A DISTINGUISHED CROSSING SWEEPER.

Evening Star, Issue 3553, 13 July 1874, Page 3

A DISTINGUISHED CROSSING SWEEPER.

At Westminster Police-court, William ihoraas Johnson, described as a major unattached, wearing an undress uniform decorated with a Crimean medal with four clasps, and also three other medals, was charged before Mr Arnold under the following circumstances:— Un a recent afternoon, Mr E. Denning, the Inspector of the A Division at the House of Commons, found the defendant, with a new broom m his hand, sweeping the crossing in Bridge street, Westminster. Several members of Parliament were passing, and, as the prisoner s appearance collected a crowd and caused an obstruction, the Inspector requested him to go away. He refused to go, and Mr Denning to take him mto custody. At the station the defendant handed him a pamphlet, setting lortn that lie complained of a serious grievance against the authorities, after long and arduous military services first in India next in the Crimea, and again in India! He had been invalided Home, but, having rewhich* hj, sought reappointment, which the military authorities refused to grant. th f hlS v° b f Ct iQ exhibitin & himdescribed was to call public attention to his case. In a conversation with the Inspector he stated that he was in receipt of f ST 0 ? S 6s -& er clay - The inspector offered to liberate him if he would promise not to go back to where he had been found or repeat the offence • but he declared he would gi ve r . O such promise! Mr Arnoid now repeated the offer, observing that if he had any grievance to complain of this was certainly not the proper course to pursue He had collected a crowd and caused an obstruction. Ihe defendant said he must decline to make any such premise. He was then ordered to find one surity in LlO for his reappearance, and, refusing to send for any mend, was committed to prison.—‘Home News.’