Star.
London, England, 1822-01-15 00:00:00

1101.10 E.

MaNsIoN-Houst.—An investigation took place
yesterday, before the LORD MAYOR, which caused a
great sensation amongst the number of persons who
were present in the Justice-room upon business or
from curiosity. A man of decent appearance, named
George Poole, was charged on Saturday last by a
poulterer, who resides in Little Bell-alley, with having
_stolen two fowls, which lay rather exposed in the
front of the shop. An officer, named Field, had ob-
served the unfortunate man looking about in agita-
tion, and suspected that his object was to snatch at
something. The suspicion was correct. The prisoner
seized the two fowls and walked away. The officer
followed and secured him. No attempt was made at
escape, nor did the prisoner attempt to deny the
charge. On the contrary, he stood calmly and ac-
knowledged that he had taken what he was not entitled
to ; but he said he had a wife and three children, at'
no great distance, starving; and his wife was waiting
at home in the vain hope thit he would take to her
as much money as would give them one meal, and
pay for the burial of her youngest infant, who had
lain dead for some days. The LORD MAYOR observed
something in the conduct of the prisoner, at the bar
of the Justice-room, which led him to give credit to
his statement. His Lordship asked him why he was
tot at work? and whether he had not applied to his
parish in so dreadful an extremity as he had described?
The prisoner replied, that he had in vain applied for
work, and that the parish upon which he had a claim
(the parish of St. Luke) allowed him but 4s. a week,
a sum which merely paid for his lodgings. The LORD
MAYOR then directed that the prisoner should be pro-
vided with food, and lodged in the Compter ; and that
inquiry should be made into the state of his family.
Yesterday, Field, who is an officer of Coleman-street,
stated to the Lord Mayor, that he had made the ne-
cessary inquiry into the case of Poole's family, and
found that the account given by that unfortuqate la-
dividual was far from being exaggerated. The of-
ficer went, according to the directions of Poole, to
No. 1, New-row, Memel-street, ()Id-street-road, and
learned that the family of the poor man were above
stairs. Upon going up, he saw Mrs. Poole in a state
of indescribable distress: shZ had scarcely any clothes
upon her; there was neither bed nor covering of any
kind in the room, but in a corner lay a few rags, in
which he believed the wretched family endeavoured
to huddle themselves up at night. There were three
half-naked children with the mother; they were cry-
ing, no doubt, for bread : but there was an object
in the room which excited the compassion of the wit-
ness even more than the distress of the hungry chil-
dren. Upon a chair, without any more covering than
a little frock, lay a dead child. For some days it had
lain in that state. No money could be got to pur-
chase a coffin. The father had left the house in de-
spair, but his wife knew his attachment to those who
looked to him for support, and had no apprehension
for some time about his return. Nis delay caused
great agony, when she reflected upon the violence of
his grief at seeing his children perishing. On being
told that he was in prison, she expressed but little
surprise at hearing that he had stolen the means of
keeping life in those who tarried for some time longer.
The officer declared, that in his life he had never wit-
nessed suet) misery ; and *although a poor man him-
self, he could not help giving the poor woman a shil-
ling. The moment he gave her the money she dropped
down on her knees to thank him. Bread was imme-
diately brought to the children, and the officer left
them in a state of comparative felicity. While the-
officer was mentioning these particulars, Poole stood
at the Bar in tears.--The LORD MAYOR relieved the
present wants of the unfortunate wrson who so power-