The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-04 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Oct. 2.

MANSION-HOUSE.—It will probably be re-
membered that on Monday last, a respectable young
woman named Frances Johnson, was brought before
the Lord Mayor, charged with having attempted
to commit suicide, by precipitating herself from the
parapet of London-bridge, into the River Thames,
on the 26th of March last. It appeared in evidence
that in falling, she struck against one of the but-
tresses of the bridge, and so injured herself in con-
sequence, that upon her being conveyed to St.
Thomas's Hospital, after being dragged from the
river by the captain of a Citizen steamboat, it was
found necessary to keep her there, under medical
treatment, for six months, her hip being dislocated,
one of her arms, and some of her ribs fractured,
besides other bodily injuries. Before the Lord
Mayor, she stated that she had been driven to
thoughts of self-destruction by weakness of her
mind, arising from the conduct of her father, and
as her elder sister stated that their mother was
dead, and that their father had since refused all aid
to his family of seven children, and that during the
whole of the six months he had never visited the
poor girl at the hospital, the Lord Mayor at once
despatched an officer to Mr. Robert Johnson, of 63,
Gracechurch-street, to request his immediate attend-

ance at the Mansion-House. In reply to this
message Mr. Johnson sent back his compliments
to the Lord Mayor, and expressed his willingness
to come if a summons were issued for his attendance,
but not otherwise. The Lord Mayor then directed
the unfortunate sufferer to be conveyed to the
infirmary of the City of London Union, and as she
thus became chargeable to the parish of St.
Benet, Gracechurch-street, Mr. James Abbiss,
churchwarden of that parish, in the City of London
Union, applied for and obtained a summons against
Mr. Johnson, under the sth Geo. IV., c. 83, sec. 3,
(commonly calledthe Vagrant Act) charging that he.
the said Robert Johnson, being a person well abl e
to work and to maintain himself and family, had
neglected to maintain his daughter, Frances John-
son, whereby, she, the said Frances Johnson, did,
on the 28th day of September last, become charge..
able to the parish of St. Benet, Gracechurch-street,
and so remained ; and he was also summoned, for
that he, being the father of Frances Johnson, a
poor and lame person, not able to work so as to
maintain and support herself, and being charge-
able to the said parish and union, did, on the 28th
day of September last, unlawfully refuse and
neglect- at his own charges to relieve and maintain
the said Frances Johnson, he being of sufficient
ability so to do, whereby she has become, and now
is, still chargeable to the said parish and union.
Mr. Johnson, an elderly and respectable-looking
grey-haired man, without any marked peculiarity
of feature, now appeared before the Lord Mayor
and Alderman Cubitt, to answer these summonses,
assisted by Mr. Sleigh.
Mr. Bowring, clerk to the City of London Union,
conducted the case upon behalf of the guardians,
several of whom were present.
Sinee Monday the case has excited the greatest
interest in the neighbourhood, and it was found
necessary to adopt steps accordingly.
Upon defendant taking his station at the foot of
the table,

Mr. Sleigh said he wished to explain that his
client, in the message which he sent back to the
Lord Mayor, had no intention of disrespect to him.
Mr. Bowring then stated the grounds of com-
plaint, and called
Frances Johnson, who was assisted into court,
and sat during her examination. She said—l am
18 years old. lam daughter of defendant. I have
brothers and sisters by the same mother older than
myself, and a younger brother. For the last week
I have been in the City of London Union Work-
house. I shall go back their again when I
leave this court. I lived with my father last
in February, 1857. I left him then and lived for

some time with' my brother Robert and sisters.
At that time my father suggested to me a mode by
which I might maintain myself. He said I might
go on the streets. (Sensation.)
Lord Mayor—You are quite sure about that P
Witness—Quite sure. That was the time I left
my father, and went to live with my brother and
sisters. Afterwards I went to live with a person
named Williams, and waited in his shop. I had
food and lodging in the house, but no clothing. I
got money for that from my brother and sisters. I
lived at that place till last March, when something
happened which made it necessary for me to be
taken to St. Thomas's Hospital, where I remained
until I was removed to the City Union Workhouse,
a period of six months. I was confined to my room
all the time. My father never called to see me all
the time. His shop is at 63, Gracechurch-street,
and the hospital is just over London-bridge. I
never wrote to him to say that I was there. My
father did not behave kindly to me whilst I was
living with him. I am' lame now, and not able to
work. I am in the infirmary of the workhouse,
and have been sent by the doctor there. My mother
is dead, but she left no property, and I have no
means of maintaining myself beyond what my
brother and sisters may give me. lam not now
able to return to the shop, and do the work I have
been accustomed to.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sleigh—My brothers
and sisters were brought up in my father's house.
They were not sent to• school by my father to my
knowledge. I was not educated by my father, but
was sent to school by my aunt, my mother's sister,
who is now dead. I believe she sent the other
children to school, and my father fed and clothed
us. Up to the time my mother died she did
not, to my knowledge, carry on business on her
own account. She and my father did not
live happily together. They lived apart, but in
the same house. I don't know that he allowed
her £l5O a year for her own use. I think he
allowed her something for a few weeks. My
mother died in 1856. I was living in the same
house with my father at the time, but in a different
part. My father paid the rent. My mother died
in October. In November I do not recollect that
my father wrote a letter to me asking me to sug-
gest some arrangement for my future support.
Mr. Sleigh read a letter, but it was addressed not
to witness but to her brother Arthur.

