Police.
The Times, 1824-08-07T00:00:00

MANSIOM-HOUS 3i51rs. Cater, the superintendent of Mir. Graham's silk-masufactory, was charged by a man nanmed Binker, the father of one of the children enploved in the factory, with ha- ing crnelly beaten his child, a little girl not ten years of age. Mr. Cole conducted the defence in behalf of the proprietors. The child is extremely delicate, of a pale and sickly complexion, but uncornoaly intelligent. She stated that she sang a song which hlad also been sung by the other little girls in the manufactory, and was sulddenly seizedl by the husband of the defendant and charged as the writer or author of the poetry. MUrs. Cater, upon hearing the subject of the song, beat her furiouslvover the head, arms, and neck, with her clinched fist. The poor child shoved the marks of fingers on her shrivelled arts. There were no marks perceptible upon any other part. The father of the girl said the marks were very vivid for a consi- derable time after they were inflicted. In her cross-examination by .1lr. Cole, the child said that the song was about Mrs. Cater, and was composed by another little girl ot' the factory, who had taught it to the rest, and thus it was knows/ and chanted through the factory. She recollected the lines, which were as follow _ " There is a girl all in the shop, '1 Both sly ancd deceitful: " If by chance you look or talk, " She wiU go and tell the keeper. "She has got ah ugly leg and foot below the garter, "And if you want to know her name,'tis Mrs.Caser, the parter." It jne of the duties of the defendant to parnt olut or apportion the silk, and she acksowlcdged that it was the scandalous and false assertion contained in the last line but one that roased her indig- nation. MNlr. COLE addressed the Lord Mayor upon the necessity of maintaining subordination in an extensive rnanufactory, whicht he declared could not be carried on without it. He couid prove that the child had composed the song, anti taukht it to others that ats up- roar was excited by it through the whole factory, and that the cor- rection was neither severe nor unmerited. A great girl was then callel, who said the establishment had a "large quantity" of liutle children who had got infected with the wicked song, particularly that part of it which put an ugly leg and foot under the body of Mrs. Cater, instead of being silent anti mind- ing their work. They believed the child to be the author, because sthe had great powers of observation, and had done something of the kind before. WVitness believed the correction was not severe, but she had not seen it inflicted; and the marks on the armns might have been occasioned by the struggles of the child to escape from punish- ment. Mrs. Cater declared that she had exercised her autlhority with all possible mildness,having useI hero p en hand upon the person of the child, for the offence of singing thie last lines of the impertineot stanza. The LoRD -n AVyoR inquired particularly into the regulations to which the children were subjected, and was informel that they worked from half.past six in the morning until seven in the evening; that thev were allowed half an hour for breaktasr, an hour for din- ner, and'half an hour for tea; that they worked generallv ten hiours each day, and were allowed 3s. 6:1. per week for ctie tirst.Year, and 4s. 6d. per week for the second year, with a small subsequent in. crease. The LOanD AIAYoU a:lmitted that the lampooni was such a n was likely to irritate the feelings of a lady, and induce her to inHlict a more severe punirhment than in her more tranquil moments she woultl be disposed to execute. He thought it improper to apply any corporal punislment to the tender frames of factory children of such years. Confinement, or a small reduction of their wages, anti in obstinate cases dinsissal, would be most effective and most safe. The power ot' corporal punishment was too dangerous to be intrust- ed to tiose who usually conducted factories. The case befere hima, however, did not require a strong interference, and he should there- fore dismias the charge. Thronuas !Ia7kers, the person lwho snapped tlie unloadedl pistol at a getitleman on 'Chalmige, was brought Up for another examitation. lie appeared to have recovered fromii lis deliriumu, was afFectionately received by his wife, advised by the LORD MAYOR to treat her with kindnetss, and discharged. MNIARLtOROUG11.STrsLgET.-This office, and all the approaclhest to it, were yesterday crowded to excess, in consequence of the ap- prehension of a woman and her daughter, charged with atroci- ous cruelty to a number of infant children utidec their care. Such was the indignation of the pppulace, that although the prisoners were conveyed to the office in a coach by the constables of St. Gilcs's, it was witl difficulty they could be s;aved from the fury of the crowd, or get into the office with safety. Thie prisoners, whose names are Catherine rrvin, alias W-icks, alias Eirdt, the mother, rather a respectable-looking womnan, about 45 years of age, anti lfary 17vint, a girl about 18, the daughter, being placed at the bar, MIr. Bi%gg. the assistant-overseer of St. Giles's parish, stated to Air. CONANT, the sittingrmagistrate, tthat having received informa- tion that moming that there were a parcel of young children iiving under the care of these prisoners, wheo professed to keep a school, aind take in boarders, int a state of the utmiost wsretehedness and star. svation, he proceeded with one of the beadles to a house in .'lon- mouth-court, and there, int a back attic, lie found such