Jan. 20,] 



THE NEWSPAPER. 



[1844. 



ported by subscriptions, and every ■ubscriber to receive 

 goods to the amount of the iubi criptioni , for private dia- 

 tributioo, each article to be marked with the name of the 

 establishment. The amount of each person's earnings 

 not to exceed nine shillings per week : no middle-women, 

 or job-masters to be employed, so that the actual labour 

 may not exceed 12 hours a-day, thus serving two parties 

 at the same time, viz., the needle-women so employed, 

 and the destitute poor. Several ladies took part in the 

 business of the day, and became members of the com- 

 mittee. A large sum was subscribed upon the spot, and 

 the Lord Mayor and Alderman Parebrother announced 

 their intention to receive subscriptions in aid of the 

 society. His Lordship stated that a public meeting would 

 in a few days be announced, and he confidently relied 

 upon the attendance of all the patrons of the charities of 

 London. — The Guardians of the Hackney Union have 

 passed a resolution in which they " deprecate the low 

 remuneration made in the metropolis to sempstresses, 

 and believe that the present state of things so much 

 condemned has been brought about by the anxiety of 

 guardians of unions themselves and other superintendents 

 of large establishments to find employment for their 

 inmates even at a nominal price. That the master 

 of the workhouse of this union be now directed not to 

 receive any more slop-work, in the hope that this exampl 

 may be followed by other boards of guardians of the 

 metropolitan unions, and the evil so loudly complained of 

 be redressed." 



line Arts. — The Lords of the Admiralty have pur- 

 chased the working model from which the statue of 



W t Uon upon via*? column in Trafalgar-square was exe- 

 cuted. The model is 5 feet 10 inches high, and is to be 

 placed in a niche in the vestibule of the Admiralty, im- 

 mediately facing the principal entrance to that building. 



New Mouses of Parliament. — In the appendix to the 

 Vlth annual report of the C >mmissioner8 of Woods and 

 Forests just published, is the following report from Mr. 

 Barry on the state of the New Houses of Parliament, 

 dated in August last: — "The curtain portions of the 

 river-front and a considerable portion of the north and 

 south fronts are carried up to their full height in readiness 

 for the roofs. The central portion of the river-front and 

 the wings of the building are a little above the same level 

 and probably will attain their full height in about four 

 months from this time. Considerable progress is made 

 with the superstructure of the western portion of the 

 south front, the Victoria-tower, the Royal-gallery, the 

 House of Lords the central tower and adjoining corri- 

 dors, and the west front towards New Palace-yard, all 

 which portions of the building are upon an average about 

 18 feet above the level of the Trinity standard of high- 

 water. The stone continues to be supplied in great 

 abundance from the neighbourhood of Austin la Yorkshire 

 for the external masonry, and there is no deficiency of 

 supply of a stone which has recently been employed from 

 Caen in Normandy for the internal masonry. The con- 

 tractors have increased their number of hands at the 

 quarry to about 300 men and have provided additional 

 tackle, horses, &c, by which and other arrangements the 

 supply of stone for the future will be even still more 

 certain and abundant than it has hitherto been. The 

 work executed and the contractors* arrangements for the 

 progress of it at the building still continue to merit 

 my entire approbation." 



Metropolitan Improvements.— -The Commissioners of 

 Woods, &c, mike the following report on the progress 

 of their improvements: — "In our last report we stated 

 the progress which had been made in purchasing the in- 

 terests in the property in the several lines of improve- 

 ment authorised to be made under the Acts 3d & 4th 

 Vic, c. 87, and 4th Vic, c 12; and we have now to 

 state that on those several lines up to the 5th of January 

 hst we have completed purchases to the amount in the 

 whole of 300,755/. 5*. &d. t and have contracted for 

 further purchases to the amount in the whole of 

 194,641/. I3>t. 6d., viz. :— 1. In the line from Oxford-st. 

