The Sun.
London, England, 1816-09-24 00:00:00

POLICE OF TIIE NIETIIOI'OLI.

lto ail RT RA Y NSVORD, Esq, delivered in thejollowing
Papers,:—
" fiatttin-gartlen, June 8, 1813.
.1" Resolutions of O: Atatiistrutes :-
4, 1 11,,u race 41ficer 111111 Ile furitialith with st Itouk, iu

which he shall daily entcr.the occurrences which misc itt• the
exe,cioe of his inditiclual duty, and 'produce it by elercn
fo:cliich the sot:crud.- morning; to the isessenger, who shall
14 it, before the'inagistrate of the day, ninth his first coming
ihtir the othee, that he may have the means of examining into
the iculats thereof, if he shall so think fit. •
" •?... That it ally officer shall presume to demand any re-
' w,r.l ,!.tepect. of doing his Only, from any person or per-
ions Whittsnever; or shall attvmpt to settle any complaint,
Without briii,,;ing. it before the ,magi,trate of the office, pr
...i139 take, money fur .o doing; or shall prevent any person
trout c:,minx Tiler.y into the ollice oft their lawful businei4,
or thrall in arty way iii treat or abuse any pet son; or shall turn;
them tint, except by the order of the inie.,istrate, shall' he
immediately suspentled,, without pay; itt'ld if he does not 6416
ire;Untli aniwer for his conduct, and give such satiSfattion as
111;, magistrates sloll think proper, he shall he tli,Chargdd. •
.1. That no (aver shall hereafter heroine an informer tip._
" "/V penal iilatnte..unless with thelioprohation of Memo-
eistr.tte of the 'Tot) nlin of expulsion.
1. 'float nu oilicer upon any pretence .zo Ave
stilt s frotwilw chop onytlitty, without the consent
and direet:ros of,some ~yalore of, the magiKt rates.
. •

"5. cilia tin ;;Ijtll posfpolled-th fie evenit
_ -

that tan be 'lime 171 a winning, tittles% by order of the magi.,
'hates of-the da-i. . . .
" G.That as it is necosary that no eelity shellife occasioned
by any Officer in the execution of any suinatous•eir
the iuforinntion hook shall he signed by such officer to whom
enectition shall be assigned, ;and shall hr prcrillerd by such
Officer; at the hearing such eitse.t6 the cleric, who '..!)..11 cheek
if %-1.111- the iiiintite book, that when necessary it may be' ern
wlsat complaints have not been attended to, and.the officer
railed upon to account fur ttig delay; who,' if in (00,
be punished by flusifensiun or otherwise as the
rantrilstrates
way think expedient, r
." 7. 'flint there Shall he two officers in waiting each d.ty,
nint shalt lie entitled to the summonses and warrants
on that day and that if it shall be proved to the satisfaction
of the tonv,i,t ral es that ,rny officer shall priceot conlithainnuts
Irtim having free aercAs to. the office, or shall ;43e., 44.Y'llit!!tlis
whi);tlcr: to get. warr4nts or pther documents Mi) ltisown
binds, otherwise than according tti the 4enimr of ibis tatiele,
he thall be suspended Wi 0.0(4 liay as long as•t he magistrates
itiall think proper; and, if repeated, shall he cr.o"l,3rgetii
" H. That 110 facer shall take with him any person tint
clon;iii•• to the mlice, as Bil assi:it;iiit in ere execution of his
chiq, unless ditch Per.oit as may give intorniatie-n upon the
t, except by the express order of the magistrate 04.:ti
ryirtf I refiliectlYe case, 11‘1011 pain of anspension or ex-
a, the car may r •
• *. .is it seems expedientthat all peisnits within. the
+strict be satisfied of the intention, of the,
;.tt, towaras them, notice in primed band-hill,
delivered in such way as, the magistrates shall direct), signi-
fying.that,.3llvrstins who 01011,1 cl themselves aggrievvithy
the,cihrluet pt :trey ono tir non e ()Ince). olieeri, whetlitli' by
yiolenee.2or ot itemise Stro-deiired
to coil:plain, tr> the magistrates of any:sitch offences, who will
make, 1 tITI:rV into COMplairltS, mu!, if Mond' to be
attord, such relief as the nature-of the ease shalt
peclire, " TURTON, .
•
„t /. • " TfIONIAS.I.EACH.
ItOiIERT CAPPER."
" Police-office, liation-garden, .lao. 5, 1515.
"ordered by the magistrates,. that the two officers for the
day, and the messynger,_ lie in constant attendance from ten
tithtil Vol Sitting MiczistiiiteNritsalie
miler at night, oteept at the. ttkity, of Arms. r, !during .which timo
only i hey may e each otlier„tifter
`the gifting slagist, rate
is I...a.riv in the fOrlinoon, iind to* neiter•of them be obit..lit'
without prrnilisiou of '.the :Mitgistrate rlitring• that •
timi't it Aitti+tt to hr: cle4rly:tinderstood that tine.6l such
it'fivers, an ti Cie 111,--,e viol, aro ditring the hoUrs aforciald to
ready to hide litters stud iniAsairk-S, to keep order nip]
Sifeitee.;atti)-tos,ea that improPerpersoitt siostot come itith the
office liming the absence of the magistrates.
• "'That turtle of the inherollicers come into the niegistrateit
room, except tire exiiiiiiiation, unless
he bhs 414kpysi or stims:thing.to communicate to. the magis-
trates or
si Any eittieer neglecting his ditty,,lit tliese,rcepectsr will the
first time he so,pyinleel Cron) pay Inc at fortnight, and tor the
sectinil onii,;sion be discharged front hi', employment.
" s1(i1-1:,1 TurrroN.
RAYNAPOIII)."
" Police-office, Tlatton-gardeu, Jan. 19,1115..
" It is ordered by the inurtiatratetenf this office, that the
officers tbrrero belonging shall, ,aitbit) 24 bours.gext after
they Make a seiante tff goods or 'property of any'
What.evrr, deliver. the particular% in writing to onr of the
dirrks, in order that, iit,entry of the same may. he furl Int ;ill
ritade in, the hook providi'A for that lortiost. :
,and thin in case'
tiny' officer shitil 'neglect to Diake and deliver 'shell account
%it bin the time ufortzaid, he shall be immediately discharged:
, ". Ttllrl'ON.
" T. MCAT.
".It. ItAYNSFORD."

