The record-union., 1895-09-07
ENGLISH POLICE COURTS.
How Justice is Dispensed in Bow
Street.
The London s'Bobby'' and the Man.
ner In Which He Attends to
His Duties.

=
interested in one of the approaching trials.
The detective was courteous but guarded.
An English officer of the law is usually
disposed to refer all inquiries to some
superior officer.
One man does the talking for depart
ment and this man is made inaccessible
by surrounding network OF red tape.
The detective excused himself after
time and disappeared through door
marked private" In about ten min
utes he returned and said to the American
visitor: "Do you mind stepping in here
Tor a few moments?"
Certainly noL."
.'You, too" said he to the second
American, land would you be so Kind as
10 come with us?'
The latter request was made of calm,
elderly gentleman seated by window.
This diguitied person nodded assent
and the detective led all three through the
private door aud along a hallway 10 a
large corridor with a grated partition,
behind which were cells with iron doors.
step in, gentlemen" said he, swing
ing oven the heavy gate, and as they
complied he said briskiy and as only an
Englishnaan can say it: THANK you!
Thank you!'
Behind the grating were five or six
men. one or two of whom were bushy
and evidently disreputable. The others
We're we'll dressed, but had neglected
their toilets.
ALLOW me to take your STICK" said
the detective to one of the Americans.
He placed the stick inside of q cell and
said: Now kindly get in line right
along this side"
The two Americans and the dignified
Enghshman didn't know what to make
OF the procedure. They had been in
vited to accompany the detective, and
now they found themselves behind the
bars and were being lined up-for what?
Were they about to be searched? One Of
them. at least. was puzzled.
1t made very imposing row along the
cell doors. The two busy men were at
the head. Then came the dignitied,
elderly person, after him the other men
who had been waiting in the corridor,
and the two solemn Americans were at
the front of the line.
Kindly stand as you are" said the de-
tective.
A police sergeant in very trim uniform
came through the iron door and glanced
at the line. Then he approached one of
the men who stood in the middle and
said: You have removed your collar
and cravat. / shall ask you to put them
on"
Don't do it, Bill" spoke up we'll
"They 'aven't any right TO dress yoo up
for this"
The Sergeant didn't smash" the
speaker, as some sergeants might have
done. He simply said: "Come now,
there's no need OF being ugly. Behave
yourself, II you please"
Don't you put on any collar, Bill"
81 WON'T" said Bill, doggedIy.
Where's his hat?" asked the Sergeant.
"Get your hat and put it onr
"BiIl' found his hat in the cell and
came out with it pulled down over his
eyes.
Vow. don't be ugly, please" said the
Sergeant. as he Strengthened the hat.
Another inspection OF the line satisfied
the Sergeant, who went away aud re-
turned IN few seconds with three men,
who came into the corridor talking
French to one another.
One OF them at gesture from the Ser
geant started slowly along the line stop
ping in front OF each man and looking at
him intently for a moment or two. He
went to the end of the row aud then
moved back in the same deliberate fash
ion. II isn't a cheerful thing to stand in
line in grated place and have someone
stare at you. There is a possibility that
you may closel y resemble someone who
hasn't been behaving himself. At such
moment man wonders what he would
say and how he would laugh it off if
someone pointed him out and said: I" Y es,
that's the fellow"
Stopping before Bill" the Frenchman
nodded his head in a satisfied way and
remarked that he couldn't be mistaken.
HE wore collar when l saw him. said
he, but am positive this Is the one who
presented the notes."
'Oh. pshaw no, hor' put in Bill"
why, you never saw me before"
Bills" attempt at innocence was
rather weak, and every other man in the
line seemed to be reviewed to find that he
hadn't presented the notes. AS soon as
the identification WAS made the detective
led the way back to the waiting-room
and was profuse III his thanks.
1t seemed that "BilF' was a member of
q gang that had been cashlng forged cir
cular notes of credit at different cities on
the continent. English travellers on the
continent are not usually required to fur
nish identification. Money is readily
paid TO any one who has letter of credit
or draft, and the forgers by playing upon
the confidence of the bankers had real
lied large sum in Paris and other cities.
''Bilp having been arrested as a suspect,
the Partisan bankers were telegraphei 10
come over and identity him. When the
Frenchman arrived at Bow street The
police officers, desiring to give "Bill'' q
lair show, stood him up i'll line with
eight other men, and told the cashier to
zee if he could ind his man.
"Do you often ask people to come in
and stand in liner" ne was asked.
"Oh, yes, quite often. We like 10 get a
long line, because then when a prisoner
is identified he is pretty sure to be the
right one.
The Police Court OF Bow-street station
is held IN small apartment which has
three doors and no windows, the light
being admitted through a skvlight above
or krtn hn
trate, sits high ia state al one end of the
room. 10 the left and front of his high
desk is the witDess-Do resembling a
small canopied pulpit The prisoners
dock is elevated and is placed some fif-
teen feet away from the magistrate Be-
tween the magistrate aud the dock sit
the attorneys. Two or more police Off
cials remain near the dock, and one al
ways stands erect and in military atti-
tude when there IS prisoner in the dock.
The Supreme Court of the United States
Is not more dignified in the conduct OF its
business than is this Police Court. insti-
tuted to deal with the petty everyday
offenses. II q spectator took three steps
ecross the floor while case was being
heard police sergeant raised warning
finger and said "Sh-h-h" The police
men came in on tlptoe and closed the
door softly behind them. The magistrate
was venerable man, who seemed to
lend his entire interest 10 each case al
though he seldom looked at either pris-
oner or witness.
The cases were the trivial kind
drunks. disorderlies and small thefts, yet
each of them received the most careful
consideration of Judge who was compe-
tent 10 sit in any court of England and
who honored his ripe scholarship and his
kuighthood in the position which be
held.
While watching this orderly picture in
Bow street there came an inevitable COM