The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-09 00:00:00

A " SAMARITAN" INSTITUTION.

Yesterday Mr. Horsley, a:solicitor, attended at Gilld-
hall to answer a prior statement made by Mr. Poster,
one of the guardians of the West London Union. Mr.
Potter bad said, and his words had been reported in the
papers, that he had to pass every day a building calleathe
Samaritan Institution, in West Smithfield, professtily
an institution for giving food and shelter to the horse.
less poor, and that during the last eight months onno
occasion had he seen it used for any other purpose tlan
as a residence for Mr. Barber, the secretary, a cosh.
house for his phaeton, and a stable for his horse, exne)t
the upper part, which he had let for 101. a month:,

. -
To .these statements Mr. Horsley now opposed his ovn
full denial, and he bitterly complained that Mr. Potts
should have chosen to make them at " the very tam,
that we are reopening the institution, and obtaining con
tributions to enable us to relieve the
destitute poor dui
jug the inclement season of the year' 110 further said
was then called, was
—ln 1850 the City Hospice,
instituted by Mr. Cochrane,
in Joiningo. In
waisioitweit to great expense,
and involved himself in great liabilitieso,ntstam_
idebts
1853 Mr. Cochrane died, leaving
among which was one to a blr. PalmersOnw for a very con.
institution, however, was
siderable sum of money. The in6",ened in 1853, when
lopstaimmueneid-
closed prior to his death, andiarc_oBl
Sir Fitzroy Kelly was and still
if
e ienot of i tllBl Mr.
.Palmer's
patrons. The pl-eatrubler,
our excellent secretary,
hands, from whom Mr. B
took them, and we nave rented the greater portion of
them from him at the trifling pittance of 1001. per anautn,
which is only half the amount he pays for them.
has a business which he carries on in the remaining por-
tion of the premises, and for which ho requires the use
of a horse.
Sir R. W. Carden—ls ho not the manager as well a%
the secretary?
Mr. fiersley—No, sir, he is only the secretary. `Viii
regard to the institution beiru4 closed for the last eiglt
months, as stated by Mr. Potter, I beg to state that,
se
far from that being the case, it is open from November
until May in each year. When the institution closed ,
the books showed that the applicants for relief, which
numbeeed about 700 in November, dwindled down to
100, thereby showing that the relief is bestowed upon
deserving objects, who obtain work as semi as the season
permits. The institution was opened yesterday, and in
full vigour.
SCarden—Do I understand
you to say that
the
institution is nOW open
Mr. Barber—Certainly, sir ; and there were no less
than 220 persons relieved yesterday, and were
preached
to
by a missionary at two services during the day.
Mr, llorsely continued—The only object we have in
view is to relieve the destitute, and we have lately added
another branch to the institution, which is that of re-
claiming the unfortunate girls from the miserable and
degraded life upon the streets of London. We have no
less than 16 females now upon our books, whom we
have withdrawn from the abominable life they have been
leading, to get them into various reformatories. I have
a letter here from a rev. gentleman who was one of our
most zealous advocates ; but I will leave it to you, sir,
to say whether I should be right in reading it, so that
it may go forth to the public.
Sir R. W. Carden--I do not think the letter should
be read.

Mr. Horsley--I mentioned it because influences have
been brought to bear upon the rev. gentleman which
have induced him to resign, and we have consequently
been deprived of a most able co-operator.
Mr. Phillips (the master of the West London Union)
—Really, Mr. you Horsley. if
L shall be ohli-4,4lprvn er.ist in that statet
to reply to it. as I ba.7n it from the Rev.
Mr. Knott Litasclf that Lc left the insttution laccuc..e
his name was. ao.ched to acct.ants ho never audited,
and that there was no undue influence exercised over
him in any way.
Mr. Barber--The Rev. Mr. Knott never was an au-
ditor ; he was only a member of the finance committee.
Mr. Horsley—In the same paper, following the report
of Mr. Potter's statement, is a complaint of an old wo-
man having been refused relief at the union, upon the
excuse that the house was already full. Now, the West
London Union had been in the habit of paying 101. per
month for a part of the premises belonging to the Sa-
maritan institution, to be used as a dormitory for the old
Paupers, so as to relieve the Overcrowded state of the
union, but since the appointment of the new relieving
officer, the old pauper, have been wits drawn from the
dormitory, to overburden the crowded state of the union
still further, and some of them have since applied to our
inAtitution for relief.
Sir R. W. Carden—Have you received the sanction

,!.td authority of the Right Hon. the /owl Mayor for
Ugecof his name ? _

Mr. Barber—We have of the preceding Lord Mayor.
Sir It. W. Carden =That is Doc the Lord Mayor.
Mr. Barber—We have i.N.Dt seen the present Lord
Mayor.
t3ir R. W. Cayden—Have you the authority of the
present Lord Mayor to use his name as the president of
this institution' _ . .

