New-York tribune., 1901-01-26
IN LONDON POLICE COURTS.
A BOOK OF GRIM PORTRAITS.
PICTURES AND PROBLEMS FROM LONDON
POLICE COURTS. BY Thomas Holmes. With
photogravure frontispiece. Octave, PIP. vi 329
London: Edward Arnold.

POLICE COURTS. BY Thomas Holmes. With
London: Edward Arnold.
Mr.. Holiness account Of the London police and
the police courts Of the present day is such as to
make the New-Yorker envious. and cause him to
wonder why the second city in the world may
not simulate the first in the reforms 1t has ef-
fected ard the improvement in methods it has
gained. Everything that can be done for the
comfort, refinement and decency Of he prisoners
in London is now done. The tone of the police
has been wonderfully raised since Mr.. Holmes
began his work, eleven years ago, while the
magistrates humane and in touch with the
various agencies for the assistance of prisoners
Indeed. he has q high tribute Of praise for the
London police So far from observing that they
hunt and persecute prisoners released on the
ticket Of leave" system-what a glorious oppor-
tunity for blackmail would the adoption of such
a system offer here!-he has found numberless
instances Of kind actions and even Of thoughtful
care displayed by detectives and others. Again
and again have such officers brought old offend
ers to him, asking his help on their behalf AS
TO the magistrates and the complaints Of the
dispropOrtionate sentences they impose-such
complaints are not unknown in New-YOrk either
Mr.. Holmes has only words Of kindness. He
says:
The glory Of London police court justice is that
II is not administered in a scientific way. God
forbid II should be. for then injustice would
be the rule. and not the exception. | hope the
day may never come when our magistrates Will
have 10 deal out punishment a shopman deals
out goods-so much crime. so much punishment.
1t is impossible for any one who does not
hear case tried the different actors and
know something Of the attendant circumstances
to sit with justice) in judgment the right
ness Of any sentence that may be given.
Mr.. Holmes describes his work as 'peddling
and meddling with solitary Northumberland
cases most OF them" but of its good effects his
story is full. He seems never to lose his faith
in even the most degraded human nature. How
otherwise, indeed could he have been the best
friend OF Jane Cakebread. notorious for her rec
ord Of more appearances in the police court than
any other criminal? For years all England
laughed and grew merry Jane. Needless Of
the tragedy that attended her and OF the cruel
farce long drawn out that was enacted with
regard to her.
The police often fed at the sight OF her; they
did not want to take her into custody. Many an
officer has bribed her to go away when she ap-
preached him. l have seen policemen running
away. and old Jane after them TO be taken into
custody.
She not drunkard. and had no craving
for drink. but the smallest amount of 1t reused
the worst elements in her Everything was for
the best with her; every one else might be all
WTOHBp Dul SIe Was all IlBnt one DelleNeQ ner-
self to be a lady, and prided herself on it, She
cleaned her teeth regularly, for which purpose
she pounded up brickdust in any convenient
public place; she must battle in cold water.
sometimes breaking the ice in the rivers for her
bath. When at length she sent to the
asylum, she told her friend with tears that they
compelled her to bathe In warm water. Mr.
Holmes tells a touching incident showing her
faith in him. Near the end when she was lying
he went to see her, and trying for a sign of
recognition, said: Don't you know me? l am
Mr. Holmes" She half opened her eyes for a
moment and said: You liar. Mr. Holmes
wouldn't leave me here"
AS most OF Mr.. Holiness friends had an ir-
resstibe craving for drink. there was one who
had a similar craving for burglary, even when
the booty was not needed. The helping hand
was given him after terms in prison amounting
TO twenty-five years; he. too. was taken into Mr..
Holiness house. One night he told his secret
Mr. Holmes expressed his surprise that the in
telIigent. industrious, skiful workman he had
showed himself TO be could be burglar.
He not only knew it was wrong and crime
but he also knew it was folly and could not
pay He looked at me for moment and then
said: You have seen the power Of drink; you
know the fascination of gambling. Bring drink.
gambling, horse racing and roll them into one
and they do not equal the fascination Of burg
larry. 1 a burglar because L was
compelled to be a burglar"
1t is curious history. Set up in little house
of his own, he worked industriousy for two
years. Then came domestic trouble and with
it, of a sudden, the impulse to 'burgle." He
broke into a warehouse. and caught and
sentenced. On his release he again went to
work and again did well; but the tempter came
once more:
With some pounds Of his own honest earnings
in his pocket, with a watch and chain and plenty
of good tailormade clothes, with a thriving bust
ness that promised him independence. with
smile on his face and a Good night Mr.
Holiness" he left my house and went to the
suburbs and broke into a mean little house.
where il was impossible for him to secure porta-
bic goods 70 anything like the value of the
money then in his own pocket. So again
he writes TO me from convict prison, and pitt
full his letters are. II don't know why 1 did it,
hut I was compelled to do it,