The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-26 00:00:00

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.

--
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Curious Charge against a Police Inspector.

At the Mansion-house Police- court yesterday, John
Leonard, Inspector of the City Police, appeared before
Alderman Sir It. Carden, who was sitting for the Lord
Mayor, iu answer to a summons taken out by Sergeant
Payne, the Coroner for the City of London, charging
him with a violation of duty as an inspector of the police
force.
Sergeant Payne conducted his case himself, and said he
had felt it his duty on public grounds to take the present
proceedings against Inspector Leonard. He had occasion
some ten days ago to hold an inquest upon the body of a man
who had committed suicide. Two letters had been found
in a desk used by the deceased man, one of which was di-
rected to his wife and the second to the coroner and jury.
The one to the wife was not sealed, but the other, which
was addressed to the coroner and jury, had been sealed,
although when it was delivered to him it had been opened,
and as he understood by the direction of the police, and it
was given to the reporters and got into the newspapers,
although he himself declined to give a copy of the letter for
that purpose, as he was of opinion that the contents were of
such a nature that it would be better they were not laid
before the public. He applied to Mr Alderman Finnis, but
was told by him that the magistrates had no jurisdiction
over the police.
Mr Oke (acting as chief clerk) said Sergeant Payne had
misunderstood ; Mr Alderman Finnis did not say there was
no jurisdiction, but that complaints against the police were
generally laid before the Chief Commissioner of Police and
investigated by him.
- • • -•

Sergeant Payne said he understood there was no jurisdic-
tion, and having ascertained that a magistrate could deal
with the matter, he had felt bound to bring it before this
Court as the proper authority.
Sergeant Payne was then sworn, and stated that he had
occasion to hold-an inquest at St Bartholomew's Hospital
on the body of a man named Charles Vie Ridout, who had
shot himself. A letter which he produced, which was ori-
ginally sealed up and addressed to the coroner and jury, was
handed to him by one of the police. He did not know whe-
ther the defendant was there or not. The letter was found
in a desk used by the deceased man, and was proved to ba
in his handwriting. At the conclusion of the inquest he ex-
pressed his opinion that it was undesirable to publish such
a letter in the newspapers, but he was very much astonished
to find the next day that in a report of the inquest the very
worst paragraphs of the letter were inserted, and the com-
plaint he made was that the letter had been opened by the
police in violation of their duty, and handed to the reporter.
His object was not to punish, but to prevent such an occur-
rence in future. He had privately seen Inspector Leonard,
who had acknowledged the opening of the letter, and ex-
pressed a wish that no further notice would to taken of it;
but he had told him that if it were a private matter he
would be happy to let it rest, but as it was a matter in
which the public were concerned ho could not do so. \Ur
Leonard had expressed his sorrow, although he certainly
did not say it was he who had opened it, but he said he
had copied it, and the reporter had it from the police-office.
Mr Wontner said Sergeant Payne was mistaken when he
said the defendant acknowledged that the reporter got a
copy of the letter from the police-office, and in answer to Mr
Wontner's question, Sergeant Payne said he understood
him so. The report was sent up to his house, but he did
nit read it through as he was very busy and had not time.
He did not say it was-indistinctly written. It.was plainly
written. He read it aloud at the inquest, and there was a
reporter present. The reporter asked him for the letter to
take a verbatim copy, but he did not allow him to have it,
and the next day he saw in the papers an epitome of the
letter. Inspector Leonard called upon him and told him
that when the letter was found the man was still alive, and
that it was desirable to find the address of the wife, and the
letter was opened with that object, and he did not recollect
whether he said they could not obtain it otherwise. He
said it was not he who opened it, and said he would bring
the man before him who did so; but he did not require that.
Sir R. Carden asked what the summons charged the de-
fendant with ?

Serg ant Payne said it charged him with a violation of
duty in opening a letter addressed to the coroner and the
jury.

Mr Wontner said he was not desired by the defendant to
stop the case upon any technical points, on the contrary,
he was desired to obtain all the facts and lay them before
the court, when he was sure, instead of having violated
his duty, he would be said to have acted with considerable
humanity. The deceased, it appeared, worked at a gutta-
percha factory, and on the report of a pistol having been
heard some one proceeded to the spot where deceased was at
work, and it was then found that he had shot himself, and
wounded himself severely. He was, however, found to be
still living, and was taken to the hospital, and inquiries were
made with a view to ascertain his address, that his wife
might be communicated with, and his desk was searched
and the two letters were found, as had been stated. The
one addressed to the wife was opened, but there was no ad-
dress there, and no one in the establishment knew whore he
resided, All possible inquiries were made, and the police
actually expended Os in cab hire in endeavouring to find it
out, but 1 o no avail, and the letter was opened, little dream-
ing that the coroner would object to it. There was, however,
no address in the letter, and some one proceeded to Strat-
ford, whence the address was learnt from a boy who had
once delivered a letter at deceased's house. Defendant
directed the letter to be opened, thinking that it might as-
sist in discovering the whereabouts of the wife. The letter.

was read by the coroner at the inquest, and what appeared
in the newspapers were portions which had been taken
down in shorthand at the time, and he was prepared to
prove by the reporter himself that none of it was furnished
by the police. The defendant had been twenty-five years
in the force, and was naturally indignant at such a charge
being brought against him ; and he (Mr Wontner) was
sure, when Sir Robert had heard all the facts, he would
think with him, that instead of having committed any
breach of duty, inspector Leonard had used a wise discre-
tion and acted with great humanity in endeavouring by
every means, even to the opening of the letter, to obtain the
whereabouts of the poor wife, in order that she might be
with her dying husband during his last moments, he being
at the time hovering between life and death.
Mr Wontner called Inspector Everett and Sergeant Fen-
ning, who proved the facts as he had stated with regard to
the opening of the letter ; and Sergeant Fanning stated that
he, bylnspector Leonard's direction, took the two letters up
to Coroner Payne's house, and gave them to his clerk, who
took them to him and returned with them, saying that Mr.
Payne had not then time to read them ; that they were very
indistinctly written, and they must be produced at the in-
quest—and by this MrWontner showed the motive for copy-
ing the letter, which he said was to assist Sergeant Payne,
Mr Geary, the reporter who was present at the inquest,
was called, and said the letter was read by the coroner at the
inquest, and he took down some portions in short-hand, the
rest he could not follow as it was not distinctly read, and
that what appeared in the newspapers was a copy of his
short-hand notes, and he had no copy fiom the police officer,
nor was he aware that any copy had been taken of it.
Serjeant Payne put several questions to the witness, but
elicited nothing of any importance.
Sir Robert Carden said he had paid attention to the
evidence, and he gave Sergeant Payne credit for his desire
to benefit the public, but at the same time he could act see
that the evidence which had been produced showed any
violation of duty on the part of the police inspector, who
was in a position to use his own discretion in many mat-
ters, and in this, as ho had always done, he had used a very
wise ono. The man was alive, and he had done all in his
Power to enable the poor wife to be with him when he
breathed his last, and he might have lived a week, or not
an hour. Ile certainly thought there was no evidence of
a violation of duty. It was a very serious charge, and it
was quite right that it should be thoroughly investigated,
and he must say that it would have received a proper atten-
tion, and the facts would have been thoroughly laid open,
if the matter had been taken before the usual authority—
the Commissioners of Police. As far as he could Bee the
defendant had only acted in the cause of humanity, and he
should dismiss the summons. In conclusion, Sir Robert
said ho was quite sure if all the facts, as they had been laid
before the court, had been known to Sergeant Payne, the
summons would not have been taken out.
Sergeant Payne said he could not have known them.
He did not object to the opening of the letter to ascertain
the address, but he thought it ought to have been sealed up
again; and having thanked the alderman for his attention
to the case, ho left the bench.

The half-yearly meeting ;this company was held yester-
day at the London Tavern; Mr R. T. Frere in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN explained that Captain Greig, owing to
ill-health, had retired from the chair, and his colleagues had
unanimously appointed him (Mr Frere) to take that position
which had been so ably filled by his predecessor.
Mr SMITH, the secretary, having read the notice con-
vening the meeting, the report, an abstract of which has
appeared in The Sun, was taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said that he trusted they would consider it on the whole, as
the directors did, satisfactory. They had had an increase
in the receipts, and also in the expenses. If they would
refer to the report they would find the chief items of in-
creased expense under the head of permanent way and the
repair of engines, and also in respect of new trains. On the
whole, he thought their prospects were promising. They
were enabled to pay 4s. per share dividend, carrying over a
balance of £609. The recent investigation of the accounts
had led to no serious discovery of further loss. They.knew
that with the sum of £1,665 remaining to be written off
there might be certain shares issued beyond the statutable
number which they would have to purchase and cancel-
The estimates for the proposed new lines had been referred
to the company's engineer, and whatever might be the sum
necessary to pay for their construction would be raised on
the company's bonds. The Societe d'Exploitation had un-
dertaken to be responsible for the payment of the West
Flanders dividends. The convention between the company
and the Tubize Company had been signed in September,
and would come into operation on the Ist of January next,
when they would hand over their line. They had every
reason to hope that it would not be a bad bargain for that
company, and on the whole it would be a good'one for the
West Flanders Company. The definitive shares would be
issued in exchange for the existing shares, and would be
numbered from 1 to 26,757, instead of from 1 to 40,000, as
at present, so that in future they would be enabled to know
what shares were out.

Mr E. V. RICHARDS seconded the motion for the adop-
tion of the report.

Mr lIRRAPA.TH would prefer to have the surplus in hand
applied at once to pay off the loss occasioned by Mr Chubb;
and were it not for that loss he believed the dividend would
now have been 4s Gd per share, The charge of 2s 6d per
share in future for registration was excessive on individual
shareholders, although it was understood that it would be
paid to the company.
The CHAIRMAN said that some slight alterations would
have to be made in the statutes, and they would have that
charge altered. No doubt 61 per share would pay for the
Belgian stamp and all expenses of transfer.

Mr HERAFITu remarked that the increase in the re-
ceipts of the past half year was £2,000. or about 2s per
share, but the increase of expenses was £1,661, or 64 per
cent., while the usual increase of expenses for increased
traffic was about 25 per cent. The increase in cost of the
permanent way showed it had not been well attended to.
Mr BLOUNT, a director, explained that prior to handing
over the line to the leasing company they were obliged to
expend a certain sum on the permanent way and stations.
A long discussion then ensued on the question of increas-
ing the amount paid up on the ordinary shares from £8 15s
to £l2 3s, by adding to each the rateable sum paid on for-
feited shares (L 90,000) to the amount actually paid (f.S 15s
each) on the authorised number of shares. The importance
of the question arose from the circumstance that the 51 per
cent. preference shares were entitled to participate rateably
in the distribution of any surplus profits that might remain
after paying the full interest on loans and preference shares,
and 5 per cent. per annum on the ordinary shares. It was
contended by Mr Herapath that 5 per cent. on £3 15s was
the full amount that could be claimed for each of the ordi-
nary shares before dividing any surplus profits rateably
with the preference shares. It was stated that two Belgian
advocates and Mr Lloyd, of the English Bar, had given it
as their opinion that the ordinary shareholders could claim
5 per cent. on the £l2 3s per share before any rateable
division of surplus profits could be made.
Mr S. HERAPITH suggested that the question should be
decided by a friendly suit before a competent tribunal.

Mr Goz and other shareholders concurred in that view.

Mr RICHARDS explained that the directors had no bias
one way or the other ; that they wished to have the ques-
tion settled legally and justly between the ordinary and
preferenced shareholders. He thought it would have to be
decided in Belgium, according to the statutes..
Resolutions were passed adopting the report, approving

the dividend of 4s per share, p:tyable on the 13th November,
►e-electing Mr A. Greig and Mr R. Tin, the retiring diree-
-tors ;,ancl- rt, vote ut thanks-to the chairman and directors,
concluded the Proccedingei --Jo-.

• J37.0114RA
Tho half yoGrly meeting of this c mpany was hedyester-
day at the London Tavern—Mr J. A. Thule in the chair.

Mr V. P. SELLS, the secretary, having read the notice
convening the meeting, the report, an abstract of which has
appeared in The 'Sun, was taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report
and statement of accounts, adverted to the loss the Board
had sustained by the death of their late excellent and able
colleague Mr H. Bruce, whose business qualifications and
local knowledge of Demerara had been of great advantage
to them, The vacancy at the Board had been filled by Mr
J. Hopkinson, who had been a shareholder for many years,
and who had taken considerable interest in the company's
affairs. The directors had felt very great satisfaction in
being able to announce the opening of the extension line
to Mahaica for public traffic on the 31st August last. The
company was incorporated in 1845, and after long and pain-
ful intervals they bad succeeded in completing and working
a portion of the undertaking, and recently they had the gra-
tification of knowing that it had been opened to Mahaica
Creek by the Governor of British Guiana in the presence of
the most influential men in the colony. His Excellency
congratulated those who were present on the completion of
an undertaking which was of so much advantage to the
colony. The cancelment of the company's large obligations
to the colony had not yet been formally and legally sane.
tioned, but as the company had now performed its part in
the contract, the subject was to come before the Court of
Policy in regular course, and be finally consummated. The
actual effect of this arrangement was to complete and sim •
plify the state of the capital account, the two main items
being the amount of the original shares and the sum received
on the preference stock. There had been a verYgratifying

increase in the traffic of the current half-year as compared
with that of the corresponding period of last year. They
were now not only able to pay the full interest of 7 per cent
per annum on their preference shares, but also to continue
the dividend at the rate of 2i per cent per annum on the
original stock, leaving a balance over of £395 for the current
half-year. With regard to the increase in the amount of
traffic, it was 40 per cent more than in the corresponding
half of 1863, notwithstanding the very large reduct!onwh.ch
had been made in the goods tariff. The receipts for goods

in last half-year amounted to 20,947 dots against 15,320 dole
in the corresponding half of 1863, when the reduced tariff
came into operation. The receipts for goods trail° in the
corresponding half of 1862 amounted to 19,553 dole., and in
same half of 1861 to 21,301 dots. They had every reason
to expect a continuance in the increase of the goods and
passenger traffic. The construction of the viaduct, 800 ft in
length, across the Mahaica Canal and the completion of the
extension line to Mahaica reflected great credit on their local
manager, Mr. Markin, who had carried it out, and on those
who had been engaged on the works for the careful way in
which they had been executed.
Mr CHAMBERS, deputy-chairman, seconded the motion.
He said the new works had been completed in the most
satisfactory manner ; the line had been ballasted with burnt
clay, the sleepers were of native hard woods, the rails and
chairs were of the best quality, and the wedges to fasten
the rails were of tho same hard wood as the sleepers, and

•
very effective.
Resolutions were unanimously passed adopting the report
and statement of accounts, declaring a dividend at the rate
of 2i per cent per annum on the ordinary stock out of the
earnings of the half-year ending June 30 last, and also the
full dividend on the preference stock, both payable on the
31st inst.
The proceedings concluded with votes of thanks to the
chairman and directors, the local committee in Demerara,
and to the manager and the secretary for their attention to
the interest of the company.