TOLD THE MAGISTRATE.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1928, Page 4

TOLD THE MAGISTRATE.

LONDON, May 28.

Many prisoners that I see in the Metropolitan police courts go to the London Sessions’ at Newington, S.E. Rogues and vagabonds, house-breakers thieves, pickpockets, and tho smaller type of criminals who show more cunning than enterprise appear before Sir Robert Wallace, the chairman, or Mr Wilberforce, the deputy-chairman, in the impressive building set back from one of the most depressing thoroughfares in London. Detectives from all the different Metropolitan police divisions throng the large hall and the two courts, and a remarkably interestng company they are. Each looks upon his own particular prisoner as counsel regards his client—always in friendliness and somc_ times with a feeling approaching admiration.

Those astute officers boast among themselves of the exploits of tlieir pet captures, whom they usually address by their Christian names.

Once caught, tho offender in the eyes of the detective ceases to be a criminal and becomes an exhibition in a collection.

Says R., from Old Street to C., from Marlborough Street: “I see you have got Jock. Had him through ray hands a couple of years ago. Missed him at Shoreditch and thought lie was either straight or dead.” And 8., of Lembeth, meeting 11., of Clerenwell, remarks: “We have been after your man for weeks. Ho writes his name on every job.” Clever fellows these divisional detectives, as keen as ferrets and as tenacious as leeches. They may not resemble the detectives of fiction, but they have little to learn about the underworld, and their conversation is more thrilling than that in crime hooks and plays.

No. 1 Court at the London Sessions is a light and airy place, and it contains nothing of the sinister atmosphere and grim memories of No. 1 Court at the Old Bailey.

Sir Robert Wallace, who presides in wig and gown, shows more of tho \ civet glove than of the iron hand. He may display irritation towards a stupid witness, lint lie is never harsh with a prisoner. llis smiles arc more fiequent than his frowns, and he has a gift of placing a jury at their ease. Also he has a trick or mannerism of emphasising a striking point by a peculiarly knowing look at the jury, as il to say, “There you are, they can’t bamboozle us!”

Yesterday we had the ease of a young Italian who, coming to London on the last day of April, made his way to Victoria Station to meet a friend on M.ay Day. The Italian could spenlv no word of English, and an elderly solicitor who accused him of stealing his wallet, containing 403 francs £(.3 4s) and his passport, wasted an outburst of vigoious and picturesque language on a man who merely shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes.

Two railway porters and a sergeant of the Southern Railway police alsj shouted at the young Italian after the fashion wo have of addressing foreigners as if they are deaf. An interpreter summoned in lia’stb ascertained that Umberto had entered the bon', train in search of an Italian friend who had not arrived, and who still remains in Italy. AY. he said himself in a -letter that might have been written from Dublin: “ If I am not there you will know .1 have not arrived.” Umhc-rto made great play with i handkerchief which sometimes he hi! savagely and sometimes used to coax tears tiiat would not flow. He conducted a second-hand defence througii an efficient and patient interpreter, 11.0 missing wallet and passport wore found in a Pullman cap, and the suggestion of the prosecution was that Umberto haul thrown them away.

“No,” said Umberto, speaking at a rate that imposed oil the interpreter a

memory test, “ I did not throw them away. I was looking for my friend, who always travels first-class, and he ing in a hurry 1 bumped into tho gentleman who lost his wallet, and he said something fiercely which 1 could not understand.” By this time Uni berto bad almost masticated his handkerchief.

The jury found him Not Guilty, and lie was discharged.

Societies have long been in existence lor the protection of woman and girls. They are now an anachronism. ’I he modern maid and wife do not need protection against the modern man; ali they want is damages or alimony. The old-world theory of the -predatory male pursuing the timid female no longer prevhiils. We still say that iio Woman chases -a mail; bltt has anybody heard of a mousetrap chasing a blouse?

Husbands are now going back to their mothers. Many times in the police courts I have heard young wives complain that their husbands threatened to return to their mothers at the first sign of a domestic row.

Take the applications for advice at Lambeth Police Court yesterday. A girl wife who had been married for four years said that after two months her husband went home to liis mother and she had not seen him, si rice.

The next applicant complained that her husband had scratched her face.

Every time there is a tiff the modern husband returns to his mother, and when he is very angry he scratches his wife’s face. lam surprised he was so naughty.

A young and well-dressed wife asked -Mr j. B. Watson, the magistrate, to grant her a summons for maintenance. “ Do von work yotfrself ? ” asked the magistrate. “No,SI have been kept by my sister,” remarked the young wife. So they come, these well dressed youngjwivest who have married in haste, to draw alimony at leisure.

I am sorry for the old-fashioned wives who have brought up a family, and again and again have forgiven their man. these are women that the .separation order was made for; hut 1 am bound to say that many young wives are living in idleness, and worse than idleness, on the strength of a bad husband. ***** I maintain that wife-heaters have been sentenced out of business, anti that husband baiters are coming into their own. Sometimes, but rarely, wo get a wife-beater in the metropolitan courts, and invariably he receives a sentence that gives him furiously to think for three months. But cruelty of a wife to a husband is always dismissed on the payment of costs by the husband.

Almost always I am on the side o, the woman, especially the middle-aged and elderly woman, whose patience and forbearance are, I admit, extraordinary. I have heard tales of domestic tragedy that make the heart sick. Bnt also I have heard frivolous complaints from flapper wives that make reason reel. Wfaat I want to emphasise is that young husbands to-day are behaving exactly ris young wives behaved in the Victorian days of bonnets and bustle^

—they return to their mothers

Take the case of John and Ellen Farmer. Both hod drifted out on Whitsun’s alcoholic tide, but whereas John went quietly, Ellen had to be carried to the police-station by a young and stalwart constable who regretted that he had joined the force. Like a baby ho carried her, and all the time Ellen, although a light-weight, was seeking to bite his ear. The holiday crowd that followed was amused.

Lesser deeds of bravery hove won medals in the war. Personally, I would sooner charge a fortress single-handed than carry Ellen a' hundred yards. “ Five shillings,*’ said Mr J. B. Watson, the magistrate. What the young constable said is not evidence.