Weekly News. — 1890-05-01 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

WORKHOUSE SCANDAL.  At the Westminster Police-court, on Friday, nfooseph Bailey, 30, a kitchen porter, was charged on a warrant, which was obtained at the instance of the Chief Commissioner of Police, with havingconanraittt d a series of offences in Chelsea Weskffinuse.—Mr. Bodkin watched the case on behalf of the Chelsea Board of Guardians, and Mr. St. John Wontner, by order of the Home Office, conducted the prosecution.—ln opening the case Mr. Wontner said it wan one of a most serious nature. It was an extraordinary thing, and one for which no explana• tion had been forthcoming, that tine shucking offences charged continued so long as they had, the perpetrator of them—the prisoner in the dock—being, by Pl-1110 sort of influence or interest, allowed to remain an inmate of the workhouse. Unideubtedly complaints score made from time to time against him, but the authorities did nothieg snore than move Ilion hem one part of the looms to another, and even when he left they allowed him to collie back, and the very disgraceful conduct was continued, Ile (Mr. Wontner) felt that before the case was over onions sort of explanation must be cffered. Tine workhouse authorities were n.ore immediately int. rested than a public department like One Treasury, and it would have been thoeght that they would have taken the proper steps for the protection of the poor people in their charge, but though at first they seemed ready to do so, ultimately they declined to take any steps its the matter, mid the Treasury solicitor, who would not properly Inane tine conduct of this prosecution. and the police had to take up the ease by direction of the Home Office. Mr. Wontner then proceeded to detail the charge, and said that the misdemeanours being properly tryable together could all be charged ins one indictment against the prisoner, but when it came to the graver charges, which would Ins treated as felonies, each wound form the subject of separate indictment as one could he decided at a tinie.—Witnesses were then called, the first being a boy named George. Archer, who gave evidence as to what occurred against his will in December last, when he was an inmate of a ward of which the prisoner was in charge. A report was made to the labour master, w ino proceeded to the master's office, and some days afterwards the boy said that he went before the Board. Ile left the wonklieuse and went to a Working Boys' Home in Whitehead's - grove, Chelsea.—Priscner cross.examined the boy as to why Ins had not been prosecuted before, and said that he remained in One workhouse long after the alleged assaults, and that nothing was done—Mr. d'Eyneolirt said no doubt there had been some unaccountable delay, hut that did not in the slightest degree affect the boy's evidence—Tine prisoner was remanded in custody.  At the small town of Naso, in Sicily, a workman named Snout murdered his father, mother, and brother, because he said they treated him with great cruelty. It is believed, however, that the man Is mad. Four youths, named MTformett, Hickman, White, and Milner, were remanded by the Salford stipendiary on Friday on a charge of being con. cerned in a "1-euttling " affray. Two gangs of ecuttlers had a fight. A lad mimed Moffatt was surrounded by his enemies, wac stabbed in the back seven timer, and brutally kicked. For this outrage eight persons are in custody, and Moffatt was afterwards arrested for his share in the disturbance. The four youths now remanded were companions of Moffatt.  Jean Francois Millet's great artistic masterpiece The Angelus "wee originally taken to the United States under the six months limit prescribed by the law As the period during which foreign works of art could be exhibited for Bale. The time elapsed the other day, and there were but two courses opcn —either a duty of 30,000 dots. must be paid, or the picture must again have United States territory. The latter course was adopted, and hence it comes to pass that the great work of art is at this moment mouldering in one of the vaults of the Bank of Montreal. at Montreal. in Canada.