The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-18 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

DEBTORS in TUTHILL-FIELDS BRIDEWELL.

Annually, on the 7th of November. the interest of a sum of mo-
ney, bequeathed in trust to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster
Abbey, for the relief of the poor debtors confined in this gaol un-
der process from the Court of Requests (and which is usually aug-
mented by a donation from the Dean himself), is applied to theob-
talning the discharges of those whose cases may appear most de-
serving. For the purpose of ascertaining this point, a list is pre.
pared a day or two previously, containing the particulars of their
trade, family, nature of the debt, and reference to character, &c.
into the truth of all which particulars diligent inquiries are made
before any relief is extended.
From the list prepared for the present year, it appears that at the
time of making the survey there were twenty-nine prisoners con-
fined there, the united number of whose children amounted to
sixty-one, and the amount of their respective debts, and coats
included, varying from fifteen shillings to fifty shillings.
Some of the prisoners had been incarcerated for more than one
debt ; so that although the number of debtors was only 29, the
number of detaining creditors amounted to .14. Of these debts no
less than twelve were for goods obtalntd on tally, nine for rent,
twelve for bread and chandlery, four for public-house scores, and
the remaking seven for various miscellaneous articles. The debtors
were all of them either mechanic or day labourers, and in particu-
lar, there was an excess, in comparison with other trades, of tailors
and shoemakers. On investigating their cases, many were found
to be more or less undeserving, while some few were, on the con-
trary, persona who had become reduced by causes which could
not have been fortaeen or guarded against. In some cases their
families were in great distress, and in particular one poor wo-
man, residing in a miserable court in the neighbourhood of
Long-acre, was, when called upon by the gentlemen who
undertook the investigation, sitting in a wretched apartment,
surrounded by five clamorous children, to whom she was distribut-
-1 ing slices from a small loaf of coarse brown bread, anu which they
were devouring most ravenously. Every object in the place be-
tokened extreme misery, and the poor woman herself had evidently
been crying when the knock was given at her room door, and had
hastily endeavoured to dry up her tears. On an inquiry being made
Into the cause, she stated her utter destitution, and produced a du-
plicate for her children's shoes, which she had just pledged to pro-
cure the scanty meal they were partaking of. On further investi-
gation, it appeared that the debt for which her husband was con-
fined was incurred for necessaries, and that he bore a good character.
Under these circumstances, it is scarcely necessary to add, that the
debt was immediately paid and the man discharged. In some
cases a compromise was attempted with the creditors, sonic of
whom displayed a degree of inexorible severity no way creditable,
and, in particular, one or two declared that they did not care for the
money, and that they would sooner lose it, than consent to the re-
lease of their unfortunate debtors. . _

A year back a singular and novel fraud was practised on the
charity. A person got himself incarcerated on the lith of Novem.
ber upon a fictitious plea of debt, and the day following became a
successful candidate for the benefits of the Charity, by which the
alleged debt was paid to the pretended creditor. In dividing the
booty, a dispute arose as to their respective claims, which led to
one of them coming forward and exposing the trick, and care has
of course since been taken to prevent its repetition.