Mr. Barber—We waited upon him for that purpose,
and we were to appoint mother deputation to see him.
Sir R. W. Carden--Have you the authority of the
Lord Mayor for the use of his name ?
Mr. Barber—We have not, neither have we used it.
Hero is our report, which we have withheld publishing
until we obtain the Lord Mayor's consent, which, I
believe, we shall.
Sir R. W. Carden—l have seen an advertisement in
the Times, three days ago, in which the Right Hon. the
Lord Mayor is represented as the president of this insti-
tution ; and you know that the Lord Mayor, so far from
approving of the step you have taken, has distinctly
refused to lend his name to the institution in any way.
Mr. Barber—l do not know it, sir.
Sir R. W. Carden—l have the authority of the Lord
Mayor himself for Raying that the application had been
made to him, and that he had refused to have anything
to do with the institution.

Mr. Barber—l am sorry at hearing such a statement
from you, sir, as the advertisement you speak of was
sent to the Times before our application to the Lord
Mayor, and it has been held over by the limes. No
advertisements have bee❑ issued since our application.

Sir It. W. Carden—But the advertisement has not
been held over for a whole month ?

Mr. Barber—Oh, certainly not, sir.
Sir B. W. Carden—Then the Lord Mayor has been
in office now just a month.
Mr. Barber—l believe we shall have his lordship's per-
mission.

Sir R. W. Carden—And I believe his lordship, when
he gave his positive denial, had good reasons for doing so.
Mr. Barber—Really, sir, it grieves me more than all
else to hear such remarks from the bench. There is some
mistake about the use of the Lord Mayor's name, which
can be satisfactorily explained.
Mr. Potter—l have passed and repassed this institu-
tion, and never saw anything going on except Mr. Bar-
ber's chaise, which was usually drawn up in front of the
door. There was also a large quantity of books, which
had been given to the institution, but I cannot say what
has become of them. With regard to the accuracy of
the statement I made I will call the inspector, who
lives opposite, and the policeman on the beat, to corrobo-
rate everything I have asserted.
Mr. Barber—There are some books, which I lend to
the inmates to read.

Sir R. W. Carden—ls it true that large parcels of
books have been presented to the institution ?
Mr. Barber —Not large parcels, sir.
Mr. Chambers—About three years ago I gave 101. or
151. worth of books to the lending library.
Mr. Barber—Those books consisted of the educational
course only. I wish these statements had been made to
me personally, as the books and maps are all there, and
to be seen.

Mr. Potter—Since my statement Mr. Barber called
on me and said that as I had done all I could to shut up
his shop, he would do all he could to shut up mine.
Mr. Barber—What I said was this, " That you had
done all you could to close the institution, and that I
3uld be the means of closing your shop, as I intend
bringing an action against you in one of the superior
courts.

Sir R. W. Carden—ls there any one present who
knows anything about the library ? How many volumes
have you, Mr. Barber ?
Mr. Barber—l have '250 volumes.
Sir R. W. Carden—Let I,lic ins pector, who lives
opposite, state what he knows of this institution.

Inspector Cole—l have lived opposite from the com-
mencement of the institutio❑ to the present time, and it
is the general opinion of the neighbourhood that it is
worse than useless. The greatest number of persons
who apply there daily go away without relief, and many
that have been relieved have been fed with food, which I
have tasted, that is not fit to fed pigs with. I have re-
marked that shortly before Christmas every year there
has been great activity evinced in the institution, and
immediately after Christmas such activity has entirely
ceased, and I have drawn my own conclusion, from it
accordingly. I have had charges at the station-house
against persons connected with that institution arising
out of disagreements among its promoters. O❑ one oc-
casion Mr. Cochrane charged Mr. Barber with an of-
fence which lam not prepared now to mention. The
successors charged their predecessors with secreting the
goods supplied by the butcher and baker in other parts
of the building than those in which they should have
been found. The class of persons congregating there
are a disgrace to the persons causing them to come there,
and when they get relief they do not consider it worth
their acceptance.

Sir R. W. Carden (to Mr. Barber)—What do you gel
as secretary ?

Mr. Barber-1001. a-year, but I have not received
anything for the last two years.
Sir R. W. Carden—Then you pay the rent of these
premises on your own responsibility, and do not even
get the 1001. a-year in return.
Mr. Barber—l do a large business as a merchant,
which I depend upon, having turned as much as 9,0001.
within the last 12 months. The West London Union is nta
the back of all this, and Mr. Potter has been chosen to
bring the matter forward, and that will come out in a
superior court.
Sir R. W. Carden—ls the policeman on the beat pre-
sent?