4

[RAitxt IntlN SELY.oN, gsq. Serjeant-at-Lato, one
- of the Magistrates of Union- holt, examined.]
you appointed ?--4n September,
181-1.

irt,ice,yott have been hi that' Sitaition, have
Ton directel your attention partientarly to the
state of the morals of that dioriel ?—Certainly
have, its intich as. opportunity li-t3 allowed me;
indeed ! may say, that sittee I accepted the show--
6010 have particularly ttiritl "Hy mind to the
state of the police hu-vitt: heel, sei'ertil years in
the prnfeSSinn, I thought it my titity to sa.—
WWI regard to morals, if the question alludes to
any increase orderrease of dapravity, really :Must
confess,' that from my experience in the polka .1
hardly know hon.' to dra‘v a comparison, -because
ft tau only he front the judgment that ninst
forni from what has passed titiCe I have been in
the sittiatino, atid therefore I am not so able to form
any decisive .ophann upon that particular point ;
but, ,zeticrally speakirtgolthinklatterly it has been
in some t'espects-upon the increat,e.
Have the number of julienne depredators in-
Creased I---To that particular point it is that I
lurlt : we have ltatl„ undintlitedly, many instances
vitichbave bevil lattientabie,..With regard to•the
youths that haVe been. brought before us titmt
roust confess, so'far. as. I con speak from my own
practice, it is one of the most ditUcult things that
srshiive to manage : we have even hod instances
()Rarents coming with their own children, and
Complaining flint they_ have been and still-are so
titternely depraved rind incorrigible lAA, to desire
Thu
,to send Il rtl to prkon, with the hope that
snalc amentlinent may he effected.
.You con»nit t(i.the New Prison, Clarkenwell,
do you not ?--.Nor,tolinrsemongir-fane.,
From the eotidition of that prison, arc yott,stt-
ti4icit that the. Chihli-en whom Von Send `ltere will
t:Cilier conic ont bvtter from the ptutishment they
Juave received, than Worse ?--=My private opinion
is, that 'children 'very rarefy. indeed come out
better; at the same time I niust say, that 'I kiln*
Orison Jti a I) 'suer state than that tit flOrte,
Inotigrer-laite; „end, I !‘now that the mogistratis
.of the cOunty littyc ttilicti a Ltreardcal of pains; and
have 6•(!,.161 ulteratiOns for the scparivion of of..
I,:cidurp„tuil of baving eVeq. acciiitim'odatlon to
, A
o'm 01 its pt furr ,
r:.
iliv3'en‘; idati cver ttggeved If to yot:r mind
is yous, (
to beJul Opinion abet children
tdrot 'are better b." trupr!sontnen ry
which an' Jest ithlkilment in trif: torr..tire of ff.
tentiary might lie set on foot, it) W likh the
conduct, of .the children tni,ght be remedied ?--.1

