The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-02-12
Extraordinary Sentences

Mr.. John Morley writes to the London
Times from Torquay for the purpose Of
drawing attention 20 a sentence of extra
Ordinary severity, which Was passed at the
late Devon Quarter Sessions by the Rev.
W. II. Karslake, and, If possible, to elicit
an explanation Of 1t :-
John Harrington, lsburer, Of Tor
quay, Was indicted for st EALING piece of
corduroy, the property Of man who was
| lodging at the George Inn, III that town.
| THIS man left the corduroy in a ROOM from
which 1t was missed shortly afterwards.
/ Harrington was at the INN at the time O.
! the loss, and. as he had once before been
I convicted Of a small theft, for which he
had been in PRISON for a month, suspicion
naturally fell on hum, and he was appre
hendvd, aud sent To Exeter t. wait his
trial There we're considerable doubts as
90 his having committed the theft, tor the
corduroy was not found III his possession,
nor was there any evidence as "a his having
sold or otherwise disposed Of 1t. Still, as
II was said that he had been overheard tell
M another prisoner that he had stolen 1t,
and AS his character VAS unsatisfactory, the
jury felt justified IN bringing IN verdict Of
Guilty. The man begged the Court to
have mercy on him, as he had already been
IN prison for two months. The answer TO
this appeal was gwen by tn rev. chairman
With a happy Irony, 10 the effect that they
would endeavor to keep him from tempta-
ton for some time to come. He was sen
fenced to seven years penal servltude
People who take much interest in the low
er orders know well how difficult 1t IS to
persuade them that they may always ex-
pect ID be treated, both b. magistrates and
judges, with eyen-handed lustIce, and that
the punishment awarded them will always
be fairly apportIone to the offence com
united 1t is, therefore, much to be
wished that the Rev. Mr.. karslake would
have explained to the astonished Court his
reasons for sentence Of such unprece
dented severity His fiippant remark ehc-
tied from provincial journal the perth
ent reJolner that We do not tll our con
wet prisons merely to keep men out OF the
way of temptation. 1t the Rev. MIR. ksr-
sloke should he induced to explain his
motive for uhictIng a punishment 50 Mt
terly dispruportionate t. the offence It will
be relief % the minds Of many persons
who have felt both surprised aud panied at
the apparent III llstlCt Win " men TIE IldH
has been treated recent sentence If
hve years penal srrvItud- passed on boy
81 the age II sixteen by Mr. Recorder
Cooke AT the last oxford City Sessions has
inst been cumuIutrd 10 one Of SIX calendar
months by the Home Secretary. The fol
ipNing Is the ofhcial announcement of the |
fact George Buckingham, VII, was con
victri at the sessions "a the 18th If Octo- |
Der last for straiIn. a paIr IT boots aud a
peuknife Of Mr. Wheeler, of High Street, |
ami sentenced BY the Recorder to i've |
years penal s,rvitude. was removed to the |
P,ntunVIlle Convict Prison OH the 18th of
November last. ami returned t. the City |
Prison. Oxford. On Wednesday last to serve |
the remainder Il term If SIX months, |
dating from the 10Th October 1915, the |
sentence ~ h,e years having been com
muted t. one Il SIX calendar months.
The severity Of the sentence Eas con. |
meuted "a strongly AT Oxford At the time, |
hut as the boy Sas said t. have gone Il a |
r,f irmatnry No steps we're taken to alter
II The i4d. hoNevrr. petitloned the Home |
Office, and the dispositions were at once
sent for.