a scene of niiery as he never witnessed. There were the five youne children now in the office, between the ages of nine weeks and fiour years, one being an infant of the forner age, crawling about tbe apartment, morelike so naniy vermin than human beings. There were two bedsteads in the room, but neither beds, mattresses, nor clothes of any desrription, vwere to be seen; neither was there a morsel of food in the whole place, except a small bit of musty cheese. He queu- tloned the prtsoners as to whomr the children belonged, but thev re- fused to give any account of them, atid he brought the whole of the famtily to the office; and D)r. Burgess, the parish surgeon. vho saw the children, said that they were almost at dte point of death, frotn starvation, filth, disease, and cruel treatment. The poor little innocents were here stripped, one br-one, atd the whole presented one of the most shocking instances of human tar- itumle anti depravity that perhaps was ever witnessed. Their little limbs ard bodies were completely skedetonized by diseaseand starva- tion, attd they appeared, besides, to have been tortured in a most cruel manner. They were all beaten w ith such violence that, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, they were a masx of bruises and stripes ; and one little boy, about two years old liad a joint of ond of his toes torn sf1. The itifant of nitie weeks cAd ap- pearetl to be in a dying state while in the office, atid Mr. CONANT directed it to be sent off immediately to the werkitoese, and medical aid and everv other necessary provided for it, but it was so far gone that no hopes arc entertahied of its surviving. The other children, Iwho were supposed not to have tasted food for a long timiie, were pro. vided at the oftice with a supply of bread and nilk by Air. Wing. field, solicitor, in Great Mlarlborough-street, vwho happcnecl to be present, atna bumanely sent over tohishoase F6r a quantity of botn, whiich the poor creatures devoured most ravenously; but they were not allowed to indulge to the extent they wished, for fear of danger- ous consequences. Mt rs. Rodwell, the snother of two othe children who had been so cruelly used by the prisoners, stated,'That it May last she had occa. sloti to go into the counitry, and piaced two of her children under the care of the prtsoners, with the consent of her htssbaisd, until her return, and paid a weekly allowance for their board, &c.; but on her return to town, she found that her husband had quitted their re- sidence, sold every thing, and was no where to he found.. She went directly to the apartments of the prisoners to see after her children, and inquire about her lhsband-; when, id her horror and surtrise, she fonld him its bed with the eldest prisoner and all the chifdren. Sise immediately took away. her own children, who were in a de. plorable sitation, and are now only gradually recovering fiom the cruel treatment they received. -fer husband has sitice deserted her altogether, allowing her only 12s. a-week out of il a-week, whicSiis his salary as a bookbinder. Sile it was who gave information to r. Bgs of the state of these other poor children. The twto prisoners were then exaiTined separa'ely; and the ~dapgetr at hirst denies! all knowledge of vrho the children belonged 'O, w*ht t0hr namne; wcre, n- how they ane by the ill-treatmeit they a jeartild h.;:. .ti--rel,.tnd answered the questions Df Lhe Magistrates hi he most iinsolent manHer. It was at length extorted 'ron! her, th.t the infant 9 weeks old belonged to a gentleman some- wviere in the cotuntrv, whose name is Br:.v; that the child's mother died itnmediatcly tfter fts birth; and th7a it was brought to them three weeks ago by a woman natned Gibbs, residing at N,o. 40, Dean-street, Siho, who paid a'weekly n.11ovancefor ir- but who Allrs.Gibbs was, or what5she wat,5he could not tell. One bf the other children, shec Wd,'vam named Fredlerick Harnt; bitt-who or what big parents or friends: arerc shecould not tell. They bhavejid him sevea. nionths; anti sone nran,who brought hime. ca'led occasionridly to paq for his maintennice. Another child's name was E itcehins; bat his Christian Paine. iparents, or frieuds; she knew nothing about. A woman broughlt him nine months -.go, and sometimes caBlld to pay for Ihis support. As for thle otlhers, shc could tel nolhing at all about them; but perhaps Iher motber could. The elder prisoner was then, brought in, and questionel as to the childref,; bht she differe(d in mrany respects from the daughter's account, and prnfessed to know nothing of two of them7 arnd very little' f the rest; she, however, dellied baving il-treatea the cill- dren at all. MIr. CONAWT said, that thiz was oue of the most atrocioe.s caset he had ever known, and called loudlv for prosecution, which be hoped th. parish would not overlook. The conduct of these mon_ sters in human shape was something like that of Motber Brownrig, of infamous mnemory, and it Was Well for them that none of t:ese chilIrep had dlied under their tretmaent, or they undoubtedly wouid have been tried for their lives. As it was, they mnust each find two housekeepers as bail for their appearance at the sessions, anti giYe twenty-fbar hours' notice or the bail to the parish so- licitor. Mr. Biges 7said, that it was the 'determination of the par?h to carrr on the prosecution, and in the mnean time all the clidllren should be taken into the workhoEse, and proper memns used ta rc- Cover them. The prisoners were then committed for want of bail. Greorge [fat. a Young ra- of very respectable appearance, ins the employ, as Mhopman, of Mlessrs. Sewell and Crops, extensive hinen-drapers, in Compton-street. Sohb, i: as rermanded for anather examination, unon a charge of robbing his master of goods, monev, &c., to a considerable amount. 