Wonderful Pertinacity.

Cromwell Argus, Volume VII, Issue 316, 1 December 1875, Page 2 (Supplement)

Wonderful Pertinacity.

A remarkable instance of pertinacity is afforded by the case of a man named Richard Hampton, who was charged at the Woolwich Police-court the other day with breaking a window at the shop of a watchmaker in that town named Barrel. Four times has Hampton been charged with breaking this same window. Indeed, he has devoted all the latter years of his life in attacks upon the window. He began to break it ten years ago, namely, in 1865, when he smashed it, and was sent to prison for nine months on a charge of attempting to steal the watchmaker's property. No sooner was he released from gaol than he returned to "Woolwich, broke the window a second time, and was sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for eighteen months. On regaining his liberty he broke the window again, and, having imprudently revealed to the judge his intention of continuing to break it whenever he had the opportunity, was sentenced to ten years' penal servitude for shop-breaking with intent to steal. Last week, having completed eight years of his sentence with credit, he received a ticket-of-leave, upon which he returned to ! Woolwich, .reported himself to the police as a convict on license, and then, walking straight to the old window for which he had suffered so much, dashed his fist for the fourth time through it, and patiently waited to be taken into custody. He had not long to wait: the police arrested him. forthwith : he was taken before the magistrate and sentenced to one month's imprisonment, at the end of which time he will be taken back to complete, his term of penal servitude. It is very evident that Hampton will never be cured of his determination to break this window ; indeed, on Friday, he candidly stated that he should break it as often as he has the opportunity, and it becomes a question whether it had not better be bricked up before his next release from captivity. This may be an inconvenience to the watchmaker : but it is hard on the public that they should have to support Hampton for the rest of his natural life on account of a window in which they have no special interest.— Pall Mali Gazette.