Witness—l do not remember receiving such a
letter as that after my mother's death. I mean I
never received such a letter. The letter now pro-
duced is not, I think, in my handwriting ; but I
cannot swear it is not. I do not know whose
writing it is. Ido not believe it is my writing.
I know Mr. Robt. Wyatt, who was a friend of mine
and my mother's. At the time of my mother's
death, Ido not remember seeing him. I did not
communicate to him that I had received a letter
from my father with regard to my future prospects.
My name is Frances Louisa, but I am not gener-
ally called Louisa. My brother Arthur and myself
left my father's house together. We did not tell
my father we were going to leave. We took away
some furniture in a cart, without saying anything
about it to him. The furniture belonged to my
aunt. From that time to the time of the unfortu-
nate occurrence which brought me here, I did not
see my father, nor write to him, nor communicate
with him directly or indirectly.
Mr. Sleigh—What made you do the rash deed
which you did in March, when you had a home and
everything about you ?
Witness, who spoke indistinctly, was understood
to say that she was miserable because she could only
get clothes by asking her brother and sister for
them.

In answer to other questions, she said that her
mother had lived unhappily with her father, and
that after her mother's death her father said he
should require her (witness) and her sister to pay
ss. a week each for their room in his house.

Mr. Sleigh said this was the most painful inves-
tigation in which he had ever been engaged, and he
had spoken to the defendant, who was -willing to
make an arrangement to support the witness for
the future.
-

The Lord Mayor said the question was one be-
yond that of maintenance, an idea which the British
public, after the father's conduct, would entirely

discard, and maintain the children themselves.
(Applause.) The question was whether the de-
fendant, by his brutal and inhuman conduct, had
driven his daughter to attempt her own life.
Mr. Jos. Abbiss proved the fact of the last wit-
ness having become chargeable to the parish of St.
Benet, Gracechurch-street. He also stated that he
had called upon the defendant, and asked whether
he would contribute towards the support of his
daughter. In reply he said he had been the best
of husbands and the best of fathers. He said, " I
will do nothing but what the law compels me to
do." Witness then left him and applied for a sum-
mons. Defendant was rated at £B5 for his occu-
pation in the parish, his rent being £96.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sleigh—He did not tell
me that any friend of his had been to the hospital
to see her, nor that there was a home for her if she
would come to his house.

Police -constable 597 deposed that he took Frances
Johnson to the hospital, and. communicated the fact
to his sergeant,
G. White, 3, said—On March 27 I went to de-
fendant and saw him at his residence in Grace-
church-street. I told him she was at St. Thomas's
Hospital, and why she had been taken there. I
told him that I understood she was his daughter.
He said, "My name is Johnson. I married her
mother, but I have nothing to do with it." I told
him she was almost on the point of death, and he
asked me what authority I had to go to him about
it. I told hill; I considered it my duty to do so.
I went to him the other day to ask him, in your
lordship's name, to come here, but he declined to
come unless he was summoned. He seemed to treat
the case as a matter of indifference.
Henrietta Johnson, 27—1 live at Mr. Woolmer's,
73, Aldersgate-street. I am daughter of the de-
fendant. I am the eldest child but one. Some
years ago my father told me to go on the streets as
a means of . living. He said the girls had better
all go, and that my brothers had better go and steal.
Defendant (excitedly)-oh, my lord, I can't
stand that.

Another question was then put, but before it
could be answered defendant sank down on the
floor as if in a flit, and it was found necessary to re-
move him into the fresh air.

Mr. Sleigh then applied for an adjournment,
alleging in addition to this painful occurrence, that
his client, through Mr. Buchanan, who had in-
structed him, had not had time to Make the neces-
sary inquiries, and that he was instructed to give
the fullest contradiction to the imputation cast on
the defendant's character.

Mr. Bowring did not oppose the application, but
It was hinted that the fit of defendant was simu-
lated, or, if not, solely the result of excitement.
Mr. Bowring submitted that a medical man
should be called in.

A messenger was sent to see how he was pro-
gressing. Upon his return,
The Lord Mayor said, " He is able to come, but
he says he won't come."
Mr. Sleigh—Let Mr. Buchanan go to him, and
then if he doesn't come in, I'll go out.
Mr. Buchanan was leaving the court, but just
then the defendant made his appearance, and being
accommodated with a seat for a short time the case
went on.