 to Holborn we have completed purchases to the amount 

 of ln'6,851/. 12f. 10*/., and we have contracted for fur- 

 ther purchases to the amount of 1>,906/. 15s. 2. In the 

 line from Bow-street to Charlotte-street, Bloomsbury, 

 we have completed purchases to the amount of 

 35,461/. ll,s\, and have contracted for further purchases 

 to the amount of 26,485/. 3. In the line from the Lon- 

 don Docks to Spitalfields Church we have completed 

 purchases to the amount of 44,157/. 16s. f and have 

 contracted for farther purchases to the amount of 

 71,102/. 18*. 6'/. 4. In the line from Coventry-street to 

 Long-acre we have completed purchases to the amount of 

 54,231/. 5s. 10(/., and have contracted for further pur- 

 chases to the amount of 78,477/. 5. In the line from 

 East Smithfield to Rosemary-lane we have not completed 

 any purchase, but we have contracted for purchases to 

 the amount of 2,670/. A statement is appended to the 

 report showing our receipt and expenditure in respect of 

 monies applicable to these improvements, by which it 

 appears that of the sum of 500,000/., mentioned in our 

 last report to have been bor.-owe I of the Equitable Assu- 

 rance Company for the purposes of these improvements, 

 upon^the security of certain portions of the land revenue 

 of the Crown in the county of Middlesex, there remained 

 a balance of 166,918/. l.v. lOd. on the 5th of Jan. last." 

 —The Commissioners on the meeting of Parliament intend 

 to apply for a bill to carry ii t) effect the long- projected 

 improvements in Piccadilly. Government it is said has 

 offered to pay the whole expense of widening the street 

 from the mansion formerly belonging to the Marquess of 

 Hertford, where the road is only 31 feet wide to Hamilton- 

 place, taking the ground from the Green-park and making 



of St. Martin and St. George are to keep it in repair. 

 A meeting was held last week in the vestry room of 

 St. Paul, Covent-garden, to receive the report and plan 

 of Mr. Paine, architect, on behalf of the parish, for the 

 formation of a new street from the corner of St. Martin's- 

 lane in continuation of the line from Coventry-street to 

 the end of King-street. Resolutions in approval of the 

 plan and report were passed, when it was determined that 

 prior to proceeding in the ensuing session a deputation 

 should wait upon the Duke of Bedford to request his as- 

 sistance in advancement of the measure. 



The Dtpt ford Murder. —The woman Dickinson, who 

 made an attempt upon her own life after having murdered 

 her two children, is rapidly recovering. She is at present 

 in custody of the police, who have had her in charge since 

 the issue of the Coroner's warrant on Thursday week. 

 As soon as she is sufficiently recovered she will be con- 

 veyed to Maidstone Gaol for trial at the ensuing Assizes. 

 She appears perfectly collected, and admits that she de- 

 stroyed the two children while sitting upon the bed, some 

 time after which she made the attempt upon her own life. 



Mortality of the Metropolis. — The number of deaths 

 registered in the week ending Jan. 6th, was as follows : — 

 West Districts, 139; North Districts, 172; Central 

 Districts, 185; East Districts, 210; South Districts, 

 227: Total, 933 (males, 487; females, 446). Weekly 

 average for the last five years, 946. The population by 

 the returns of 1811 was 1,915,318, including the police 

 on duty and 1366 men on the river ; and the district of 

 Wandsworth and Clapham are now for the first time 

 included in the return. 



distribution to the deserving poor ; the charity to be sup- I the whole of a uniform width of 70 feet, and the parishes ! agreed upon. The committee had exercised u 



^- — -* •• — »«■* ** *- « •'- '• prudence and economy regarding the contracts 



possibly could, consistently with carrying on the"wn!7 

 in a proper manner. "^^ 



ti 



*y 



^robimial Netos. 



Provincial Fires.— The following fires,' most of which 

 are attributed to incendiaries, have been reported since 

 our last:— On Saturday the 6th inst. at Great Barford 

 Bed*, a barn, stables, farming implements, &c. on the 

 farm of Mr. T. Fresh well, and two small cottages adjoin- 

 ing ; and on Monday on the farm of Mr. Riseley at the 

 same place a great quantity of farming produce destroyed. 

 The first was caused by a servant-girl who has been com* 

 mitted for trial. At Maulden near Ampthill in the same 

 county, a clover-rick in the centre of a stack-yard belong- 

 ing to Miss Kempson, destroyed; and at Eaton Ford, in 

 the farmyard of Mr. Hall, whose premises at Eaton Town 

 were burned down about three weeks back, another at- 

 tempt has been made to fire the premises, but without 

 success. On Wednesday at Harnden near Eastray on 

 the farm of Mr. Buddie, a large double-floored 

 barn containing about twelve quarters of wheat, some 

 peas, beans, clover-seed, and a stack of oats, destroyed. 

