OLD BAILEY FARE

Shannon News, 4 May 1926, Page 4

OLD BAILEY FARE

MURDERER’S I/UNCIiES. Although there is no restaurant Or buffet inside the Old Bailey, it entertains both its judges and its prisoners to lunch. Every day during the Sessions, “My Lords, the King’s Justices,” as the ( black-gowned ushers pi’oclaim each morning and evening, dine together. They are the guests of the Lord Mayor and Sherriffs. Prisoners have the choice of a ‘state-banquet,” as the official mid-day meal is called, or they can have whatever they like sent in from the restaurants near the Court. Horatio Bottomley bought a champagne lunch every day of his long trial. He anticipated acquittal, and planned a banquet at one of the bestknown restaurants m London, to which his friends were invited. He “dined,” however, alone that night on a mug of cocoa and a slice of bread and margarine in Wormwood Scrubbs Seddon, the North London poisoner also enjoyed a good lunch every day he was on trial for his life at the Old Bailey. "He chose his own menu, and had his meals sent in from a restaurant near the court. Seddon’s last meal at the Old Bailey was* a mixed grill, apple tart and custard, and coffee.

He was just sitting down to it when the warder beckoned him. He jumped up from his chair, confident of acquittal, and triped lightly up the stairs to the dock. Seddon gave one swift glance at the jury, and guessed his fate An Old Bailey cat had Seddon’s lunch that day. Ronald True dined lavishly at the time he was at the Old Bailey. The prospect of death, apparently, had no terrors for him. He ate a good tea before he was driven off to the condemned cell at Pentonville, and shouted “cherrio” to one of the warders. Dr. Crippen hardly touched his lunch on the day of his long trial. He seemed obsessed with the fate hanging over his head.