The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY

The Learned JUDGE looked over the depositions,
and then said he was at a loss to guess why this child
had been sent: to that court for trial, for it did not
appear that he was at all known by any of the officers
or by the persons connected with the prisons. By the
law which had been passed during the last session of
Parliament a power had been given of summary convic-
viction to the police magistrates in the cases of these
children. He was of opinion that that course was calcu-
lated not to diminish but to increase juvenile crime;
because under the proceeding of summary conviction
there was no jury to investigate all the circumstances
of the particular case, nor was there that publicity
given to the matter which when brought before a
jury always resulted. But for the publication of the
heartrending, cases which had come before that court
in reference to this poor, unfortunate class of of-
fenders, the sympathy of the people at large would
not have been induced, whilst no step would have been
taken with a view to remedy the evil, or to the betterment
of the condition of that poor, helpless, and uneducated
class persons. Look at the present case,—here was
a poor little child, only nine years old, who had, not-
withstanding the new enactment to which he had
alluded, been sent to that court to be paraded as a
public spectacle, and to be sentenced by a Court
which had now no power to do more than to consign
him to one of the public county primps. There was
no asylum to send him to, for he was, under the new
regulations, not a fit subject for Parkhurst. He sin-
cerely hoped that the time was not far distant
when a very different state of things would exist
in reference to all juvenile criminals. The child of
course, must be sent to one of these prisons, but
what was to become of him when his term of impri-
sonment had expired, and he came out of the prison ?
What they wanted was, that there should be some
asylum to which these youthful offenders might be
sent, where they would not only be taken care of,
but educated and taught some trade, towards the
maintenance of which establishments the parish, where
the individual's parents could not do so, should be
compelled to contribute.
The father of the prisoner now stood forth, and
said that he had been accustomed for some time to
earn his livelihood by selling things in the streets,
but that in earlier days he had been (as we under-
stood) a brass finisher. He had four children, of
whom the prisoner was the youngest but one. He
earned from 12s. to 15. a week in this way, and he
had sent the boy to school occasionally, but his means
would not at all times allow him to keep him there.
He was quite aware that the child could not read,
notwithstanding he had sent him to school.
Mr. PAYNE, the barrister, said that what was
wanted was a place for the reception of these poor
creatures, with a view to the prevention of crime.
The Learned JUDGE—Not only for prevention,
but for the preservation of these children as the law
at present stands when they come out of prison.
Before the passing of the last Act there used to be
30 or 40 of these poor children tried at that court
every session, but he rejoiced to say that since its
enactment the cases were rare. He rejoiced so far
as his own feelings were concerned, for he was saved
many a heart-rending exhibition ; but he trembled
for the ultimate results, because now the complaint
was heard by the police magistrate only, and by that
learned gentleman adjudicated upon. The juvenile
offender, probably, was sent to prison ; there, as
events had proved, to learn the finer parts and ele-
ments of crime • whereas, when his case was heard
before a jury and a court Like that over which he had
the honour to preside, there had always been a pub-
licity given to the case by means of the press, which
publicity had, he felt assured, been the only cause of
the subject of juvenile offenders having become, not
only a matter of weighty consideration by the Go-
vernment, but of the greatest interest with the public
at large. The boy at the bar was not old enough
for reception at Parkhurst, nor was he tall enough,
neither was he rogue enough for admission
into that establishment. There was considerable
difficulty in these cases, for it was well known that a
child had been prosecuted, an offender no doubt
against the law at the time, for the purpose of not
only enabling the parents to get rid of the expense of
his support, but to relieve the parish also, upon which
the family might have been compelled to fall back.
Now, with respect to this boy, he had no doubt
but that the best thing that could be done for him
would be to sentence him to a lengthened term of
imprisonment in one of the prisons, where he would
receive instruction ; but when that had been done,
and 'the child came out again, what was then to be
done for him to insure his following in the path of
rectitude? Suppose he were to send him to prison
for six months, and so release the father or the parish
from the cost of his maintenance, what could be done
for him afterwards ?

Mr. PAYNE trusted that six months of instruction,
which he would receive in the prison, would open his
eyes to the sin and folly of pursuing the course he
had apparently adopted.