Lave often thouglit Cita some plan.of that
Would be of great puhrie litliity ; thete is lIU a
Society (the PhiLuthrOpic Society).in Sf.livOrg,e's
Fields, for the reception of abandoned youths, and
we are often indebted to the gentlemen tislol ;ire
subscribers and governors of that ins;';'ftition, for
the recommendation of seti era! youthrid prisoners,
who have been brought before us, to their notice,
sand. who are SQUICIIIIMS sent there ; and 1 must
cOnfeSs that I think if there was a plait of that
kind, or similar to it, .so as to be ablkopon a more
extensive scale to provide fcir the yclikyger class of
the,sommunity of this description, it would be a
very great benefit.
Your jurisdiction is very extensive ?--It cer-
tainly is.
Do you think that the number of officers that
'you have is at all cijital to the (tenuitd for theta,
.for the. execution of their. duty ?-1 cannot say
that I do ; our number at pre,ent, I .think,
cis
eight ; and 1 conceive it would be of great benefit
If it were .extended to tell, or twelve would not
he too many.
Are they all efficient officers ?—Tbey are. at
present.
Is not one eng.iged its tot assistant elet k ?—Xes,
it is so ; ill truth, '.VC have only seven efficient
constables ; %se have eight nomnally,- but only
seven act in:: as constah:ls. Hy the 'general esta-
hlishment of the poike.oilices, there are but two
eholcS allowed in each office ; and o,:e business
being very extensive, the magistrates, 1ux;,,,,; flay
appointment, were anxious to have the services (.I.f.
.a
third, and, not being able to have one regu-
larly appointed, of the constables. acts in
that rapacity therefore, in fact, we have but
seven eflio:ent constables.
Do the clerks daily attend their duty in the
shier ?—Out of the three, ,Mere are generally two
itt the morning; very often all- three ; httt they
are certainiynot at all times able to attend, having
other duties to perform.
Do • they practise its solicitors?---1 utotergtao
that Mr. Recves, the head clerk, is a solicitor.
Does he piriefise inthe'otlice as it sOlieitor ?
Not to My knowledge ; 1 never knew an instance
of it ; he acts merely as clerk to us, and I am not
aware of his 'acting as attorney in •the immediate
businessof the alike; 1 think 1 must have known
it if he Ina, because people coming before us would.
naturally have said, Mr. Reeves i 5 may sollcitor.
What is 4te:mature.of his attendante.l.—Per-
haps, ups) the average,. about four-fifths of the
time; 'he is often attending the sessions iod it
way be necessary prrintps. to explain With rigard
to Our office, that it is wader peculiar circaiti...
taoCes, and therefore not idtoether to be go
verned by the. exact princii.!e.; which govern other;
offices : our office 'is the'only one in the county of
Surrey, . ancl we. are quite detached front,
,es ; business goes to the 'county assizes,
and to the Surrey Sessions; and it is ahsolntely
neces,iny for One of the clerks and smite of Ow
officers to he away on those occasions as' witnesses,
and oil other duties..
If the clerks always attended the•duties Of their
office, Armada third clerk be necessary shrink!
think it Would; especially considering the are: iige
of their necesiary•absences, and the 4tent of our.
bat ittcs..
1)o your officers hold any other SittilOns 1)e-