 On Thursday at Stokeinteignhead, Devon, the linhay on 

 the farm of Mr. Rendle, with an adjoining barn containing 

 corn and a threshing machine. On Sunday on the farm 

 of Mr. Lindsell about midway between St. Ives and 

 Hemingford, a large barn, four stacks of clover, the 

 remaining portion of two hay-stacks, a quantity of barley 

 and wheat straw, haulm, &c. On Friday, at Hucknall 

 Torkard, Derby, on the farm of Mrs. Price, a stack con- 

 fining about 12 quarters of wheat. On Friday, on the 

 premises of Mr. Harley, of Wacton, near Long Stratton, 

 an oat-stack destroyed ; there is no doubt that it was the 

 act of an incendiary as trains of combustible matter were 

 discovered from the stack to two or three other wheat and 

 barley stacks. At Ashton Gate, Bedminster, on the farm 

 of Mr. Pimm, a shed of teasels destroyed. At Ipswich, 

 the stabling and outhouses of the White Hart Inn, con- 

 taining a large quantity of corn, straw, &c, destroyed. 



Abingdon. — At the Berks Epiphany Sessions last week, 

 Viscount Barrington in the chair, the report of the com- 

 mittee for rebuilding the county gaol at Reading ex- 

 pressed perfect satisfaction with the progress of the works, 

 but the committee could not name a period when the 

 prison would be fit for occupation until the new method 

 of warming and ventilating the building had been brought 

 into operation, and they hoped the works would be com- 

 plete in about six weeks or two months. The report also 

 stated that the builder had informed them that a further 

 I sum would be required to complete the building, but the 

 committee did not now recommend the Court to advance 

 any money, as they were not at present prepared to show 

 the particular and specific object for which it was re- 

 quired. Mr. Crutchley as chairman of the committee 

 said it was only on Saturday that they had been told by 

 the architect that a further sura amounting to 6000/. was 

 necessary to complete the building, miscalculations hav- 

 ing been made on their former estimate of the cost. Seve- 

 ral magistrates complained of this additional demand, and 

 Mr. Duffield, M.P., asked to what extent the Court in- 

 tended to go if the present application was granted ? They 

 were first told that the total outlay would not exceed 

 24,000/.; then they were informed that 32,000/. would be 

 required ; and now they were told that a larger sum than 

 that was necessary to complete the building, the architect 

 and builder appearing to think they might go on and repeat 

 their application for further advances without check or 

 restriction, and that they might spend the money of the 

 rate-payers ad libitum. And this unnecessary expendi- 

 ture was taking place at a period when the farmers were 

 suffering considerably from poverty, and they as well as 

 the ratepayers generally could ill afford such an increase 

 to their present burdens. Mr. Dodson also complained 

 of the great excess of the cost of the new gaol over the 

 original estiraa'e. Mr. Crutchley explained that in the 

 original estimate of 25,000/. made by the builder?, the 

 expense of warming and ventilating the building, &c. had 

 not been calculated, and that was the principal cause of 

 the additional sum which Lad already been granted, it 

 being requisite to carry out the design which had been 



Bedford.— A desperate affray with poachers tooknlif. 

 a few nights back, which was nearly attended *ith \q^ 

 life. It appears that a young man named Bird nnd» 

 gamekeeper in the service of Mr. Hollingworth MaguuV* 

 of Carworth, in this county, was watching his matte*' 

 preserves and heard the report of fire-arms in Arsley-wotd 

 near the Kettering-road. Proceeding in the direction of 

 the sound he perceived two men with guns, whom he nor. 

 sued, and on approaching the poachers he saw that one of 

 the men had something bulky in his coat-pocket. Tfc 

 gamekeeper grappled with his man in order to search hi«. 

 when the two men attacked him and after beating hia 

 about the head and arms left him lying in the road in | 

 state of insensibility. He recovered strength enough to 

 enable him to crawl home*, and having given a description 

 of the poachers to the head-gamekeeper the latter obtained 

 the assistance of the police, who went in pursuit of the 

 men, both of whom, James Asplyn and John Elsom,hi»i 

 already been notorious characters. The prisoners were 

 fully identified and committed for trial at the next asiixen, 

 The crime of poaching is said to prevail to a great extent 

 in this and the neighbouring counties. 