The Learned JUDGE, then, addressing the boy, told
him that he had a father who was bound, in future, to
take more care of him. The sentence was that he be
imprisoned for the space of one month, and at the
expiration of the first fortnight be well flogged with a
birch rod.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
John Mahony, a journeyman carpenter, was brought
brought before the Lord Mayor and Alderman Gibbs
upon a warrant under the 6th of Geo. IV., c. 129,.5.3,
which punishes with imprisonment, " with or without
hard labour, for not more than three calendar
months, any persons who, by violence to the person
or property, or by threats or intimidation, or by
molesting or in any way obstructing another, force
or endeavour to force any journeyman, workman, or
other person hired or employed in any manufacture or
business to depart from his hiring, employment, or
work," &c.
The affair had occasioned some excitement, as the
system of annoyance resorted to had been kept up
very actively by the committee of the workmen, who
have lately kicked against working till fire during
the short days.
E. Eyre, of No. 20, Chiswell-street, builder, said
—I am in the employment of Mr. W. Trego, of
Coleman-street. We are at work in Thames-street,
and have had lately a parcel of journeymen carpenters
picketed in our yard in consequence of a misunder-
standing with our men. It is the practice of those
who are in combination with the prisoner, the mo-
ment a man applies for work, to surround him and
intimidate him :from engaging in the employment
which may be open to him.
John Johnson, of Limehouse, said—l am a jour-
neyman carpenter, in the employment of Mr. Trego.
This morning I was sent to work at the next build-
ing to the Coal Exchange, in Thames-street ; and I
and my mate went in to go to the work. The pri-
soner asked my mate if there was another man coming
to work to-day ; to which he replied that there was,
and that his tools were inside. The prisoner said to
me, " Do you not know that you have no business to
come to work here ?" I said, " I did not know but
that I had as much business as anybody else, and he
might go to h—, if he liked." He said, " I was a
rascal ;" and I at once went to work, and said that I
would work for any one who would employ me.
George Edgecombe, a journeyman carpenter, said
—I am engaged at the work for Mr. Trego. The
prisoner asked me if that man was at work for Mr.
Trego ; and I said he was. The prisoner said it was
wrong, and we should have the frowns of all our
mates for doing so. The prisoner remained outside,
and was there watching when we came out at dinner
time.
The LORD MAYOR asked the prisoner how he could
defend such conduct ? The prisoner—lt was the de-
sire of the committee of workmen that I should go
and tell any man who went into the work that Mr.
Trego and the committee had fallen out. I was to
tell the men I saw not to work.
The LORD MAYOR and Alderman Grins said the
case was one of so injurious a nature to the operations
of trade that they were determined to mark their sense
of its importance by sentencing the prisoner to the full
penalty of imprisonment, with hard labour, for three
calendar months. They hoped that judgment would
effectually check the annoyances to which the prose-
cutor was subjected by such tyranny.
John Phillips, another journeyman carpenter, was
subsequently brought up on a similar charge.
Mr. Humphreys, who appeared for the prisoner, said
he had to make a statement upon the part of his client
which he trusted would prevent any more annoyance
to Mr. Trego. The prisoner had, it seemed, acted
upon the belief that he was justified by law in the
course in which he had proceeded, and was not aware
that any conviction had taken place. It was, there-
fore, hoped that Mr. Trego would forego the prose-
lcution upon the assurance of the prisoner, who had a
wife and family, that there should be no repetition
upon his part, or upon the part of the committee, of
any offence of the kind.
The foreman of Mr. Trego said that gentleman was
far from entertaining any vindictive feeling upon the
subject, and no doubt would act upon the suggestion
of the magistrates.
The LORD MAYOR said it would be out of the
question that the magistrates could recommend any
course of lenity in the case, except Mr. Trego were
completely protected against the operations of the
committee. Before the prisoner could be dis-
charged, therefore, it would be necessary that free-
dom from all annoyance should be secured to the pro-
secutor. The case was then ordered to stand over to
another day.
The prisoner said he was very grateful for the, mer-
ciful treatment he was likely to receive.
His LORDSHIP acknowledged the receipt of 101.
from the Goldsmiths' Company, and 1/. from "H.," a
lady, for the poor- box.
GUILDHALL.
Yesterday Mr. Mead, a barrister's clerk in the
Temple, was summoned before Mr. Alderman Gibbs ,