-sides those under the police beliete not, I
never heard of it.
Are they tratlesinen keeping shops, or do they
devote thilt tivhole time to the duties of their.of-
fice ?-7-1 cannot answer that of my own know:-
ledge, but I lielieve Some at them have trades ;
thiS I can say,. with regard to our seven officers,
thai they do not appearto me, whate.Ver the na-
ture. of their trades may be, to be called off so as
to neglect* the publi a business Of the Office.
'The officers receisie as a' salary one guinea per
wed, 2-7-Ycs, they do.
• They share lasi) in rewards for apprdleinling.
offenders ?—Tliat is a chance matter ; ..so do
parish officers and whets.
Do you think that that latter mode of rewarding:
is of advantage to the public interest ?.;7-tienerally
speaking, I'thitik not. In my .opinitin, there dries
want tome amendment in the made of ;ow. aiding
officers generally; I mean upon all Ordinaryocea-
shins to be at the dis,let ion of the Mi,gistrate, as
where officers' its htinging offenders to justice, or
in making discoveries which, • matt% ithsta tiding all
their diligence, tnay be fruStrated, still deserve re-
muneration. Bitt I beg leave to add, that in ce.r.
Wit. cases we do make a return in our 4613edy
aceounts of monies :paid to officers for their -ex-.
Pencei and attendances upon business specially or-
dered by the Magistrates, anal which returns are
Signed by two of the Police Magistrates, anti 'al-
ways liberally allowed. Tins above• observation'
therefore only applies to the daily occurrences in
more trifling matters ; and indeed I
doubt-
thee, upon the fair construction Of the Police Act,
this is not 'slaffiCiently provided for.
. Are the officers permitted to receive rewards
frOth persons who require, their set vices ?--iNever,
to my knowledge ; but I have: reason to think
they do : 1 only judge of that mmon from the co
gentteinto apptyinit, in case of rob-
barks or in other occasions, for the assistance of
Officers, and I suppose they itiniethnei Make them
rewards for their trouble ; that however is to-
tally unconnected with the • government of the
office ; it does pot come before ns, nor can' I speak,
front airy certain knowledge of the fact.
Are the officers permitted in any cases to take
money from any persons who arc brought before
the Magistrates charged witkconiniitiing crimes ?
believe( never. , But I do not mean to theintle
that iii
m
Collion assaults, because it is the Usual prltc;.
!ice for the Magiorates, in cases- o' cOntmOn
as-
saults, of sending a party to-prison, or Cont-,
;telling him to be at the expence and trouble of tititt,
lug basil, when theoffenCe itself nutty he trifling, and
yet, 'fOuutf 'proved against him, to recommend the
pal-ties to talk together, and see if they can make it
up, and in sticir Case, pelluipsi-to give some 'com-
pensation tOthaWfitehOlSO for his time, ot
brit v,trich- the Mogistrates never settle tirinti.n'tere:
in, .only by tivny iif checking any inipntition.4. lent
1' do-not 'ilean to sayibitt we are alit 8671 far ac-
quainietl•witir this mode of renOncilistion
kno'nf. that- it is done', because the recant.;
mend it. •
ud yon-I,einiceivellrat'any considarabla paw. of
the emoluments of police-officers may arise from
what they obtain in such cases of 033111114 do

