The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-05 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-April 4.

SOUTHWARK.—BERMONDSEY AND THE POOR.
—James Doyle, a rather intelligent looking lad,
about 14 years of age, dressed in a miserable plight
in tattered workhouse clothing, was brought before
Mr. Burcham, charged with tearing up his clothes
in Bermondsey Workhouse.
Fairburn, the porter, said that the lad was ad-
mitted into the casual ward on Saturday, and on
the following morning all his clothes were torn up.
He was supplied with others, but he tore them up
also, and was given into custody.
Mr. Burcham asked the prisoner why he tore up
the clothes supplied to him by the officials ?
The prisoner replied that he wanted to get into
the Marine Society, and it was no use going there
with such workhouse clothes on, and he told the
authorities so, and believing they would give him
some others he tore them up.
Mr. Burcham asked him if he wished to be a
sailor ?—He replied that ho did, as he had no
parents or any one to keep him. How could he
go the Marine Bociety_in such a 'state P He had not
even a shirt on. , • -
Mr. Burcham' asked the porter whether the lad
had been supplied with a shirt ?
Fairburn replied that he had part of one, and that
he tore up. (Sensation.)
Mr. Burcham was surprised to hear that. It
seemed a disgrace to give a poor boy at a work-
house part of a shirt to wear. He did not wonder
at his tearing that up. He also thought that the
workhouse authorities might have assisted such a
lad, who was rather intelligent, and wanted to avoid
bad company and the streets by entering the Marine
Society. He should not like to send such a lad
adrift, consequently he would see what could be
done for him. He directed Cohen, 210 M,
an obliging officer, to take the boy to Bermondsey
workhouse. and ask the authorities to assist the
Court to rig the boy out so that he could go to the
Marine Society. Surely they would lend him a
helping hand, although the lad did not belong to
their parish.
Cohen proceeded as directed, and about two hours
afterwards returned with the lad in the same miser-
able plight. He brought a message from the reliev-
ing office that he could not give the boy any other
clothing but workhouse clothing, and the master
refused to do anything more for him.
Mr. Burcham asked him if he saw the relieving
officer ?

Cohen replied that he did not. The message was
brought to him by an inmate.
Mr. Burcham observed that the parish authorities
and those at the workhouse were certainly not
bound to assist the lad any further, but he had
hoped they would have assisted the Court. Surely
they must have some other sort of clothing besides
the workhouse livery.
Mr. Edwin, the chief clerk, here informed his
worship that he had frequently observed lads and
others brought to this court charged with tearing
up their filthy clothes dressed in very tidy suits,
not at all like workhouse clothing. He would,
however, see the lad attended to, and send him to
the Marine Society, where no doubt such an intelli-
gent lad would be received.
Mr. Burcham directed the lad should be supplied
with decent clothing out of the funds of the poor-
box, and expressed his surprise that the workhouse
should send so young a lad out without even a
shirt. He did not wonder after that that they
refused to assist in clothing the lad.
In the course of the afternoon Mr. Edwin had
the lad decently clothed, and he was sent by In-
spector Reid to the Marine Society.
The poor lad thanked his worship and Mr. Edwin
for their kindness.
THE ORANGE GIRL NUISANCE AT THE RAIL-
WAYS.—An impudent looking young Irish girl,
named Jane Crawley, was charged with loitering
on the incline of the South-Eastern Railway, at
London-bridge, and assaulting one of the officers in
the execution of his duty.
Harlock, one of the constables, said that the pri-
soner, with a number of other girls, were in the
habit of assembling on the incline, offering oranges
for sale, much to the annoyance of the passengers
to and fro. He had warned her off several times,
but she repeated her conduct, and at last he was
compelled to eject her, and in the performance of
his duty she struck him a blow on the mouth. She
also used very bad language.
In answer to the charge, the prisoner said she
was only selling oranges when the officer interfered.
As for striking him, that was an accident.
Harlock said it was done intentionally, and a
very hard blow. Moreover, the prisoner was one
of the worst conducted girls about the place. The
others left as soon as required, but she refused to
go, and set him at defiance.
The magistrate told her the incline of the rail-
way was the private property of the company, and
she ought to have left when told. For the assault
she must pay 10s., or be imprisoned 14 days.

WESTMINSTER.—SHOCKING CASE OF
CRUELTY TO A PONY.---Henry Lucas, a coster•
monger, of Providence-place Lisson-grove, was
charged with the following shocking cruelty.
James Rutherford, an officer of the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,
said that yesterday afternoon he saw the defen-
dant, and another man about his size, in a cart
drawn by a pony. The animal was doing. its
utmost, yet the accused was beating it on the righ. t
side with a whip-handle as hard as he could; in
fact, as though he was striking a piece of wood.
and not a living creature. The pony was going
very lame, and he observed that the hoof was in some
way twisted inside, and the fetlock rested on the
ground. The men
presently stopped and got out,
and when he reached the animal he found blood
coming from its stomach in several places where it