Police.
The Times, 1824-04-24T00:00:00

MANSION4-IOUsE.-Three boys, named Woodward ,bboti, and Eaurshaw, were brought before the LORD MAItYo for his disposal, as thieves found at large with intent to commit depredations. On the29th of Mlarch last, at about one o'clock in the morning, a noise was heard in an old ruined house near the Minories. The disturbance became gieat, and an officer went there to ascertain the cause, when he found a gang of eight little hungry wretches, fighting for the division of a piece of bacon which they had stolen in the course of the evening. The whole were taken into custody, and brought before the Lord Mlayor. It then appeared that they lived in the streets by begging or by thieving, and that they came to this ruin for shelter at night. They were all either orphans, or deserted by their parents, and were utterly destitute. The eldest boy, WIroodwaTd, was nearly 15, and the youngest, who did not know his age, was judged to be about eight years old. The nrost active searcb was made for the little outcasts, and some friends of these ornhans were found. They took them away, and promised to place them in some way of getting their living honestly. Two of them were sent to Bridewell, and the temaining three were sent to thc Refuge for the Destitute. The officer who took the boys to the sooiety informed the LordAMayor,that he had stated the circumstances fully, and the result had been an absolute refusal to admit then,. T1~he LORD MARYOR said he had received from the secretary. the Rev. DIr. Crosby, a letter which was really very extrordinary,which statediu substance,thatthecasesof Voodward, IEarnshaw,and Abbott had been considered by the Committee, who had directed him (Alr. Crosby) to state that the last two were below the age admissible into the establishment; and that the first was not criminal, and had a father in employment, and capable of giving uork to his son. He begged to be allowed again to remind his lIordship, that the Institu- tion wasoccupied in the reform of youthful culprits, under which character not one of the above boys could be classed. The LORD MAYOR expressed great surprise at this letter, and a second time examined the boys, and it appeared, that they had lived | by depredation or how they could; that two of them knew neither father nor mother; and that the father of Woodward either could or would not keep him. He was surprised that the door of this in- stitution, which professed to receive destitute children, should be shut againstobjectslike these. Iftheywere not- destitute," who were? One of the boys was objected to because he was not a felon.Alas it ne- cessary that he should go and commit a robbery in order to qualify himself? In the rules of this society, to which the Corporation had subscribed the sum of 310l., and seldom obtained an admission for an object, it professed " to give a refuge to those who have been recommended by the magistrates of police; to those who have tor- feited their character by dishonest practices, and have, nevertheless, tbrough the lenity of the persons injured by them, been saved from the exposure of a public prosecution." And yet threeof agang which had lived by depredations Were rejected by them on the excuse that two of them were of too tender an age, and that the third was not sufficiently cqiminal. This was not the course pursied by one medtorious insfitution, the Marine Society, which did not act upon nice rules, or reject becausea boy happened to be an inch aboyt or below a certain st(ture, or a day younger than was stated. All meana hsd been tried to bid out places for the reception of theunfortunate little outcasws, wbose parishes were unknown, and who must heve recourse to robbery if they were again turned loose as victgs to vice. A Gentleman who had entered the room while the Lord MIayor re-examinedthe. casesof the young depredaMor, here stepped for- ward, a si&dhe was a friend of r. nCrosby, and a supporter-of the Refuge for the Destitute. He was sure these-unfortunate chil dren would be immediately admitted if their cases were stated to the Committee. The LORD IMAYOR asked if he was " quite" sur;e. The stranger said, he waspositiva that no refusal would be given. The LORD MAlYO sAid be would give the gentleman a piece of infoimation. He then read the letter from Dlr. Crosby; on hear- ing which the stranger was exceedingly surprised, and offered "hbs" intercession to obtain an admissilnn for the boys. He was sure it would he effiectual. sThe LoiR 31AYOR, howeret,dec,ned it, and ordered the pri- soners to be taken back -to the Compter until he tried some other place into whichtsey mightbetaken,and sved from the gallows, for fih iouldnetathifkof exposing them to the certain fate which musttai,Ot their, ilclirge. At insttution was wanting to sup- p2lt that whfch -r.one of theos-entatious establishments now gave -zVori tZalt-hile who were found at large in a state of destitution, int-der the noces*ity of either robbing or starving. ' ENroi-nl&ir.