The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-18 00:00:00

POLIC.E INTELLIGENCE—S'ept. 17.

MARLBOROUG 11-STREET.—Maria Roussell,
the French keeper of a house of ill-fame in Rupert-
street, Haymarket, was summoned before the Court
for illegally detaining certain articles of wearing
apparel, the property of Lucie Grisard, a young
French girl.
Mr. Edward Lewis, of Marlborough-street, at-
tended on behalf of the complainant, and from
his statement it appeared she was one of several
unfortunate girls who came for the first time to
this country about two months ago and was intro-
duced to the defendant's house. The defendant,
taking great pains, advised her to seek her liveli-
hood in the streets, and succeeded in her persuasion
on the promise of board and lodging from her, con-
ditionally that she was to receive half the money
the poor girl obtained. Within two months she
received 401., all which was taken by the defen-
dant, and all the complainant received as her share
was ls. 6d., and no expostulation had any effect in
altering this unfair and scandalous sharing.
The complainant at lergth resolved to quit the
house of Madame Roussell, and expressing her
determination, demanded her wardrobe. Suddenly
losing her source of profit in the poor girl, defen-
dant made a demand of £6 on her, and refused to
give up an article until the sum was paid. She had
no means now, even if she had the disposition, to
pay this demand, for all she had received, as she had
before said, for the two months was ls. 6d., and
without a home, with nothing but what she had on
her person, she had, by those who knew the law
better than herself, been advised to takethe present
step. He would leave the case in the hands of the
court, without seeking to aggravate it by stating
all the serious allegations contained in his instruc-
tions, convinced that full justice would be rendered.
The complainant proved all the facts stated. She
stated the clothing detained to consist of 12 dresses,
mantles, under-linen, and other articles, together
with three gold rings of the value of £l2, all which
she brought with her from Paris.
Defendant said the things were in the hands of
the broker for rent.

A printed form or inventory was here put in.
Mr. Beadon—Why, this is a:false inventory—a
pretended bill of a levy, without amount or items—
an impudent imposition. Will you give up all the
things you have of this poor girl ?
Defendant—l can't; the three rings are in pawn.
Mr. Beadon—lt's monstrous to talk of rent in
such a house as yours, and from complainant under
such circumstances. You have admitted having the
things, and if you do not forthwith restore them all,
or pay her over the value put on them, I will put
in a distress warrant on your goods for the amount
and all expenses.

CLERKENWELL.—Wm. Jones, 35, a weather-
beaten seaman, without home, and with tattered
clothes, was charged before Mr. D'Eyncourt with
wandering about without any visible means of
subsistence.

Police Sergeant Hill, 39 S, said that between 1
and 2 o'clock that morning he was directed by in-
spector Stokes to watch the prisoner, to ascertain
whether he was affecting an imposition. He
follo'wed him until he saw him sit on the step of
a door in Goldington-street, and then went up to
him. He saw that he appeared ill, and asked him,
after other questions, why he did not apply for
admission to the workhouse if he was in the desti-
tute state that he described. The prisoner said, " I
have applied, and been refused. I then went to
the police-station, and was directed again to go to
the workhouse. I went as I was told, and was
again refused. I crawled back again to the police-
station and said how I was served, when a police-
man was sent with me, but a third time I was
refused admission." Finding the man was very
ill and scarcely able to move, he (the sergeant)
took him to the station, and finding the poor man
really incapable of walking the streets for the
night, in order to detain him the above charge was
entered against him.

Mr. D'Eyncourt inquired of the poor, miserable-
looking prisoner, what he had to say to the charge 1)
The prisoner said he had walked from Kingston,
and, being ill and destitute, he applied to the
workhouse for admission, and was refused ; he then
went a second and a third time—the last at a
quarter to 10, and at time, although hehegged hard
for a night's lodging, he was trned away. He then
walked about till past 1 o'clock, when he was found
sitting on a step by the policeman, and taken to
the station.

Inspector Stokes handed in a certificate, of which
he foliowing is a copy :

" 24, Stebbington-street, Oakley-square, Sept. 17.
" This is to certify that I was ,:alled to Somers-town
Police-station at 230 a.m of September 17 to attend Wil-
liam Jones, and found him suffering from want of nourish-
ment. " G. F. DANSEY."
Mr. Stokes then stated that the defendant waited
on him at the police station, and complained of
being ill, having no home or means of obtaining one,
and said he should wish for an order to obtain ad-
mission to the workhouse. He (the inspector) then
directed the defendant to apply to the St.
Pancras workhouse, at the same time telling
him that the police•station was not a relieving-office.
About a quarter before ten the defendant again
came to the station, and said he could not obtain
admission. He (the inspector) then sent a constable
with the defendant to the workhouse, and, a short
time only having elapsed, they both returned, the
defendant still appearing very ill. The constable
then informed him, that although he had repre•
rented the case to the gate porter, that functionary
had stated that the defendant could not be admitted,
and that he had previously told the defendant to
go to the Field-lane Refuge. Seeing that the
defendant was so very ill, and suffering from para-
lysis, he out of compassion took the charge, gave
him some refreshment, and at once sent for a sur-
geon. Mr. Dansey was almost immediately, in
attendance, and said that the defendant was in a
very bad state, and suffering from spasms, brought
on by want.
Goodwin, the porter at the workhouse, was then
examined, and stated that about 10 o'clock the
prisoner applied for admission, but, acting under
the orders of Ithe master, he refused him, having at
that time admitted 110 women and children.

Mr. D'Eyncourt—But you:might have admitted
him when he came back the second time ?

Goodwin—But he was very abusive.
Mr. D'Eyncourt—What do you call abuse ?
Goodwin—He was smoking a pipe and walking
in front of the gate.
Mr. D'Eyncourt did not consider that abuse.
Goodwin—He said he would come in, and that
with an oath.
Mr. D'Eyncourt said that after the inspector had
sent the defendant he ought to have been admitted.
Mr. Alexander (the second clerk) remarked that
the defendant was now suffering from paralysis.
Mr. D'Eyncourt (to Goodwin)—You understand
you might, had this poor fellow died, have been
given in charge for causing his death. Ido not
say there is not to be a rule laid down, or that
there is not a limit to be placed to the admissions,
but this I do say, that if a man is in distress and
is really ill, you must not sacrifice life or even risk
doing so, for all rules must and ought to be in such
cases broken through. You must take care, for
this man might have died of exhaustion, and if you
had been brought before me for having caused liis
death I must have committed you for trial, and
have left a jury to decide whether you were guilty
of causing his death or not. (To the prisoner.)—
Why were you abusive ?
Tne Defendant—I was not abusive. I told the
porter I was very ill and bad in my inside, end the
only reply I got was that he did not care a
whether I was bad inside or outside.
Goodwin—No, I did not say so.
Mr. D'Eyncourt—ln this case you ought to
have been satisfied, and at once admitted the
poor fellow. The least you ougllt to do is to pay
the surgeon's bill, and reimburse the inspector for