The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-27 00:00:00

SIB,":-..I trust you will excuse me while I furnish
you with an honest and truthful narration of the
circumstances which led to my incarceration in the
Birkenhead bridewell on Saturday last.
I was returning home about my usual time
between eight and nine o'clock, when. I saw. two
stout policemen dragging a poor man to bridewell
in a way I had never before witnessed ; he was
perfectly helpless from drink or some other
cause, and could neither stand or speak ) in
fact, he - might have been inanimate ; each
of the policeman had hold of one of his
legs, and in this manner, with his head and
a portion of his body dragging on the rough cause-
way, they were pulling him along. It was in
rather a bye street, and very Jew. people were
passing. I looked on for some time, witnessing the
poor creature's head playing bump, bump, on the
hard paving stones at every step of the policemen.
At last, I made bold enough to say that it was a
great pity to drag the poor wretch along in that
shocking way, and that if they would make aneffort
to carry him I would willingly assist them
To this the reply was, Mind your own business ;
we will drag him along just as we please." I said,
" I hope you don'tthink I am interfering with you,
but really it is barbarous to treat a human being
in this manner,, however degraded he may have
made himself," and I added, " cannot one of you
go for a stretcher, if you have one in Birkenhead,
as they have them in. Liverpool; or, if you tell me
where I can procure one, I will go and get it my-
self, but do not let the man be murdered in your
hands." By this time they had ceased dragging
him along on his head. A few persons having
gathered around us (not more than half a dozen),
I again urged upon them, as police officers, to per-
form their duty with forbearance, and endeavour
to carry the man either to bridewell or his home,
on which I was told that I had no business there,
that if I was not off, they would take and lock me
up in bridewell. I replied, " take me to bride well, if
you dare, for endeavouring to assist you ;" and I
looked at the men steadily, so that I might recog-
nise them again. They whispered something to
each other, and instantly sprung on me like two
bull dogs, seizing me by the collar and throat, and
almost choking me. I told them to use no
unnecessary violence, that I was no ruffian, and
would go quietly with them. Nevertheless, I was
dragged to the Police-office. Without a question
being asked I was booked on a charge of being
drunk and disorderly, ajd obstructing the officers,
and in less time than I could tell it in, my clothes
were stripped open ; every article I had on my
person was taken from me ; with the greatest
violence I was taken by the neck and thrust down
into a dungeon ; I begged in vain to see Mr.
Birnie, or that they would send for Dr. Craig, in
order that he might see whether there was any
intoxication about me. The door was locked
without a reply, and I found myself, for the night
,in the midst of some dozen of the veriest black-
guards in the kingdom. I walked the little filthy
yard for the greater portion of the night, in the hope
that I should be able to getliberated in the morning.
Morning came, however, but no liberation. I was
prepared to have procured any amount of bail—but
no. Mr. Gleave declared he could take no bail on
Sunday. Hence I was doomed to spend the whole of
the Sabbath day in the same company—swearing,
beastly language, and blaekguardism, in all its very
worst phases, being the order of that day. What a
day for me ? It seemed like seven years; but night
brought no relief.- I suffered severely from an
injured limb, and twelve persons huddled together
in one hot and disgusting room, with only three
small wooden forms to lay on, could not be expected
to enjoy much rest. The place swarmed with
vermin. Most of the inmates slept on the floor.
However, I hoped that relief would come in the
morning. I was forbidden to write, hence I had
not the slightest opportunity of bringing up a
witness or a friend ; and when my case was called
upon, I found myself opposed to the two policemen
who had booked me, ready, of course, to prove
their charge. I replied by narrating the simple
facts which I have now stated, and I prayed the
magistrate, Mr. Case, to grant me an adjournment.
until such time as I had an opportunity of bringing
forward witnesses who could fully exonerate me of
the charges brought against me ; offering, at the
same time, to furnish any bail which might be
required. This request I again moet earnestly re-
peated. The worthy magistrate, however, acting
on the advice of his clerk, Mr. Drew, declined to
grant what was only. a matter of the merest jus-
tice, and on the ex-parte evidence of the policeman
and a couple of friends, I was ordered to find bail,
myself in £lO, and two sureties in £5, to keep the
peace. I could have procured the bail in court,
but was hurried clean stairs, and again locked up,
where I was kept until the court broke up, when
Mr. Gleave very kindly came to inform me that he
could take no bail until the following—this day—
when I had the pleasure of seeing two friends,
otherwise I should have been sent to Knutsford for
twenty one days, which was the object of the Bir
kenhead police.—Yours, &c.
May 25t1, 1837.

JAMES M`DONALD

ARE SEIWANTS BOUND TO HERD CROWS ON SUNDAY ?
A case of considerable importance to farmers and servaws
was decided by Sheriff Cameron- on Friday last. Catherine
Cameron was engaged as an out-door servant by Messrs.
Webster, farmers, Keam of Duffrts, through their grieve, at
Martinmas last, for the half-year following, at a money
wage of £2 15s, and the usual quantity of meal. About
the middle of March last she was engaged for three days
in succession, Thursday, Friday, and Satazday, in herding
the crows off certain fields tinder grain crop ; and when
she was asked to do so on the following day (Sunday),
she decline, and was dismissed on Monday. She accord-
ingly brought an action against her employers for pay-
ment of her money wage, and for the hal:lnce of her
meal. It was pleaded for thci defenders that the hording
of crows on their farm on Sunday was a work of neces-
sity. The Sheriff decided that the case was one of neces-
sity, and that the servant, having disobeyed the orders el
her employers, was not entitled to any wages.—Dgin
Courier.

THE LUNDHILL COLLIERY EXPLOSION SATURDAY
EVENlNG.—Upwards of thirteen weeks have now elapsed
since the occurrence of this- dreadful catastrophe, and as
yet oniy 102 boles (little mire than • half tan number
killed) have been recovered ; and such i 3 the state of
dev caused by the falling in of the roof, that a
considarable time must elapse befre the work of r. covery
can be completed. .tit the conclusion of the inquest, the
Messrs. Vichyas, Woo 3, Elliott, Wocdrouie,
after having held a consultation, decided that
eanngdiffne:irts, ,
the time had arrived when the management of the opera-
tions might be carried on without their personal superin-
tendence ; they therefore brought their latours to a close.
Imtivinitu‘n n
tlaeengianrerearn, ted with J
gaesdsotchiaatJohnßr o. T. wn,
Esq of Barnsley,
Woodhouse,
Esq
of Derby, as consulting engineer, should take charge of
the colliery, with a staff of approved officers and men.
Mr. Brown has entered upon 13;.s duties this (lay. Since
the close of the inquisition, Mr. Coc, the %lAlager, has
ceased to be connected with the colliery,