The Press. — 1856-01-12 (London, England)

SIR ROBERT W. CARDEN, OR the occasion of a wretched-looking, half-naked child of nine years' old (one of many of this class) being brought before him, at the Mansion-house, on Monday, charged with begging in Threadneedle-street, spoke strongly againt the system of street almsgiving. From the evidence adduced in this case, it appears to be the function of those children who at this time of year surround the confectioners' and bakers' shops, and importunately beg for a morsel or a halfpenny, to transfer their gains to their parents, who wait round a near corner to receive the profits of their children's exertions. A baker's shopman assured Sir Robert Carden that he had seen three boys outside his window receive as much as two shillings in pence in less than an hour, and that, though he bad often tested the sincerity of their complaints of hunger by calling them in and giving them bread, they never wanted it. Sir Robert Carden, in conclusion, said:—  A heavy responsibility lies upon those who give money to these children, who are brought up in almost every in: stance by their parents to idleness, and I actually am disposed to believe that the evil will receive no correction ncr alleviation, except by some act inflicting a penalty for giving street alms. The money thus solicited is not for bread or for meat. It was but a short time ago that some ladies of my acquaintance were solicited by a wretchedlooking woman, who had a train of ragged children after her, and begged with an earnestness which seemed to be inspired by famine alone. The ladies were near a butcher's shop at the moment, and, determined to give a Christmas treat to such a miserable family, ordered the butcher to cut off three or four pounds of good beef steaks, to make their other contributions more perfect. The moment, however, they turned their backs, in walked the recipients of their bounty, and, laying down the steaks, said to the botcher, " You know we don't want this. Take it back, and give us back the money you got for it, or buy it at any price you can afford." Juat stizli is the fate of the gifts of the humane but unsuspecting population of London to street beggars. The baker's shopman said that when gentlemen, who would not give money to the begging children,, to supply their parents with the means of 'getting drunk, purchased bread at his establishment, the offer was immediately afterwards made to sell back the purchase at a lower rate. Sir R. W. CARDEN : There is no practice so injurious as that of street almsgiving ; and this kindness, or rather the criminal infirmity of the shopkeepers who allow these infant beggars to be round their houses, is a great encouragement to the trade, which is of all trades the most likely to min the minds of the wretched children. They go on fiom begging to thieving, and they will continue in that horrible progress till they sink into the grave, so long as the mistaken humanity, which my brother magistrates and I are constantly deprecating, is without restraint. I ain confident that many of the low ginshops would be obliged to shut up if they were not fed by the money procured by these children for their unnatural parents, and the system is carried on in such a manner that it cannot escape detection by any one acquainted with life. I trust that the public will look to this great evil for the sake of the poor objects themselves. THE CASE OF THE GREAT SPIRIT ROBBERIES AT Bnisror. was tried on Thursday before the Recorder, Sir Alexander Cockburn. In the case of Stephen Bendall, the receiver, the prisoner's servant deposed to having been sent by him to the house of Kendall, his accomplice (turned Queen's evidence), and having there received, in a jar, certain quantities of gin at three different times, which she brought to her master. The evidence of Kendall, the informer, agreed with the servant's state• went, and the jury found the prisoner Guilty. The Recorder sentenced him to eighteen months' imprisonment with hard labour. Davis was next put upon his trial, found Guilty, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour; while Sims, there being no .evidence to- convict him as an accomplice, was acquitted. Mr. Philips, in evidence, deposed that, so far as he could ascertain, he had been robbed of 2,066 gallons of brandy, 393 gallons of rum, and 832 gallons of wine. A rigorous investigation is being prosecuted by the Custom-house authorities, and many subordinate officers suspended. ABRAHAM BAKER, the footman, who murdered his fellow servant, Naomi Kingswell, was execute& on Monday morning in front of. Winchester gaol.