The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-18 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.

Mr. Alderman Hale took his seat on the bench this
day for the first time in company with Sir P. Laurie.
The hon. gentleman has exercised sound discretion in
placing himself under the tutelage of so able a public
servant as Sir. P. Laurie.

WHITEOROSS DEBTORS' PRISON.—Mr. Sutherland,
late a debtor in the above ward, appeared before Alder-
man Sir P. Laurie, and complained of the treatment he
had received at the above prison. One of his complaints
was that 1/. was enforced from every new inmate to go
to a fund to support others in the establishment. When
demanded of him, be remonstrated against the
imposition, and wrote to the press complaining of it.
The consequence was that he was very ranch insulted ;
and on the evening before he left the prison., because he
refined to pay 7s. for the loan of a pair of sheets, a
number of the inmates surrojunded him, " bonneted "
him, and in the scuffle his face, which bore: marks of his
ill•treatment, was much disfigured, his shirt torn, and
his breast lacerated. Many of the inmates of the prison
have been there upwards of five years, and he believed
they were supported out of the 1?. and what else they
got from the new inmates.
Sir P. Laurie (to Mr. Bourdon, the governor)—ls it
true many of the debtors have been in pri son 5 years ?
Mr. Burdon—Yes.
Sir P. Laurie—How are they supported ?
Mr. Burdon—l presume by their friends.
Sir P. Laurie—Have you any particular regulations
for prisoners going in and out of the prison ?
Mr. Burdon—No, sir, we have not. The poor
debtors are allowed to get money by doing menial work
for others, and that arrangement was in force before I
none torsS roafPrpe. Lsi
was appointed to my office.
Alderman
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any of the persons who assaulted you t
Complainant—Yes.

Alderman Copeland—ln consequences of what has been
published in reference to the state of this prison, a select
committee of inquiry has been appointed, and it has
sat 8 or 9 days inquiring into the abominable conduct
complained of.

Sir P. Laurie--Under the circumstances, it will be
better for you to go before the committee and give such
information as you can, and after that you can proceed
against the parties, either at the sesEions or here. The
Governor of the gaol, on proof of the disorderly conduct,
has power to punish the refractory inmates.
Alderman Copeland—Until the Attorney-General in-
troduces a bill to otherwise appropriate 1,200/. per annum,
the proceeds of benevolent persons' wills for the main-
tenance of poor debtors in Whitecross-street Prison,
these men will remain there. So long as they can divide
that money, they will never care about filing their peti-
tion in Insolvency.

Sir P. Laurie—l think they can be got rid of without
an act of Parliament.

The parties then withdrew.

MARLBOROUGH STREET.

A VIOLENT BEGGAR.—John Williams, a sturdy young
fellow, well known to the officers of the Mendicity So-
ciety as a most notorious cadger, was brought before
Mr. Bingham, charged with assaulting police•constable
334 A while in the execution of his duty.

The constable stated that on the previous night, about
ten o'clock, he was on duty in Regent-street, when his
attention was called to the prisoner, who was sitting on
the steps of the County Fire-office, apparently in a most
forlorn and destitute condition. Knowing him to be a
common vagrant, he watched his movements for a short
time, and saw him address several persons who happened
to be passing. At last he got up and placed himself
before an elderly gentleman, and laying hold of his arm,
said, " Governor, I'm hard up and unfortunate, and
must have some money." The old gentleman, who was
very much alarmed at the prisoner's manner, made off
as fast as he could. The prisoner was about to follow
him, when witness pounced upon him and took him
into custody. On the way to the station the prisoner
asserted his independence as a true-born Briton to do as
he liked, and as a clencher to this independent remark
dealt the constable a tremendous blow on the aide of his
head.

The prisoner, in defence, said he was bard up and had
not a blessed copper in the world, nor "not no work
to do." As to hitting the constable, that he most so-
lemnly denied.

Mr: Bingham said the prisoner was evidently one of
those men who wanted no work to do ; and for the as-
sault on the constable he should commit him for seven
days.