William Nfobbs, 265, said—l am the constable on that
beat, and have frequently observed that there is a certain
set of characters who infest the entrance to the institu-
tion, and when the destitute poor apply for relief they
are driven away by the regular frequenters. I have had
as many as 30 cards at one time delivered to me by
strangers from the country who had receive cards from
subscribers, and been driven away from the doors, on
applying for relief, by these characters.
Mr. Horsley—l wish, Sir Robert, that you would go
down at once, and inspect the quality of the food, for I
have tasted it and found it very good. I am, therefore,
able to give a positive denial to the inspector's state-
ment.
Inspector Cole—When I tasted the food It was not fit
to eat.

Mr. Horsley—l speak for myself.
Inspector Cole—And I for myself.
Mr. Barber—lt is an annual custom, the appointment
of the Lord Mayor as president ; but nothing bad been
issued in the matter until sanctioned by him, and the
use of the Lord Mayor's name is quite a mistake.
Sir R. W. Carden said it was no mistake, as the Lord
Mayor's name appears as the president, not only without
his knowledge or consent, but against his express desire.
Mr. Barber—The fact is our institution is a reflection
on the West London Union, because people who have
been refused parish relief come to us, and that is the
reason that the West London Union has endeavoured
by every means to injure the institution.
Sir. R. W. Carden—I cannot allow such a statement
as that to be made ; a., from my own exp e r isertsnrocanet
erni nriatckaitstibge
brought under my notice, I know that on no occasion has e s
Mr. Phillips refused relief when applied for, if needed ;
lomn,anayndfrhoamvo
the
and I will undertake to say that an
application to the workhouse,
le
isheafvo have
or
t relief.,t taken
ee nmy a gp le'
district, will meet with every attention,
oceNaysiilolinaltnomgoobabns72h63eri
institution
.to the union for relief, hut I never knew of
any one going
Phillips—
froi willmth defy Mr.
to the institution.
Mr.
tei y Mr. Barber or any one else
office, of having
been guilty of neglect of duty in the
slightest d gree. r
Clerk) and the ' '
the two years I have held the
o accuse me, during
appeal to Mr. Martin (the Chief
e court whether a single complaint ha'
been proved
relief to against me, and whether I ever refused
a this.)
s . one sent from this couro.ryMbaeritni
being
confirmed
) In reference to thertdM (itorm
given up on the appointment of the new relieving officer,
1 must say that he had nothing to do with it. When I
became master of the union I found that the old men

%rho slept in the dormitory were saturated in their beds
by the rain coming in at all parts of the roof, and I there-
fore made arrangements for taking them all into the
house, where they now are. Mr. Barber was spoken to
about it, but took no steps to improve the condition of
the roof of the dormitory.

Mr. Barber—The West London Union want these
premises, and that is the reason they are trying to shut
up the institution, and if I would have taken 801. instead
of 1201. a year for the dormitory, you would have heard
nothirr4 of this complaint.
Mr. Phillips—We do not want the premises, as we
have taken others in Smithfield.

Sir R. W. Carden—l believe Sir Fitzroy Kelly sin-
cerely repents the first subscription he ever gave to this
Institution, for it has subjected him to a great deal of
annoyance.
Mr, Barber—That is not the case, sir, as Sir Fitzroy
Kelly has not only given 5001. at the outset, but he has
since given 1001. a year ; and at the dinner in March
last, in aid of the funds of the institution, he gave a
subscription of 51.
Mr. Potter—As one of the committee, I beg to F
ay
that I opposed the proposition of engaging the room in
the institution.
Mr. Barber —Why, it waa only last week I met the
chairman of the union, and he asked me what he would
take for the room.
A missionary here described the class of persons re-
lieved at the institution as thieves, prostitutes, and
vagrants.
Mr. Horsley—Why, that is the very class we profess
to relieve, and reclaim if possible.
Sir R. W. Carden—l cannot allow this discussion to
go any further. It has already occupied too much of
the time of the court.
Mr. Horsley--Notwithstandinz all that has been said,
I still believe it to be a rnogt worthy institution, or I
should not be connected ic-h it.
Sir R. W. Girder —l7 reoy become so, if you look to
it more yourself...,
Mr. Berber—*lll you come and visit the institution ?
Sir B. W. Carden—Net after the description of the
company that visits you. (Laughter,) Let this matter
eud here, and I think the public will be able to judge,
from what has transpired to-day, of the merits of the
Samaritan Institution.

MUNIFICENT DONATIONS.—Sir Hugh Hoare, of Lil-
lingstone Love), last week transmitted a check for 1 0001.
to the treasurer of the Bucks Infirmary, at Aylesbury.The worthy baronet some time since also distributed
to the medical charities in Wits and Somersetshire
,000/., and sent 100 guineas to the Medical Benevolent
College, which has been established for decayed medical
men, their widows and orphans, and which is now in
full operation at Epsom. The Hon. P. S. Pierrepont,
of Evenly-ball, a few weeks ago sent 1,0001. to the Nor-
thampton Hospital, as a contribution on hie bii thda2.--
Oxfoict Journal.