WRITING ON THE WALL IN OLD BAILEY CELLS.

Shannon News, 29 November 1929, Page 2

WRITING ON THE WALL IN OLD BAILEY CELLS.

COMMENT AND CANDOUR,

AND EVEN THIkkE AliE \VIII'!EVvASHED OVER

Not a few of ikom in enforced occupation of the eelio at the Old Bailey express their thoughts in writing oa the wall. These are"obliterated when the periodical white-washing' takes place," and before the Avork Avas begun recently a Press representative made selections of sonny of the inscriptions. Some of then: reflect- on the judges, and run:—

"Sir Ernest Wild is a good sort and listens to reason.” "When Wild’s wild he’s wild.” “God bless Athcrley Jones.” "Fifteen months for coining. Expected five years. Good old Athcrley.” "Dickens is unjust,” wrote a man, but the "unjust” was crossed through by another prisoner, and the words added, "a good felloAV. ” To the comment, "Dickens is fair with sentences, ’ ’ was a shaky addition, "Pray the Lord he Avill deal leniently Avith me.”

A warning to accused persons about giving evidence themselves was neatly phrased: "Take advice \ from a wily o’d fox and don’t—it’s optional—go in the box.” The truth of this apparently occurred to the man Avho wrote, "Always tell the truth, as the prosecuting counsel will find you out, and it will be the worse for you.” "Never squeak on a pal,” is another bit of ad vice. "That is how the cops beat you every time.” The only clever criminals are those avlxo are never brought to book, according to the man avllo wrote this: "There are no clever people in prison. Any nug can do a job, but it takes a clever man not to be convicted.”

The Avarders conic in for a good word. “I must admit that the warder* here treat you like gentlemen.’’ "Yes, but Avait till they get you in stir,” was the comment beloAv.

High above the Old Bailey building, as most people knoAV, towers the figu.e of Justice holding in one hand a sword and in the other a pair of scales. If is not so Avell-knoAvn that a hole is drilled through the scales so that the water cannot collect. One observant prisoner appeared to have noticed this, for he wrote after sentence: “The scales of justice are not true. They have holes in them.” Below a signature was a reference to the Josephine means of bringing the O.’Darc gang to book. ’ ’ Educated and talented men Have occupied these places. Some of the inscriptions lvero in French and Latin, and there? were quite a number of quotatvbns from the poets. The panel of *x door had been used for nn artistic sketch of the Oast-le of Okillon, and beneath it was an extract from Bryon’s famous poem. Other prisoners with an artistic bent had made clever drawings of judges, counsel, and of convicts in chains.