1l AaYt.Eitos E-OFr'YICE.-A iakoty <peujcer and Johit Reynolds were yesterday brought to this office, chargedL with havtingattexopted to hanag a Polish Jewv of the namne of Isaac Hvams. From the statement ot' the prosec:tor, it appeared that he wen: into the stables at tme back of Park-place, with his bag upon his back, he being a dealer in old clothes, and demanded of the defen- darjts, whom he fouiid in the stable, whetber they had anything to sell ? ., Will you buy a halter ?" exclaimed one of themtL exhibit- ing one at the same time in his hanid. Witness decined purchasing, anti the dcfendants then called out, " But you shall buy it; and, suiting the action to the word, thev fastened it round lIus neck. and, as he affirms, attenpted in earnest to hang him. He struggled and got avway from them, with the halter still round his neck. A gentleman who saw part ut the afftir described the transaction as a lark. The defendants represented it it. the same light,declaring that they had tin intention of injuring the Jew, but thaat they only meant to deter hirn front intrading into the stables in future. The Magistrates seemed of opinion that the defendants had chosen a very wrong subject for a larl, and game them leave to retire and en- deavour to nmake their peace with the defendant. On gettine into the outer root the Jew d,manded 21. but at last lowered his demanti to is., whiichI was paid, a1n1i the whole party left thle office. A young man, dressed in the 6rst style of fashion, with a va'ua_ ble brooch in his handkerchief, and a watch with gold chain and rp- petidaires hanging from his fob, sa:s brouglitup on a charge of having b heetn found in the area of the house of John Deval, Esy., No. I, Buckjinhamrstreet, Fitzroy-square. Howlett. the watchman, stated that lie saw the prisoner get over iand descend into the area, abouc twenty minutes past one o'clock in the morning, and that he approacied for dhe purpose of watching him; but, as he believes, was seen by the prisoner, -ho immediately at- tempted to reg.in the street, which, on his efrecting, wime6s after a sligrht strttgle took him into custodY. The nrisoner was here called upon to dleclare who he wra. anti after some reluctance he stated tnat tIlS antC waiS r reenctC inomnas, but declined telling where he lived. The watchman, he observed, had sworn positivelj tohis being the person whonm hesaw ascendingfrom the area, and he knew it was in vain for him to attempt to combat 4hat asseveration bv his imnple denial of the stactment. He felt that his prcsent situation was one whrich would excite a powerful prejudice against hinm, and although consciots of his own innocence, he would not pain the feelings of his rcepect. able friends and connexions bv dr-daring who he was, further than bv stating that he was a clerk in the employ of a respectable mercantile house. lie could assure the magistrate that he was not the person who ascended front the area, but that it) nassing by the house, he saw a man come from the area, who matde he escape, and immediately atterwards he was taken into castody by mistake for that person. The vwatchman deciared that he could not be mistaken. aS he 5e- cured the prisoner in the very act of getting over the area railing. .Mr. Deval, who frone Iiis infirm state of health had been obliged to come to the oflice in his carriage, spoke to baving been called up by the watchman about the hour he mentioned, ernd that he war. then informed the prisoner had been taken into custody under pre- ciselv the stame circumnstances as had been that dav detalted in evi- dencc.-Thc prisoner was fully committed for trial for the misde- meanour. HATrrot-GARDsEs.-Thornws ErTans, a shoernaker. residting at No. 6, John-street, Battle-bridge, appeared to a summons to answer the coniplaiit of Thomas Ford, his apprentice, under the followi,ng circumstances:_ The apprentice (who was accompanied by his mother and several respectable persons residing in the neighboiirbood) etated, that his. mnaster was what is termed a field-preacher; thatnot being contented with treatinghim in the mnost cruel manncrduring the week,strapping hiim everr hour, and keeping him in a state of' starvation, having no ttlace to sleep in but the childr's cot, where ihe lies crippled up, wit'k nothing to cover him but a thin yellaw old blanket and keeps him up all SaturdayZ night at worl;, and on Sunday prevents his going to attend divine service, as he'lcaves-him at home with a task of wo-k to do, whilst he, tbe defendant, is employed in the brick-fields and highwavs preachling to the passengers; and to prevent complainant ever Loing oiit, as soon as his mother gives him any clothcs, the de- fendant immediately pawns them, so that he has nothing but rags to put on; the defendant also pledged his Bible ant bosks, and but a dav or to ago he flung a boot at him, vwhich fortunaiely missed him anti passed through the window. Several respectable neigh- boors stated, tiatthey were frequently attracted to the house on besting the screams of the boy, from the cruel treatment he weas re- ceiving at the hands of his ma:ster. The Mlagstrate, after commenting on the discrepancy between the moral preceptor's conduct and his preaching, desired the boy's mo- titer to take hirn home utttil he could be handed over to a more Christian-like teacher ot' his trade. POLICE.