Henrietta Johnson then said she was prepared to
swear that what she had before stated was correct.
Sho.went to see her sister at the hospital. When
at home witness never saw her father treat her
sister kindly, but latterly she had not been in the
house,.for her father would not let her go in. Ile
shut the door, saying she should never go in while
he paid the rent.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sleigh—l left my father's
house about three years ago. My father and
mother occupied separate parts of the house. There
was some talk about an allowance,• but after a
week or two he left it off. I cannot say that my
father did not contribute anything to their support.
My father told me some ten years back that my
brother had better go and steal, he said in
passion, " You had better all go on the streets, and
your brothers had better go and steal—that's what
you will all come to." He never spoke to us ex-
cept when he was in a. passion. The letter pro-
duced is not in my sister's handwriting, and I can't
say whether it is in mine. If so, it must have
been a long time ago.
Amelia Johnson—l know my sister Frances'
handwriting. The letter now produced is not in
her handwriting. It is in my own writing. I
remember my brother Arthur showing me a letter
he had received just after my mother's death from
father, and my sister Frances telling me she had
received a similar one, and I afterwards saw it was
a letter addressed to her in her father's handwrit-
ing. That letter spoke about some arrangements
to be suggested by her to her father with regard to
her future prospects in life as necessary in conse-
quence of her mother's death until she could secure
constant employment. Subsequently I had some
conversation with my sister about the subject-
matter of that letter, to which an answer was re-
turned through Mr. Wyatt. I believe Mr. Wyatt
had left the letter for my sister at the house. As
I recollect it, the letter asked either for a premium
to put her apprentice or for sufficient for her to live
upon until she could maintain herself. I frequently
visited my sister while she was in the hospital. I
saw Captain Styles there. I asked if he came with
my father's knowledge or sanction, and he said not.
I think he said he had seen my father since the
accident. He did not say that he was satisfied,
from the conversation he had had with my father,
that if my sister would go home my father would
receive her. As far as I recollect, he said exactly
the reverse. Another gentleman, Mr. Hunter, who
is also a friend of my father, was also there at the
time.

By Mr. Bowring—l received the letter produced
(asking ss. a week for rent of the room) from my
father, and quitted the house shortly after in con-
sequence. The only advice I heard my father give
to my sister Frances was that she had better go on
the streets. That frequently occurred ; but of course
we never followed that advice.

By Mr. Sleigh—We never knew what my
mother had of my father. My aunt carried on
business for herself, and he used to have goods of
us to supply to his correspondents, and he puzzled
us with the accounts so that we could never tell
how much we had of him. I do not remember
how much money we asked my father to let us
have to assist us in carrying on the business after
mother's death.

By Mr. Bowring—Mr. Wyatt acted as a friend
between my brothers and sisters and my father.
Mr: Sleigh then applied for an adjournment, in
order to enable him and Mr. Buchanan to consult
together, in order to consider what steps they
should take to meet the extraordinary imputations
which had been thrown upon defendant's character.
The Lord Mayor said defendant had had ample
time to meet the case, and unless some special
grounds were urged he saw no reason for an ad-
journment. There was the fact that he had refftsed
and neglected to maintain his daughter, and that
could not be got over, so that there could be no good
end served by adjournment.
Mr. Sleigh, bowing to that decision, said he had
done his duty in endeavouring to justify the de-
fendant against the imputations which had been
thrown upon his character, and which had placed
him under the public ban. He did not dispute the
liability of his client to support his daughter, nor
would he seek to impugn the testimony of the wit-
nesses. Still he hoped the Lord Mayor would not
adjudicate upon the matter, but be content to rely
upon the undertaking of the defendant to do his
duty to his daughter for the future, and not com-
mit him, as he undoubtedly had power to do,
under the Vagrant Act. In conclusion the learned
counsel. expressed his regret, and that of Mr.
Buchanan, that they were concerned in such a case.
The Lord Mayor, in a most feeling address, dwelt
upon the particulars of the painful case, and said he
could not, consistently with his public duty, do
otherwise than inflict the utmost punishment which
under the Vagrant Act he was empowered to do,
viz., one month's imprisonment with hard labour.
The sentence was received with applause, andthe
defendant was taken below and afterwards to
Holloway.

ACCIDENT ON THE STOCKTON AND DARLINGTON
RAILWAY.—On Thursday morning last, when the train
which usually leaves Bishop Auckland for Darlington at
6.10 a.m. arrived at the junctionwith the Clarence Railway.
at Simpasture, the switch was found to be wrong, and in-
stead of proceeding in the right direction, the train was
turned on the Clarence line. There were some coal-waggons
standing at a short distance down the line, and into these
the train ran with great force, smashing them up in all
directions. The engine-man, seeing what was about to
happen, leaped off his engine, which was considerably
damaged by the concussion. Happily, the injuries to the
passengers were but slight, the principal bemg that two
women were bruised about the head and another much
frioltened.
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