men's bills are examined, and to them I would now ask you, Sir, whether all vouchers are produced that the I have not suffered a very serious inwork has been done: by them the jury from the invidious conduct of Governor's expenditure is strictly some party or parties on this occalooked into; and no work can be sion, in being held up to contempt done without an estimate being laid before the public? and, what is of before them for their consent; the still greater importance, in being provisions for the prisoners are duly lessened, most likely, in the good attended to; contracts are made for opinion of my friends and acquaintall the articles for the use of the pri-ances, and in the esteem of those son; care is taken to see that they honourable Magistrates who were are all delivered agreeably to the assembled at the Sessions-house last sample or pattern left in the office; County-day. in short, the same caution is observed For the obloquy that has been cast by those excellent Magistrates in all upon me, I can only say, that no the contracts that are made, as if compensation in gold or silver can they were individually dealing for ever remunerate me. themselves. Does Mr. Conant pre "Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'tis some- But he that filches from me my good name, tend to say, that because my name has been struck out of the list of Visiting Justices, he can prevent me or any other County Magistrate from de It will very naturally be asked, manding entrance, and going over What can be the cause of the vindicthe prisons belonging to the county, tive spirit so evidently manifested and examining every cell and every towards Mr. Hanson? It at present room in the prison? No, Sir, I can appears a mystery. But, perhaps, still do it, notwithstanding his futile the following may form some clue to orders to the contrary. Does he pre- a solution of this question. Some tend to say that he can prevent aChris- months since I came, I will not say tian Magistrate from endeavouring to unfortunately, in contact with one of persuade the poor unfortunate pri- the Police Magistrates of the Marlbosoners to read the sacred Scriptures? rough-street Office. In one of my He must know that nothing but an visits to the House of Correction, I order from the Secretary of State, was accosted by a very respectable that no person whatever shall be per- old man, seemingly in the deepest mitted to see particular prisoners, distress; after I had heard his tale of can prevent County Magistrates woe, from motives of common hu from examining every part of the manity, I took up his cause; and I prison, and conversing with ich as feel persuaded that there is not a well as poor prisoners. County Magistrate but what would have had the same feelings of com- | cause of his commitment to the passion, had they seen and witnessed House of Correction, in Cold Baththe distressing situation of the poor fields, by Mr. Dyer, the Police Maprisoner, which induced me to write gistrate sitting in Marlborough-street, the following letter to the Secretary on the 20th instant, for one month to of State for the Home Department. hard labour. But, before I proceed, I do most un- "The said John Watts was forequivocally declare, that I have no merly a publican, but had retired other motive whatever in publishing from business, and now lived upon the following letters, than the desire his income, at his house, No. 25, of clearing away the obloque that Shouldham - street, Mary-la-bonne; has been cast upon me; and, feeling that he left his home about eleven myself called upon, in consequence o'clock in the forenoon, to receive an thereof, to stand up in the defence of annuity at Messrs. Birch and Co.'s, my character, give publicity to my Bond-street; on his return home, going through the Park, he was taken ill, and being in great distress, he sought out the most private place under the wall in the Park to ease the calls of nature, indeed the case was so urgent that he had dirtied himself; on coming away, a man came up to him and asked him what he had been doing, he answered, he had been taken so ill, he was under the necessity of easing himself, or he should not have done so; the man said he was his prisoner, and must Justices, permit me to say, I have go with him to Marlborough-street no other motive than the cause of Police Office. Mr. Dyer was the humanity. On Thursday last, in the Sitting Magistrate. The charge House of Correction, a respectable, venerable old man came up to me in an agony of feeling not to be described; after relating his distressed situation, and I had endeavoured to console his afflicted mind, I thought it right to take his deposition. made against him by the officer was, that the prisoner had been easing himself under the wall in the Park. After hearing the complaint, the Magistrate asked him how he came to commit such an act; he replied it was done under the most urgent ne"House of Correction, Aug. 21, 1823, Cessity. He endeavoured to remon"John Watts, his account of the strate, by stating, he had lived in the parish of Mary-la-Bonne between and Vagabond, for indecently exforty and fifty years, and had paid posing himself, for one month to rent and taxes; that he was now hard labour. (Signed) "T. M. DYER." seventy-six years of age, and had always maintained a good character; "I beg leave, Sir, to observe furthat he was not aware he had been ther, that Henry Knight was comdoing wrong. He further saith, that mitted for the same offence, and he was so extremely distressed and under similar circumstances. Peragitated, that he could say no more. mit me to state, that I have been He was then taken by the officer, and applied to by several of the most relocked up in the dark hole belonging spectable inhabitants of Hammerto the Office, where he remained, he smith in his behalf within these few thinks, two hours, prior to which he days, who gave him an excellent earnestly intreated the officer, that character, and that his wife has aphis aged wife, or some friend might peared before me, agitated with the be sent for; he answered it could not deepest