The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-02 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

SCANDALOUS TREATMENT OF CHILDREN. - Three
wretched little fellows, named Michael White, Timothy
Sullivan, and William Parrott, were charged before Mr.
Knox with begging.
Turner, Mendicity Society officer, said that between
seven and eight yesterday evening he saw the boys sur-
rounding the passengers by the omnibuses stopping at the
corner of Tottenham-court-road. They were offering
fusees to the passengers, and when they could not sell
them they begged of the persons. The parents of the boys
were in court. _ _ _

White's father stepped forward, and said he was not
aware his son went out begging, and that he would take
care of him for the future.
Turner said that Sullivan's parents grossly abused him.
Mr. Knox—The boys are brought here in shoals. The
story told me by the parents is always the same, that
they are sent out to sell fusees, but they are really
sent out to beg. I do not believe the stories told me by
any of the parents. I tell you, Mr. White, that you may
tell me what story you like for the first time, but let your
boy come here a second time and I shall have no hesitation
in sending him to school, and I will do the same thing in
all cases. Just think, man (to White) what you are bring-
ing your child up to ? You are doing that which will
make him a street thief. You are a strong man, arid look
at your child. It is a scandalous thing for a man to stand
before me dressed as you are (the man was, very well
dressed for a labouring man), and your child in such a con-
dition. I do not believe a word you say. Leave the court.
(As White was leaving the court with his boy.) There's
the father, and there's the child—look at the child. The
children are sent out to beg, their children get threepence '
or fourpence from them, abuse the police, and tell the ma-
gistrates the old story. I have one regret, and that is that
I cannot send all the parents to the treadmill.
Sullivan denied sending his boy out to beg, and said that
his boy had a bad foot.
Mr. Knox—Much you care about that.
Sergeant Clifford, E Division, said the boys and a num-
ber of others were in the habit of frequenting the spot
where the omnibuses stopped for the purpose of begging,
staying for hours, and the parents coming for the money
they received.
Parrott's mother admitted she sent her boy out, as she
was nearly blind.
Turner said that the boy Parrott told him he wanted to
go to school.
Mr. Knox said he would send Parrott to Feltham, and
remand the other boys, they being Catholics, to see what
could be done with them.
Three other little boys, named Theyshend, Buttery, and
Dixon were also charged with begging.
Buttery was sent to Feltham, and the other two re-
manded.

---- -.

THAMES.
FOWL STEAING.—THIEVES AND RECEIVERS.—Five dirty,
wretched boys, with only
a few rags on their persons, were
charged with stealing fowls. They gave their names
Robert Patmore, Thomas Cooper, George Walker, Edward
Somerset, and Charles Barrett, and the eldest was only 12
years of age. George Smith, a cowkeoper and dairyman,
was charged with feloniously receiving two fowls, he well
knowing them to be stolen. Smith was defended by Mr.
Stoddart.
Tamar Jones, the wife of Charles Jones, of Victoria
Cottage, Bromley, stated that yesterday evening at half-
past 7 she found the lowl-house, at the bottom of her gar-
den, open; and missed five foVils. She saw some one getting
over the wall. She then identified three of the stolen

fowls.
Edward Cable, police constable, No. 340 K, stated that
last night he supped Patmore and two other boys in the
Mile-end-road. Patmore was carrying a bag, and he
asked him what it contained, to which he replied rags.
He opened the bag, and found it to contain three fowls.
Patmore—The other chaps had some fowls.
James Howlett, No. 461. said that at a quarter before
7in the Burdett-road, Mile-end Old Town, he met all the
prisoners. Walker was running, and upon seeing him,
threw down a fowl. He knew all the prisoners well.
Patmore and Walker had been in prison under a con-

viction.
Two boys named Richard Sheppard and Alfred Chap-
man, who were concerned in the robbery, said that they
sold two of the stolen fowls to Smith in his cow-barn
in Thomas-street, Lime-house Fields. He gave ls. for
one, and Bd. fur the other. The boy's described the cow
yard and barn belonging to Smith very accurately.
The police officers engaged in the case, said that when
they waited on the prisoner Smith they asked him if he
had bought two fowls of soms boys, to which he replied
in the negative. He afterwards said two boys waited
upon him with some fowls and he refused to buy them.
The constables searched Smith's premises and could not
find any trace of the fowls.
Mr. Stoddaq made a spirited address for Smith, who,
he said, had been in business 18 years with an unblemished
reputation, which ought not to be destroyed on the un-
supported testimony of two wicked boys. Lie was assured
of his client's innocence.
Mr. Paget remanded the boys until Wednesday, and
admitted Smith to bail.

PATRIOTIC FUND.—There have been, in round
numbers, 9,000 widows and orphans placed on the books,
and there are in receipt of relief at this time 3,400 widows
and 3,000 children, of whom 1,000 are maintained and edu-
cated in boarding institutions. The total amount of
expenditure is X 86,000, £1,460,201. The annual
sub-
scriptions to December, 1865, was