River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-12-10
PENALTY OF POVERTY.
DIsgraeefaI Treatment ola Poor Man by
an English Justice.

PENALTY OF POVERTY.
DIsgraeefaI Treatment ola Poor Man by
an English Justice.
The following report of case heard
at hartford petty sessions before Mr..
c. s. Umfreville Gin the chair), Capt.
Palliser, and Mr.. j. Flower Jackson,
is taken, says the London News, from
Saturday. hartford Express: George
Field, bricklayer, was summone for
non-payment of Fl Is, being arrears,
at the rate of Is. per week, of an order
of the court made against him, in com
mon with his brothers for the mainten-
ance Of his father. an inmate of the
hartford Union workhouse. Mr.. Nc
Leod. the relieving officer, stated that
the case had been adjourned two success
siye months, to enable the defendant
to pay. Defendant-Youk know very
well have not had the means to pay;
i want il settled one way or the other
and the sooner you send me to Maid
stone jail again the better. The chair
man-If you 90 on IN this way you
will very soon find yourself there. De-
Jail at once? When you have taken
all my traps and left me penniess,
with wife and nine children, YOU
could send me there for thirty-one
days. The chair man-Can You keep
yourself quiet? Defendant-We are
all Englishmen, ain t we? And law is
law | have been laid up for nine
weeks. and can be quiet when have
had thirty-one days in Maidstone jail
for nothing? The chairman lem
phatically) If you are not quiet |
Shall certainly commit you. Defend
ant-If don open my mouth no one
else will for me. Let me have what
ought to have-justice. The Chair
man-If you don't be quiet you will
have to suffer for it. Defendant
| have suffered once, and | can suffer
| again. You were all members of the
! board of guardians who sat on the
| bcncll and sent me to Maidstone Jail
for thirty-ope prosecutors and
| Judges too. Do you call that justice?
/ may as well do six months for
nothing as thirty-one days for what |
never owed Mr.. McLeod-The case
was adjourned in consequence of his
! being out of work. He went to work
| last Wednesday week, but his wife
would not tell me wher She has
sent rue As, but told her / could not
receive it, as the case was in the hands
/ of the court Defendant-She went
and borrowed As of her father TO keep
my father because she thought should
90 to Maidstone jail. Mr.. Mcleod
| He has been at work since last We'd
nesday bricklaying, but his wife would
not tell me what he has been earning.
Defendant i have made 105 hours
since was here a month
ago to-day, and | have a wife and
nine children to keep. The Chairman
What does he earn? Mr.. Mcleod
/ He is bricklayer. and earns Cd. an
| hour. Decentralization l can get it
can command Sd. an hour us a me-
/ chanic. but if | can't get work what
am to do? There are thousands of
us starving. | would as lief be in
! Maidstone jail as out of it at the pres
ent time. You have had the case be-
fore YOU times out of number, and
when had not got a chair to sit upon,
YOU sent me to Maidstone Jail for thil-
| ty-one days. and left my wife and nine
children penniless The Chairman-i
| have looked upon your case and dealt
with il most lenieutly, When you
were not able to pay 1t was adjourned
| for month, and then it was adjourned
! or second month, and now YOU come
! here and behave yourself in this man
ner. l tell you, you are disgrace to
/ the class to which you belong, liafon-
! dant-I have 70 to pay for back rent.
| What am to dop may Just as well
| 90 to jail The Chairman You be-
have yourself in such way that will
| send YOU to Maidstone Jail for
/ Clerk-Have YOU any questions 10 ask
the relieving Oiilcer2 Defendant
have nothing more to say. only that
have wife who is just ready to go to
bed again. The CHI irmdn-Yous stand
committed to Maidstone jail ior q
month. and the next time you come
| here. hope you viii know how to be-
have yourself You are disgrace to
your fellow men. Why?
because / speak the truth. Is that the
reason why | am disgracep The
Chairman-Ye The defendant was
then removed in custody; but some
time after he again came before the
magistrates. and, addressing the chair
man, said: What am | committed fQr2
have wife and nine Children, surely
YOU are p0t going 10 take me away
from them againp The Chairman
You should have thought of that be-
fore, instead of behaving like mad
man. As have already told Yoa,
have tried WAat ! could do TO bring
you 70 reason, and what have | got for
itP The guardians abused, the law
abused. and every person abused, AS
YOU have chosen to do this, and bring
it upon yourself by your misconduct,
YOU must bear the effect of il ana go 10
prispn. Defendant Gin beseeching
tone But what for? The Chairman
Never mind that, you will go t.
Maidstone Jail for month. If you
had behaved yourself reasonably, you
would not have had to go. Defendant
Are my family to starve for another
thirty-one days after all that we have
suffered? The Chairman will have
no more talk with you; you are com
mitted for a month. Defendant-And
you call this English Justice! The
court then rose, aud the defendant was
removed in custody in the presence of
his wife and daughter, who were cry
ing bitterly.
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Coin Circulation In France.
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