. Campbell, you are not in this case at
all, and your name has not been mentioned, and I don't
think you ought to interfere. Mr. Campbell : It is on the
part of the profession and on principle that I do so; and if
he dares to cross-examine an attorney so, I will take a nots
of it, and represent it in the proper quarter. Mr. Kehoe :
I care not for you ; I hive as perfect a knowledge of the
difference between right and wrong as you have, and will
always support right against wrong. Mr. Garnett aeket
Mr. Parker if Buckley had reported to him the W.' that
he wrote an 1.0. U. in the name of Mr. Cobb? and he
replied he did next day. Yon say you have got no office
in town ; where was Buckley to take instructions from the
people who employed you ? - Why, in any place ; in any
part of this building, or out of it. lie received money,
but he gave it to me. Does he take any
part of the fees given to you ? No ; I do
not know what he was dismissed by Mr. Oobb for.
Mr. Garnett : Wore you not in court when he was die-