-A niiddle.age'd respectable.looking man, iiamed 4b.4t, Waibtouglii,before'li. AL-LEN, Esq.,charged with having asiiulted -May,bhawife,on Wednesday last. Ir*., Abbott; *ho iialao advanced in years, stated,thaton MWed_ neadaylWt her hiibatndiisaulted, and tutined her outof his house, withtout sny eanse snd refusd toasdmitber back again. -The defendant, bo ppeared-to be labouning uner much gita. ion durinig the above stastment5 delivred himselfto the following efiect: " Your Woesbip;I iwill gise you my easonr for the con- luct Irursued tovards mny-ife e; snd I am convinced you will feel aatuSc, under dll-, the 4ircumstates, thit I were justiWed in what I did. Incdeed, the provocation was of such a mr. tore-as to irritate the feelings of any married. sparn living. On Wednesday last, mny wife arnd I was sittdug,in the par. lour together, when the subject of our conversation turned upoM. the late case of crin. con. tried in the Court of King's Igenclh. it; which the plaintiff recovered 5001. dmagmes. Mrs. Abbott said sh:e had not heard of the action before, and expressed a with to hear somc of the facts, which I related toher, andobserved that Iwassurprised the jury had dealt so very leniently with the defendant-in awarding such small damages. I also remarkeA that the lady-who was the cause of the proceedings was ' a vile hussev,' in conducting herself so scandalously towards a husband who had gone to considerable ex- pense after his marriage in paying masters for-the purpose of teaching his wife all the fashionablc accomplishments a lady should be mistress of. Upon which, Sir, my wife bridled up, and said-' Air. Abbott, I amn surprised you should 'defame the lady in that way, and r now'tell you, if l was treated by you as that lady was by her husband, I should just do the same thing.' 'For God's sake trs. Abbott,' said I, ' do you meau whar, you say ',' 'Certainlyi do,' said she, 'for if a husband goes ito the country, leaving his wife alone behind him, I think that woman has a right to do what the lady you told me of did.' l was astonished at my wife's decla- ration, and remarked, that as I was frequently obIiged, on account of rtybusiness, to leave town for days and nights together, I hoped and trnsted she did not play such tricks; to this she made no reply, but said, ' I do still think that the lady was not to blame: a*t l stillsay that I sbould have acted in the samneman_ ner.' ' But, Mrs. Abbott,' said 1, ' vna will recollect that we arenot young folks, and we have a family 'of six children to look after. 'Oh VI savs she, ' that would not hinder me: neither does it alter my opinion of the poor unfortunate laIy.' I coxuld restrain my tem- per no longer; I rose from the chair in which I was sittingr, and de. sired her to quit the apartment innmmdiatelv; adding, that she was unworthy of remaining under my roof anv longer. She resisted the command, antd I aduit that l turned 'her out, but did not as- sault her. Mr. ALLES observed, that it was a pity persons in a respectable line of life, and so many years married, should quarrel about such ridiculous nonsense as detailed in the defendant's statemnent. MIrs. Abbott declared, she had been Yiolently assailted upon the oocnion; and all she wanteJ was, that Alr. Abbott might be re. strained from using lher ill. The defendant said, that after his wife had expressed such opinions in favour of erim. con, he could not think of living with her any longer. He had no objection to allow her a separate maintenance of 41. per month, or indeed any sum the magistrate would be pleased to suggest. Mlr. ALESt observed, that if the defendant's object was to ob- tain a divorce from his wife, he imust apply to another Court. He was n*w brought before him (the liagistrate) foran assault upon his wife, which was proved, and he must find bail. The defendant burst into tears on this decision, saying, that it was ahard case be shoud suffer for endeavounng to correct a very improper notioa his wife had formed relative to the subject he had already alluded to.-Bai was then taken, and the defendant wasliberated. POlICE.