"SMART MONEY."

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 317, 26 March 1875, Page 4

"SMART MONEY."

A'fr'the Mansion House, a young lettercarrier wa3 brought before Alderman Sir Robert Garden, in company with are-" cruiting sergeant of a cavalry regiment, and tendered a guinea as "smartmoney," to avoid an enlistment into the army/on the previous day. Sir Kobert Garden elicited from the sergeant that theiiid.who js nineteen years of age, \vas the Post Office, uniform at'.the. time lie-en-listed and received the shilling as usual; The, Magistrate f\sked r if it was legal to, enlist people in Government service.' The sergeant' said he know nothing to prevent - it, and they were, only ,too glad tto get likely young men ,such as, the carrier was to enter the armyu.v lie-believed that several letter-carriers-had recently deter- i mined to join therarmy, and that the' ap« I plicant was thii first'.to :make thej.experi.rnent. Having once joined, he must now ~ pay a "smart" of a ■ guinea could be released. Sir" .Robert "Garden* said it was* improper, if not illegal, to accept a.3 recruits, men already wearing her Majesty's uniform. ' the'' chief clerk, said he knew; nothing it, but if it-was illegal'he ha'd no need, pay "smart mone}'."" ,The sergeant,caid' recruiting was very s slack'at present, and if they took notice ofthings of this kind they would'never get men into the army.; The letter-carrierj replying' to/the Court; said, thai he never to his father, or mother, with whom, lie. lived, and that he liked his present work at the Po3t Office. He did not think he should loser his situation thvough this freak. ' Sir 110-

Bert Carden said he hoped this would be the only mistake he-would make; and that in future he would consult his parents before taking leaps in the diin. of this. sort.. The sergeant' said of the sm irt.money " os..()d. went to...hi 111 and 10s. (jd. to the ; country. Kir Robert Carden observed that j lie thus had an'interest "in these lax enlistments; The " sri'art money " being paid}.he parties left the court.