The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-07-20 00:00:00

M/Rl-LA•BONNE OFFICE

MR. JOSEPH WILFMID PARKINS AND H•NUAII WHITE.— I
Yesterday this gentleman attended, by virtue ut a summons. before
Joint Raw Li xsow and WILLIAM HOSKINS, Eaqs.the Magis-
trates of the day, at the instance of the assistant overseer of Mary.
la.bonne, to show cause why he refused to pay for the maintenance
of an illegitimate child of his ; the order fur the buppott of which
being con:trued at the Sessions.
Parkir.s seemed disposed to find fault with every thing;
and RtObt ene:getieally, on being. seated a few minutes in the office,
found fault with the construction of the same, observing, it was
impossible for him to sit where he was, owing to the tremendous,
heat of the sun, which almost shone vertically on him, through thel
neglect in fernttig the windows, which caused the heel of the sun's
rays to concerrrate and dart to that particular spot with most irre-
sistible fierceness.
The .Nlagistra,es thought he might be too warm; but this Mr.
P. dmied, attributing the Inconvenience he experienced to the pal-
pable overnight of the Magistracy. However, atter dealing out
some other anathemas, particularly on the construction of the
New Court at the Old Bailey,he inquired for Mr. Griffiths, ob.l
acrving—" het' a good friend of mine• lie and you (to Mr. Raw.
linson) confirmed this business at the Sessions."
11 Mr. RAWLINSON—t beg your pardon, Sir, I merely went to the
Court ea a speemor, and left it before the women concluded nee
testimony. I afterwards heard that you, on my leaving the Court,
said—" There he goes—he dare not .top," which, if true, was ex-
tremely improper and indelicate. 114 to Mr. Griffiths, be never
goes to the Sessions.
The entrance of Thorp, the parish messenger, here put a stop to
some remarks exculpatory of himself, which Mr. Parkins was about
to melte.
Thorp said, on being sworn his demand against the defendant
was, for the maintenance of a child sworn to him by a female nen ed
Hannah White, some time since. The amount claimed, which
was confirmed by the Quarter Session*, was 4a. per week for 29
weeks, from the let of October, 18M, to the 7th of July, 1824, in-
clusive.
Mr. RAWLINSON—Then you clang V. His.?
Thorp—Yes, Sir.
Mr. RAW LI lISON—The child is dead?
Thorp—Yes, Sir, the child died on the 9th inst.
31r. Parkins—Come, my man, tel 1 me what child?
Thorp—Hannah IYhite's child, which you are cite father of, you
know. (A laugh.)
Mr. Parkins angrily asked how he dared know so much, and how
he could say the child was tenaulde his?
Thorp replied—Because the woman bad sworn positive-Ty to
that fact ; and from other concurrent circumstances his opinion was
confirmed that she had sworn truly.
Mr. Parkins—You say a child is dead. Will you swear that is
the identical child alleged to be mine ?

Thurp—l will swear that.
Mr. Perkin.—You are on your oath, fellow. How do you know
the child has died ?

Thorp—Because, Sir, I have seen it. I saw it two days before
it died. - - • • • - •

Mr. Parkins—You may have been deceived. How often did you
see this child ? . .

.....
Thorp—Very often. It was regularly, every month, produced
before the Wieft4Clll: anti. if I am allowed to LI it, it bad a very
great resemblance to you, Sir.
.Mr. Pazkins—ila; you have said all this on your oath. Now,
Mr. Magistrate, to show you the humbug of those fellows, I de-
clare I have not been allowed to see the child from that day on,
which this woman had the hardihood to advance the accusation to
this very moment. I have made every effort to see the child, but
have bean prevented. It is really a very great hardship upon me,
and lam determined to stop this kind of thing. These men have
the most easy facility, through the sapient group that administer the
pariah and police laws, of getting up those cues, anti affiliating
upon any gentleman, through their base and daring perjuries.
I maintain, dlr. 31agistrate, that l cannot be compelled to pay the
sum desnin.ded, because there is no regular proof of the identical
child swum to me three years ago was living ; and it strengthens
that opinion on my claiming my right to see the child being
refused. . .
. .