Birmingham. — A case was tried before the Recorder 

 at the Borough Sessions on Saturday which will no 

 doubt lead to results which every friend of common 

 humanity will hail with satisfaction. Two poor debton, 

 named James Smith and John Taylor, who had been 

 prisoners in the Court of Requests prison, were arraigned 

 on a charge of assaulting William Buckerfield a police- 

 constable. Mr. Mellor stated the case to the jury, which 

 he said was an assault upon a constable which took 

 place in the prison. From what he had heard that 

 prison was a disgrace to any country and any age. He 

 knew nothing analogous to it except the hold of a olive* 

 ship. It was he had been assured a confined ill-venti. 

 lated hole, 6 feet by 9, underground, made out of the 

 cellar of an old house, and that the stench therefrom wu 

 intolerable. It was impossible to use language too strong 

 in describing it or in calling public attention to it. Such 

 a disgusting and filthy place as the Birmingham Court of 

 Requests prison he believed was a disgrace to any country 

 and age. In this horrible place human beings who hid 

 contracted small debts which they were unable to piy 

 were confined for various terms, according to the amount 

 of their debts ; at times there were 40 persons in it. I: 

 appeared that disturbances frequently arose, and the 

 keener was compelled to call in the assistance of the police. 

 On Christmas-day Mr. Boot, the keeper, permitted i 

 number of friends of the prisoners to visit and spend i 

 short time with them. They were allowed to have ma 

 liquor, and a scene of riot and confusion ensued among* 

 the parties. In this state of things Mr. Boot sent fori 

 police officer to quell the disturbance, and the prosecutor 

 came. When he entered he was seized by some of the 

 party, knocked down, beaten with a staff, and cut severely 

 on the head by one of the prisoners with a large stick. 

 It appeared from the evidence of the keeper, that there 

 was a practice there called " chumming up." When i 

 new prisoner goes in, he is welcomed by the prisoner! 

 who are in the prison and beat round with the chummiaj 

 instruments. — What are those chumming instruments,. 

 — Old swords and staves. Is there a little music ?— TbjT 

 generally have a fife. Are there any masks? — Yes; t« 

 prisoners put on masks. And after this ceremony of 



11 chumming up" is over, do the prisoners demand from 

 their new brother prisoner any money? — ^es; tney 

 demand 2s. 6d. from him. Mr. Mellor— And if he cann 

 pay the half-crown demanded of him, do they take the 

 coat and waistcoat off him ? — I believe they do. And they 

 keep it as a sort of pledge?— I believe they do. & 

 if a poor man comes into your prison, so poor that 

 cannot pay half-a-crown, his coat and waistcoat vt 

 taken from him, and he is compelled to remain witho* 

 these garments to cover him ?— The keeper said tb* 

 frequently the rioting and drunkenness are so vioiew 

 that he dared not go in among the prisoners I « 

 had been repeatedly in the fear of his life. He fnrta* 

 deposed that in this underground dungeon the po« 

 debtors were imprisoned who do not " go through 

 Act"- that is, those who do not take the benefit oft" 

 Insolvent Debtors' Act. I am not, said he, in fear aD0» 

 those who •■ go through the Act,"— they will remain tow 

 time ; they will not run away ; the others will, 

 highest amount which the poor debtors, who ^Ji^ 

 away if they can, are put into the prison for, is 5i. 

 debtors all sleep above, in one room ; if any one of 

 wish to sleep at night in the place in which they are 



fined during the day, they do so ; one or two of the P\j. 

 j«k*-^-» «^.. a~«j tu_ .i onn ;., tu fl «n,W(rround 



up 

 up-stairs is 



I never measured it ; I cannot say 



it measures more than 15 feet. They never pay any ^ 

 for the straw they lie upon. These poor debtors £ ant i 

 pay anything for their night's lodging, unless they 

 bed and then they must pay for it. They do n0t th fo|. 

 bed unless they pay for it. I cannot find beds for no ^ 

 There is a window to the bed-room upstairs. T ne P cfl j 

 ers are not locked in their bed-rooms at night. ^^ 



the poor debtors stands in the day-time in the . 

 ._ i _i l *!._ _..• i _„.i «.;„„1ps a can , , 



ground place at the window, and tingles a c * '^ef 

 window at which he stands is in the front ot the j fltr j| 

 Requests ; it is near the entrance-door. This w ^^ 

 barred like a cellar-window. He stands there J^.^ 



charity of persons as they come to the Court on ^ 

 As he tingles the can he says, * Pray remember 