distress, on account of her be done. During his confinement, husband's confinement. This inhe prayed the officer to give him duced me to apply to Mr. Dyer, the some air, the place was so filthy, Committing Magistrate, to endeawithout which he thought he could vour to obtain his discharge, and not exist; this request was also reprevent his being thrown out of emfused. In a little time after, the same ployment, to the ruin of himself and officer came, and said he must go to family; or take bail for his appearprison, and asked him whether he ance at the Sessions. He answered, would pay for a coach, or else he No; he was committed in the execumust be chained, and go through the tion of a sentence. I endeavoured to streets with the rest of the prisoners. convince Mr. Dyer that such a senHe demanded four shillings, which tence was not the spirit of the Act he payed him, and was conveyed, of Parliament; that the Act left it with three other prisoners, to the with the Magistrate either to comHouse of Correction; that he was mit or discharge, although an act ignorant of the nature of his commit- of vagrancy be proved against the ment; he had forty pounds in Bank person so charged. I appealed to notes in his pocket, which he re- his humanity, stating the distress of quested the Governor to keep for his afflicted wife, whose husband had never been in prison before the ruin "Sworn before me, John Hanson, that might ensue from his confineVisiting Justice, Aug. 22, 1823." ment-his necessarily being asso"The commitment is on the oath ciated with vagrants of the vilest deof Joseph Carter, for being a Rogue scription, and that the place where him. JOHN WATTS." vagrants are confined, notwithstand- " I do not presume, Sir, to make ing every care is taken to keep it the_least comment on Mr. Dyer's clean, is extremely offensive. I determination, but merely lay the facts of the case before you for your better judgment and determination. If you, Sir, should consider them. cases where the offence deserves a mitigation of punishment, I do most humbly hope, you will be graciously pleased to use your influence for their discharge. I have the honour urged also the great danger of his morals being corrupted. Mr. Dyer said he could make no alteration in the sentence. Permit me, Sir, to state the parts of the Act on which they were committed-"All persons openly exposing or exhibiting in any street, road, public place, or highway, any indecent exhibition, or to be, with profound respect, your, openly and indecently exposing their most obedient and very huinble serpersons." The sixth section gives vant, JOHN HANSON." the Magistrate power to commit, in a summary way, for three months, and not less than one month, if he "To the Right Honourable To the honour of the Secretary of shall so determine (which deprives State be it spoken, his humane attenthe vagrant of an appeal to the Sestion to this application was most sions, to which I think he ought to prompt. I took my letter on the be entitled), and proceeds-"ProMonday, and presented it to Mr. vided always, that it shall be in the Hobhouse, the Under Secretary of discretion of the Justice or Justices State, and on Tuesday the Governor of the Peace, before whom any per- to the House of Correction received son apprehended as a rogue and vaga- the following letter, directed to the bond, or idle and disorderly person, Keeper of the House of Correction shall be brought, either to commit for the county of Middlesex. or discharge such person, although an act of vagrancy be proved against the person so charged: Provided also, that it shall be in the discretion of such Justice or Justices, on discharging any such rogue and vagabond, or idle and disorderly person, to bind him or her in a sufficient re cognisance, to appear before the Justices at their next General or Quarter Sessions of the Peace, to answer such charge or charges as shall then be alleged against him or her respectively." "Dear Sir, There are two poor fellows, named John Watts and I am, dear Sir, J. H. CAPPER." " Whitehall, : 2 2 1 I sent a copy of my letter to the Secretary of State to Mr. Dyer, inclosed with the following note, directed to T. M. Dyer, Esq. Marlborough-street Police Office. - (Private.) for, on dining a few weeks after with the Magistrates, and having occasion to put a question to Mr. Laing, who was sitting at the same table, and who is one of the Police Magistrates of Hatton-garden, instead of "Hammersmith, Aug. 28, 1823. answering the question, he looked at "STR, I have enclosed a copy of me very sternly, and, in an audible a letter transmitted by me to the voice, said, "Sir, I desire you will Secretary of State, the Right Honour- never more address yourself to me able Robert Peel, in hopes of pro- on any subject whatever." Upon curing, through his influence, the demanding an explanation for this discharge of John Watts and Henry gross insult, I found that the offence Knight, prisoners in the House of I had committed was an unnecessary Correction. It would have given interference in the cases of persons me great pleasure, if, upon my ear- committed in execution of a sentence nest application to you on behalf of by the police magistrate, Mr. Dyer. Henry Knight, you had consented An altercation ensued, when the Chairman very properly called to order, which was obeyed, and the altercation ended. either to take bail or have dis- I am, Sir, your most obedient, "Το Τ. M. Dyer, Esq." Considering myself as separated from the Committee of Visiting Justices, I now proceed to state some of the benefits the county has derived: from my services, in discovering and bringing to light frauds and impositions that had been practised on the county for many years. I was first appointed one of the Visiting Justices in the year 1810, and upon my first attendance, I found a number of bills and other accounts placed on the table. Daniel Henley, Clerk to the Committee, addressing himself to the Chairman, presented one of them, and said, this bill, Sir, is signed by the County Surveyor. The Chairman then signed his name to the same, as examined; 1 |