Mr. RAWLINSOX—I apprehend you cannot claim any such
right. The child has DOT/ ceased to exist, and it is not likely you
will he troubled again on that case. If you wanted to see the child ,
you, should have procured a habeas corpus in the Court of King's
Bench, to compel them to grant your wish. This is no ground,
you know, or ought to know, for resisting this demand.
.Mr. Parkins--Then, Sir, all I can say to you on that subject is
thrown away. I will tell you that I inquired at the workhouse,
and saw a very respectable kind of woman, a curse, I believe, who,
in answer to some questions, said she thought Mr. Sheriff Parkins
ought not to pay for the child. and &lacteal:l it was as dark as a,
creole. I desired her to look at me, and asked her if there was any
resemblance. She cri:d olt—" Oh, bord, no !" Now, Mr. Ma-
gistrate, what do you think of that?
Mr. R•wkixsux.—This is all nothing to the purpose. The
Sessions have confirmed the order, and I have nothing to du but to
enforce its payment. There is not any reason why you should not
pay the suni claimed; you must pay it.
Mr. Parkins—That dons not follow, Sir. lie then proceeded to
n-k Thorp some creations as to Ilannah IVliiie's address, a wrung
one having been given hint. Thorp appeared to have given him all
the information andlatitude in ha power.
Mr. Parkins said he had made lipids mind to robs this moot,
unjust demand, even before he had received information of the
child's death.
The Magistrate again intimated that all this kind of harangue
availed him nothing, and protracted the business.
Mr. Parkins-1 plates, Sir, that I had a right to see the child,
which, by the same rule, ought to have been produced. I ion not
to be subject to the tricks of the " bastard-master of 609 bastard."
(pointing to Thorp).
Mr. RAWLINSON —He has nothing to do with it, and is merely
fulfilling his duty. You should not br stl violent with him.
.Mr. Parkins- -Sir, you are rot his advocate,and I don't want you
to he mine. You are placed there and paid to administer the law,
and must do so without any remarks upon me.
!Br. RAWLIXSOII.-11 ell, well, Sir; one need have • great
deal of patience. Must I again repeat to you that this order was
confirn:cd by the Bench of 31agistrates at the Quarter ~tioions,
and you must pay the order. Surely it is must irregular to go on
in this manner.

Mr. Parkina.—You said, awhile ago, that you were not at the
Sessions, and conscquenily cannot, in your situation, know and
what took place there ; and now, after what I have said, hav-
ing evidence to prove who the father of the child i. you call
upon me to pay; this is very extraordinary. But ifl/2 do not
pay. what tit: you contemplate doing
Air. ILawiLiwscis.—ln the event of your not paying, I have
only one course to pursue, and that is, to commit you for three
months to hard labour in the House of Correction. •
. .

.Mr. Parkins (laughing and striiing about)—Well, he it so.
What ! commit me to the House of Curreetioa ! That is a rum go ;
what next'! Why not have the treadmill as well as the House
of Correc.ion ; (then turning to some persons near, exclaimed.)
What do you think of that'?"
3lr. LINSON.-1 really must beg of you not to makes
bur!esque of this.
Mr. Put kins—lt is you that are making the burlesque. What a
flue this g, indeed, that 1 am to be robbed out of this more; by
feaows.

31r. Rawttwaox—Not robbed, Sir ; it is a fair sward, and if
you will make use of such terms you bad better say the Beech of
Magistrstes rubbed yuu.
Mr. Parkins.-.Why charge me 4s. per week, who am but a pri-
vate watt/man ? Let them look over their books, and they will
rind that the child of ■ young Nobleman is only charged 2s. 6d.;
What say you to that? What! a young bastard of a Lord only

that lam, and a higher sum affixed to me? I will expose such
tricks; I have done so, and will continue tin ics
Mr. Raw I. I N sou—You must not tiruw odium on other per-
sons here.
_ _

Mr. Parkins--I deny having done SO.
Mr. RAW 'ANSON-I'N, you have done so very improperly, by !
the allusions which you have made ; you have ro right to found
your defence on attacks uison the characters of outer persons;
we have nothing to do with the caeca of others here, and cannot
allow you to attack other persons ; will you pay the demand ?
Mr. Parkias—No, I will not.
Mr. RAW 1. eti SON—l'hen you stand committml to the House of
Corrce fur three months. !
Mr. Parkins—%'ery well ; does That pay the demand ?
Mr. It AW L I YSON —Oh, yes, it doea.
Mr. l'arkins then eat down in th: office for about half an hour,
amusing the persons around him by chewing then letter% refl. rein::
uprn the female's character, and on the improbability of her story.
and the impossibility of his being the father, which he said he Mid
received from persons who were willing to make affidavits. fk in-1
tended to make use of them in extensive law p.nceediogs, which he
was about to institute against the parish. Ile at length again ad-
dressed the Magistrate. slaying he was going to indict the parish
officers and the female, fur obtainittg money undir a co ...piracy,
and requested he might be allowed to consult ins legal adviser.
Mr. RAWLINSON aid the law WAX imperative; if he did not
pay he must be committed. The Magiatraee then read the clause
of the Act relating to the subject.
Mr. Parkins for some 611'2 lotigor continued his remarks, and on
the warrant of committal being made out, and about to he paced
in the hands of the gaoler, he started up, paid the money and ex-
pense', and taking his leave. hurried out of the office.