The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-11 00:00:00

THAMES.

DONALD THOMPSON, THE TROUBLESOME PAUPER,—
This extraordinary man, who has been for many years a
pauper chargeabl e to the City of London Union, was brought
before Mr. Woolrych, charged with refusing to perform
the work assigned to him in the Union-house, Bow-road.
Donald Thompson is certainly a remarkable man, and has
given great trouble to the authorities. His correspondence
with the Poor-law Board, the Home-office, the Lord Mayor,
aldermen, magistrates, and others, would fill as many
volumes as Hume and Smollett's History of England. There
was, no doubt, in the early part of his career, and after he
first became chargeable to the City of London, some advan-
tage was taken of his excessive loquaciousness and obstinacy,
and that he was not so well treated as ho ought to have
been. Mr. Yardley investigated his grievances'with great
patience and kinduess, and he was afterwards treated with
great indulgence. He took advantage of this, and after
preferring many unfounded complaints against the master
and officers of the union-house, and giving them a great deal
of trouble, he has for the last three years acted in a most
contumacious manner, and refused to do any work at all.
He obtained a good situation by the influence of persons
who took an interest in him, and believed he was more sinned
against than sinning. He kept this situation a short time
only, and has repeatedly attributed the loss of it to the
libellous reports and slanders of the Guardians of the City
of London Union—nothing can be more unfounded. He
has refused to do any work for a long time, medical evi-
dence has been given in opposition to his statements, the
" rules, orders, and regulations" of the Poor Law Board
have been produced by Mr. Bowring, clerk to the Guar-
d:lane, long speeches have been inflicted by the prisoner on
Mr. Ingham, Mr. Yardley, Mr. Selfe, Mr. Woolrych, and
Mr. Partridge, and the prisoner has made earnest appeals
to the press. Vanity and the love of hearing hsimelf talked
about seems to be his prevailing passion. He has been
afflicted with all the ills flesh is heir to, and after
exhausting all the complaints treated of by
Buchan in his "Domestic Medicine" has invented a new
one as an excuse for not picking oakum. He has been com-
mitted for 7, 14, 21 days, or a month, about 30 times.
Mr. Edwin Holland, labour master in the City of London
Union, House, said the prisoner was last sentenced to 21
days' imprisonment and hard labour by Mr, Partridge, and
eame out of the City prison, Holloway, on Saturday, re-
turned to his old quarters, and refused to do any work on
Monday and yesterday.
The prisoner said hie head was bad. He regretted to
have taken up so much of the magistrate's valuable time on
former occasions. He would not do it now.
Mr. Woolrych—l am very glad to hear it, for we are very
busy here. Has he been ill since he has been in prison ?
Mr. Holland--No, sir.
The prisoner said he was put into a part of the work-
house where ho could not remain. He ought to be in a
place set apart for the aged and infirm.
Mr. Holland—That is for people above 60 years of age,
Thompson—l shall be 60 on the 29th of next February,
Mr. Woolrych—Stop there and work till the 29th of
which you prefer.
wF
oe br
ku
hr ao ruys
e; then you will be qualified for that part of the

Thompson—Yes, sir, I should bo qualified if no tricks
were played.
Mr. Woolrych—What tricks ?

Thompson—They say lam only 20 years of age. (A
. _
laugh.) _

Woolrych—No surgeon or anybody else will say you
are only 20 years of age.
Thompson—l have only a birthday every four years—
they say lam only 20. (Laughter.) You ace I was born
in Leap Year.
Mr. Woolrych-- No advantage will be taken of that.
Thompson•--You don't know their schemes and tricks.
They say I am only 20—that I have only had 20 birthdays.
However, sir, not to trespass longer on your valuable time,
please to send me back to prison. I prefer going there.
Do not consign me to the tender mercies of the poor law
authorities.

giMr. Woolrych—You are sentenced to 14days' imprison-
ment and hard labour.

Thompson—Thank you, sir, I hank you. I will not write
to the Home Secretary about you, Mr. Woolrych. A more
courteous gentleman I never met with, Good day, sir.