. .
conceive a considerable pat tof _the ttnoiuntent of
pulice-offigcrs -irises from what,,they arc pai,;
one may,txr another, either in that shape or in
other ways ; and it Is for•-that reason I think it
would be beneticial,ifsotheotberToode of reward-
ing Officers were adopted; - •
Do you not irnagintthat. the stnalle of
the emoluments which the police-offiera receive.
is their salary ?-1 answer t»trely as a matter of
opinion, that 1 shenild think it mitisi or, it: r~ttrer
wards, that they het more by-their offices, bifil)e-
-1.10 w or other, titan -their salary, for they have
families,. to 4.0-iintainl ,and should think they
would not be so desirous of obtaining the situa-
tion, if they did not tit-letkt 1001. a-yet?r, but
in tvhicb I include 1111 the,.fees,they are entitled to.

- Do yougicnow of any impositions practieed by
the officers ?L--Of my own knowledge rdo not,
but I have my.suspicions ; and in order to prevent
any certainly think it would be. advisable
to put the officers upon a more independent foot-
ing, by wa,y of sa,lary, in order to raise 'them if
tossible above temptation.
. .
To what place are persons sent, previont to
their being folly committed ?—All persons COM-
mitted -for re-examination, upon cliggc.---pf
felony, are sent to Ilottamootige.E.l.,toe.
Are they intermixed will) 01 her priloners who
are fully eolutnittvd ?--,1 believe they have been,
for want of accomniodmion tit the gaol ; but.
ktuttv ilott orders have heft, made- by the County
Aial,:istrates to !coke more room in the 'gaol, in
order to prevent auy such ittcOnveuience ; which
orders are being curried into execution. •

Are not persons soinetimes entntnitfed, wwl►o are
found, upon further eXaMillntiOn, to be perfectly
innocent of the crimes with which ,they pre
charged ?---Such iostaures hare occurred. At all.
events I beg leave tO say, that iti triN; opinion all
perions eounnitte4 for re•examinatiou ought to
.be kept pilot tram those «•ho have been convict-
.ed of otf.,nees ; and althoq4h it leas not' been

done, 1 kn'o'w it to by Ote.ititims Of the Comity
Alagistrates to do it, and that immediately, as I
have before observed.

Vu be continued.]

I'CLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-ST!',EET.
Aas ON..—VeBte rday Mary Reynolds, who hatt
.heett in eitstody several days on a charge of set-
ting tire to her waster's ftilly com-
mitted for trial by it N. CON Atl T. It apptated
by-theeVitience of Mr. '4'rowinard, of the Strand,
Profilist, that the visual:l-11ml been hut a litort..
time in his service ; that in the
evening of Wed-.
iteiday, the l Ith inst. about_ o'clock-,
tiiy of rt;iper %'s !wind lti)(ln)stitnle in tfie'hack;l,ir-
lotir, borut to pieces, an: the samr..night About ten
the pritrinter will sent upstairs to fech from thelliree
!;,ir the 1011 g Ce 3 t:ani'lestieh, in readiness tiguitiit
L! C;ltile hUine. took a lighted cao:ile tip
3,li,irs with .ber, and .was sontetinte gone. Spun
titter she came down Mr. Tiolvinard observrd a
strong ref:Loin!) of 1411 t aguitist
,the :wall at the
hack of lti* :Intl :went ttit 4tairVear)ng there
was a foe.. lie. cliseoveted that the tied furniture
in 0, ',vv.'. ottrtl:WtiS in a completetlaze, anti it
was with much ditlicuity thdt It., ..,stlecetlded in

saving his infant child wlio.vriss asleep iu the L'ett.
►
'ttnd in extiogliiing the fire. rhr pi isoner deoicd
ii emit ; bean that room, and (I)rir Sfje v.;11) went
into the ludger's.room for his camiletirh. The
10110%eing. Friday., 0
O,Qc, in t;t,
morning, a strong smi...!l of Lire and runeh Sm,,ke
issittd from the lower part of the
m 1.4,17, sent for some firemen, y.'ho swelled
about for some ltriur.vritioott;,tang041 e to
the cause, Alld • it. tVI nOt four o'ilOck in tbv
afternoon that Mr-Trowinard himself,diseUvered
' that it proceeded from an old cupboard used for
nothing but luinhei., irkt he hack kitchen, where be
found' a greartitiantity of rags burning opou anew
piece of bnivrd.• From this last circumstance his
suspicion became stronger than before, as no ode'.
wilt himself, Mrs.T., dud the girl,were in the house;
the other pint of his faultily being front house on a
visit. lie Called in MO or-three of his neighbotkrb
and strictly interrogated her 115 to Ibis fire anti
'the preceding.' Front her .prevarication they
brought her to this Office; and, since her confine-.
ment in Tothill-fields Bridewell, she has 'confessed
to the Chaplain, in the presence of Mr, Trowinard
and other Uentlemen, that she wilfully set fire to
the paper on The 'parlour table and the bed furni-
ture, and 'IdSo to the rags io the cupboard, for the
purpose of the house, and that she was
petsuaded to do so by an old woman, a fortune:
teller,• who had Crequently spoken to her at her
master's door eArly in the morning, and advised
tick to set fire to the house.' 'She is about 16 years
of age; and' her mother, who lives near Mr.
Trowinard, is an. honest • and mos: industrioui ,
woman.