The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-11 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION HO USE.
Some days ago the task mailer of the Penitentiary at
Millbank applied to the Lord Mayor for a summons to a
man who refused to support a child of which his wife was
delivered in that prison. The case, which was one of a
very remarkable kind, underwent examination previously,
the Lord Mayor having directed that the husband should
appear to state his objection and the Clerk to produce what
his Lordship considered to be indispensable evidence on
such an occasion.
amid Thomas, a man of very decent appearance, hav-
ing with him four children, one of whom was in his arms,
answered to the summons.
The task-master of the Penitentiary stated that the wife
of the defendant having been convicted of felony at the
Central Criminal Court and sentenced to be transported,
was received into the Penitentiary on the 4th of last July.
On the 18th of December she was brought to bed of a fe-
male child, and after some time she refused to give the
infant sustenance, or to perform any of the duties of a
mother towards the poor little creature. After some delay
and inquiry, the Governor directed witness to convey the
child to the husband of the prisoner, together with a letter
representing the circumstances, and the obligation upon
the father to provide maintenance for his offipring. The
defendant opened and read the letter, but peremptorily
refused to take the child under his protection, stating that
he did not believe the child was his, and that the conduct
'of the mother in abandoning him and his children, and as-
sociating with the basest of mankind, had for ever deprived
him of comfort. The Governor felt for the poor man's
situation, but considered it to be his duty to cause the par-
ticulars to be mentioned to the Lord Mayor, in order that
in so very unusual a case some decision might be come to,
which could be acted on as a precedent on any future oc-
casion. It was proper to state, that the Lord Mayor would
not have been troubled with the matter if the mother had
not most positively refused to have any thing more to do
with the infant.
The nurse who attended the prisoner in her accouch-
ment, produced the child, and proved the maternity.
The defendant, who was evidently in deep afflic-
tion, said that lie had done all he could from the
day of his marriage to the wretched woman now in the
Penitentiary to make her happy, and he did not care if he
worked the flesh off his bones for his poor children, but his
wife in his absence became acquainted with some vile
characters, and after having stripped the lodging of every-
thing of any value, including his and the children's clothes,
left them, upwards of twelve months ago, and became more
and more profligate, until at last she was convicted of rob-
bery. The support of the four children before the Lord
Mayor, and the care of them, fell thus entirely upon him,
and his exertions are increased in proportion to the extra-
ordinary nature of the demand upon him. He had a
decent woman who was advanced in years to attend to
them, and as one of them had been at the mother's breast
when the desertion took place, all the time he could spare
from his work was required to assist in nursing it.
The LORD MAYOR—I perceive that although very poorly
clad they are very clean, and have all the marks of care
and attention about them. I have no doubt you did what
you could to reclaim your unfortunate wife.
Defendant—Everything, my Lord ; but it was all use-
loci:. The moment I left the house she took furniture or
clothes to the pawnbroker's. She stripped the children
frequently, and has often left me without any more than I
had on my back. Even when our poor children were going
to school she has stopped them in the street, and taken off
their shoes. How can 1, with such a weight to pull me
down, be expected to take the child that was born in pri-
son,:and long after she left me, home to the rest to help to
starve them ? God help me, lam suffering enough as
it is.

The appearance of the poor man and the half naked
children, who hung about him excited great compassion,
and as he spoke the tears rolled down his checks, although
there was not the slightest faltering in his voice.
The LORD MAYOR told the taskmaster that he could
not for a moment think, under such circumstances, of
making an order against the defendant. If the Governors
were determined to proceed to extremities in such a case,
another course must be adopted. There was no proof at
all that the infant was the defendants child, and he appre-
hended that it was chargeable to the parish in which it was
born. It was not likely that such a case would occur
again; as it was to the honour of human nature, that, dip-
ped in crime as a woman might be, it was a frightful
miracle to see a mother refuse to give sustenance to
her child. His Lordship then discharged the defendant
and gave private instructions to Brand, the Marshalman, a
person well qualified for the performance of such a duty to
visit the family at an hour when nobody could be expected
and to report on the subject.

The report of the Maishah-ran who was ordered to assist
with mony, according to circumstances, was to the follow-
ing effect ; 7

-I
visited the family of Daniel Thomas, No. 22, Cloth
Fair, Smithfield, last night, and found all the children in
bed, and apparently as comfortable as their humble means
would afford. An aged and clean female attends to their
necessities, as their mother is under a heavy sentenee'ain
the Penitentiary.
Mary Ann, aged 10 years, 6 months; John near 9;
Daniel, 5 ; Elenor Jane, 2 years, 6 months.
The fathea bears an excellent character, and is most
attentive tOshis children.

Mr. HOBLEA mentioned to the Lord Mayor, yesterday,
that in his Lordship's absence Mr. Thorn, the seedsman,
of Smithfield, and in whose service Thomas is, called at
the Mansion-house, and spoke in the highest terms possible
of the poor man's honesty, industrious habits, and parental
tenderness. Mr. Thorn stated that he employed Thomas
most confidentiallyi n his trade, and a more trustworthy
man could not, he really believed, be f3und anywhere, nor
one who was capable of being more deeply affected by a
kindness.

The LORD MAYOR said he had no doubt that the burden
upon the poor honest hardworking fellow would be relieved
by the beneficence of those who formed a proper estimate
of the struggles he was making against the bitterest attacks
of fortune.