A Night in the Auckland Lock-up.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4260, 26 August 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

A Night in the Auckland Lock-up.

[By Tabantaba.}

The author who informed his confiding readers that stone walls and iron bars do not a prison make, did not make the as sertion from actual experience. A short time back I had an opportunity of forming an opinion on the subject very much against my inclination, and I can assure my readers that stone walls and iron bars do make a very effectual prison, and when the door is closed there is not the slightest ghost of a chance to escape. The actual circumstances that led to my incarceration would not be interesting; it will be sufficient for me to say that I was not taken, but went myself: in my innocence, placed my head in the lion's mouthi and was a victim of misplaced confidence. I did not then know that wise old proverb, which no doubt emanated from Solomon himself, saying that it is' a bad thing to have dealings with rogues and policemen : a melancholy fact which is, alas ! but too true, for one generally gets the worst of it with either. If this had formed a text heading for my youthful copy-books, instead of " A bird in the hand corrupts good morals " and " Evil communications are worth two in the bush," I should not one evening hare gone to the Police Station in High street to inquire about some busi* ness in which I was personally interested. The two gentlemen in blue—who were seated one on either side of a table in the guard room busily engaged doing nothing, waiting probably Macawber-like for some" thing to turn up, in which case, as will be presently seen, something did turn up and out, and then two turned in—did not take that deep interest in my case which I expected. They listened, bat said not a word ; they were not sociable ; I believe that if a constable were to laugh he would be discharged instantly, so majestic is the law. Whilst in the middle of my excited declamation an apparition appeared which chilled me to the very soul. From a doorway opposite the end of the table walked, without sound or word, with measured tread, not a wink on him, like the ghost of Hamlet's father, that terror to evil doers, Sergeant-Major Pardy. In the good old Roman gladiatorial days, when malefactors playfully hacked one another to death in the arena for the delectation of the assembled thousands, it used to be the custom for the merry maidens, when they wished the coup de grace to be given to the unfortunate, bleeding, gasping wretch who was down, to point their thumbs downwards —whereupon the victor despatched his victim. The saying, " Hit or kick a man when he is down " arose from the above sport. Lots of people even now-a-days think there is no sport so good as kicking a man when he is down. Now like the above merry maidens the ghost of Ham let's father, in crossing the guard room on his way oat, metaphorically speaking, turned his thumbs down; that is, he nodded to his subordinates. In an instant, as if they had suddenly discovered that they had sat down on the wrong end of a pen, the two Ux talonis sprang to their feet. Instinctively I did the same, and before one could say Jack Robinson they had rifled my pockets and taken off my necktie, knocking out by the way, in the operation, one of my shirt studs, not yet returned; being of no value it don't matter. The scientific manner in which these two gentlemen dipped their fingers into my pockets, and extracted my lares and penates was a caution, and could not have been excelled by the most expert London pick-pocket. It is earnestly to be hoped that my two blue coated friends will never be seduced from the virtuous paths of a policeman's life, or I shudder at the consequences if they should ever get amongst a crowd. Whenever I see them I instinctively button up my pockets. