The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-22 00:00:00

THE LATE BURGLARIES IN THE CITY.

ingly did, attended by his two sons. But he also declined to
give any information with respect to the statements made

in his letter on the ground that the proceedings of the Court
were private. (Hear, hear.)

" We have carefully considered the allegations contained
both in the memorial of the inhabitants of Cornhill and also
of the matters referred to in the letter of Mr. Walker, as
well as the communication of the Commissioner of Police.
We have also had before us the proceedings of a meeting
hold in the ward of Cheap to consider the subject of the
late robberies, at which the following resolution was
passed :
" That it is most undesirable that large masses of valu-
able property should be left in this city without resident

protection, such a course acting as an encouragement to
skilful and daring thieves, and casting thereby a most
onerous and difficult duty upon the police force by with-
drawing their attention from other and equally important
duties.'

"The Commissioner of the City Police furnished your
committee with the most ample returns relative to the mat-
ter under investigation, and gate the fullest information
upon every point connected therewith.
"After a very full inquiry we consider that the allega-

tions of the memorialists have not been supported by evi-
dence, nor has anything transpired to substantiate the
charges contained in the letter of Mr. Walker as to the
general efficiency of the City police force. Your committee
can discover nothing calculated to weaken the confidence
which has hitherto been felt in the management and ofil-
ciency of the force. •

"Your committee can only express their regret that pro-
perty of such value, and so readily convertible, should not
have been more safely secured by the owners.
" As there were matters involved in the reference which
your committee were advised did not come within the pro-
vince of our jurisdiction, in pursuance of the resolution of
this honourable court we sought a Conference with the Po-
lice Committee of the Court of Common Council, and directed
their attention to those subjects. They informed us that
one of them—namely, the question of the pay of the force
—was already under their consideration ; and that with re-
spect to the other—namely, the desirability of increasing
the number of the force—that would also have their atten-
tion.—All which we submit to the judgment of this hon-
ourable court.

" Dated this 18th day of March, 1865."
In reply to Mr. Alderman CARTE;
The TOWN-CLERK said this report was signed by Alder•

men Moon, Wilson, Challis, Rose, Phillips, Waterlow, Gib-
bons, Abbiss, Besley, Lusk, Allen, and Stone.
Upon the motion of Alderman Sir F. Moo v, the report
was unanimously adopted.

BILLINGSGATE ON SUNDAYS.
Upon the motion of Mr. Alderman SYDNEY, a petition
from the inhabitants of the ward of Billingsgate, praying

;he court to take such measures as shall relieve them-and

he public from the serious nuisance occasioned by the sale
_ .. ... _

of fish on Sundays, was referred to the General Purposes
Committee.

THE PUBLIC EXECUTIONS AT NEIVGATE.

Mr. Alderman PHILLIPS moved :

" That it bo referred to the General Purposes Committee
to consider, and to confer with the Secretary of State to
ascertain, if any and what alteration should be made as to
the place of execution, with a view to avoid the serious
objections consequent on the present practice of public
executions within the city of London."
He said that since he had given notice of this motion a com-
mission had been sitting to investigate the whole question
of capital punishment, and that if the subject were referred
by the Court he might probably be able to suggest a scheme
for ridding the city of public executions, which would be
worth consideration. Although some difference of opinion
might prevail as to whether executions should be conducted
in public or in private, he believed it would be generally
admitted that a great public good would be effected if the
fearful scenes of demoralization witnessed at Newgate on
the occasion of these executions were altogether done away
with. (Hear.)
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY seconded the motion. He was
anxious to await the report of the commissioners upon this
subject, but in the meantime he thought the time had ar-
rived when public executions should no longer be tolerated
in the midst of dense communities such as surrounded the

Old Bailey. Hitherto those executions had taken place on
_ _

the Monday, when the thoroughfares were crowded with
Smithfield graziers, and when certainly the law, which
ought to be sacred, was carried out on amost barbarousprin-
ciple ; but thanks to the present Sheriffs, the day was in
future likely to be altered. He did not see why the civil law
should be behind the military law in this matter. When
a soldier was to be shot troops were drawn up, solemn
music was played, and the men viewed the sad spectacle
in silence. How different this was from the scenes at an
execution at Newgate ! He would not weary the Court
with the description of what went on at the latter place.
Once, when acting as sheriff, he went among the crowd
incog., and never had he witnessed such bestiality and
disorder. Instead of being the:deterrents, public executions
were, in his opinion, the incentives of crime. Whether

they ought to be carried on outside or inside of gaols, or
whether the punishment of death ought to be abolished,
might be debatable questions, but of this no one could
entertain a doubt, that if they were to take place it was a
crying evil that they should be carried out in the midst of
three millions of people. (Hear, hear.)
The motion was put and adopted.
THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS IN NEWOATE.

Mr. Alderman STONE (in the absence of Mr. Alderman
and Sheriff Besley, who had given the notice) mOved " that
it be referred to the Gaol Committee to consider and re-
port whether any, and, if any, what alterations can be
safely made with respect to the custody of prisoners under
remand from the police courts of this city." Ho said he
knew not what Mr. Alderman Besley's arguments in
favour of the motion would have been, but of this he was
aware, that the mode in which prisoners were kept in
custody after a hearing before the magistrates was
sometimes very harsh. At the same time statements
were often made on this subject which were not, perhaps,
altogether well founded. Nevertheless, there was some
truth in them. The present motion was in all probability
occasidned by certain proceedings which had lately taken
place at the Justice-room of the Mansion-house, in reference
to the Messrs. Barry, but more was made of the treatment
of the prisoners in that case than ought to have been. Some-
times counsel raised popular feeling by dwelling upon the
topic, but in the House of Commons Sir George Grey had
very properly said that the matter was one which ought to
be brought, if brought at all, before a committee of the
Aldermen, they being the visiting justices of the gaol.
Mr. Alderman SALOMONS said he had great pleasure in
seconding the motion. A representation had been made to
him of some practices which prevailed at Newgate with re-
ference to remanded prisoners and prisoners awaiting trial
which appeared very objectionable, and he thought a mode
might be adopted whereby the treatment of such prisoners
might be rendered less grating to their feelings. Newgate
was a criminal prison, the name of which sounded harshly,
and imprisonment within its walls was disagreeable and
derogatory ; and, therefore, without wishing to raise any
discussion, and being anxious to speak of all prisoners of
every class who were sent there under the presumption of
guilt without any distinction, he still thought that such
prisoners ought not to be subjected to any treatment grating
to their feelings while they were untried. He believed
that several usages within Newgate might be abolished
without any injury to the public.
Mr. Alderman WILSON did not object to the motion, but
ho was in favour of having the rules and regulations of the

The TOWN-CLERK read the following report from the
General Purposes Committee on the reference upon the
memorial of the inhabitants of the Ward of Cornhill, &c.,
relative to the recent burglaries and robberies in that
ward :

" We whose names are hereunto subscribed of your Com-
mittee of the whole Court for General Purposes, to whom
on the 11th day of February last it was referred to con-
sider a memorial of the inhabitants of the Ward of Cornhill
relative to recent burglaries in the ward, and praying that
the Court will immediately adopt such measures as the
serious exigencies of the case require—a communication
from Mr. John Walker, of No. 68, Cornhill, requesting to
be heard before the Court by counsel and otherwise in re-
ference to certain proceedings before the Committee of this
Court, and complaining generally of the inefficiency of the
police force 15f the city of London, and also a letter from the
Commissioner of Police relative to certain resolutions
passed at a meeting of the inhabitants of the ward of Corn-
hill, and ordered to be presented to this Court, and with
authority to confer with the Police Committee of the Court
of Common Council, do certify that we duly proceeded
thereon, and we requested the following of the memorialists
to attend us in order that they might be heard upon the
allegations of their petition—namely, Messrs. Barraud and
Lund, and Mr. William Nash, Mr. Price, of Price and Pott,
Messrs. Mappin, Webb, and Co., Mr. J. P. Pearce, Messrs.
Sarl and Son, Messrs. A. B. Savory and Son, Messrs. A.
Purssell, Messrs. Barber and Smith, and Mr. W. Johnson.
" We were, however, only attended by Mr. Lund, who
declined, in the absence of other memorialists, to give any
information on the subject.
" We also invited Mr. Walker to attend, and he accord-

gaol carried out without regard to whether the prisoners
were rich or poor men.

Mr. Alderman STONE observed that he was not for making
any distinction in the treatment of. the rich and poor pri-
soners.

Mr. Alderman WILSON said the motion had evidently
been placed upon the paper by reason of the detention of two
highly respectable gentlemen in Newgate upon remand, and
who, while imprisoned there, had to eat their meals without
either knife or fork, and to clean their cells. Like men
about to be hanged, the use of knives and forks was denied
them, as if the authorities apprehended they would cut
their throats. This was a great indignity if they were inno-
cent ; but, instead of inflicting upon them this indignity,
the magistrate who remanded them might have admitted
them to bail, particularly when bail was offered in their
case to the extent of £50,000. Still, this was no reason why
any alteration in the treatment of prisoners at Newgate
should be made without first inquiring what were the regu-
lations at other gaols in similar cases. If Newgate was to be
made a respectable asylum for all classes, then the punish-
ment for crimes committed would cease to have effect. As
it was the gaol was much too comfortable. The prisoner had
a good bed there, excellent provisions, a table and chair,
washing utensils, and books to read.

Mr. Alderman SALOMONS-Why should not an untried
man have all that?

Mr. Alderman Wn.sox—l cb not say he should not have
it. I admit great hardship was done to the Messrs. Barry ;
but then it was in the power of the magistrate to mitigate
that by liberating them on bail. Nevertheless, I say that
there is better accommodation in Newgate than the prison-
ers could get in any workhouse.

After a few words from Mr. Alderman STONE in reply,
who said he advocated the propriety of a general treatment
of the question, the motion was put and unanimously
passed.

The Court then adjourned.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

--4.--
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
Olimmus ROBBERY.—Jane Clark, a respectably-dressed
woman, in an advanced state of pregnancy, was charged
before Mr. Tyrwhitt with picking the pocket of Mrs. Amy
Massy, residing at Great Titchfield-street.
Mr. E. Lewis, of Groat Marlborough-street, appeared for
the defence.

Mrs. Massy said that while in an omnibus in Oxford-
street she put her hand into her pocket to see if her purse
was safe, when she found that the elastic band had been
slipped off and two sovereigns had been taken from it. The
Prisoner sat next to her in the omnibus. She got out and
spoke to the conductor, and told him that she had seen the
prisoner's hand in her pocket, and the prisoner was then
taken into custody. The prisoner denied taking the money.
The omnibus was searched, and the sovereigns were not
found at the time, but were subsequently.
Henry Taylor, a lad, proved that while in an Islington
omnibus a lady called his attention to a sovereign lying at
the bottom of the omnibus, and on stooping to pick it up
he found a second. He gave them to the conductor of the
omnibus.
Mr. Lewis asked the constable whether the prisoner had
given the right name and address, and he said she had.
Mr. Lewis addressed the magistrate at some length on
prisoner's behalf, and said he was instructed that the pro-
secutrix in pulling out the pocket-handkerchief pulled out
the two sovereigns, and a gentleman remarked to her that
she had dropped something.
Mr. Tyrwhitt said he did not see how he could withdraw
the case from a jury, but he would take bail.
Mr. Lewis appealed to the magistrate to deal with pri-
soner, stating that she would plead guilty
Mr. Tyrwhitt committed the prisoner for two months,
with hard labour.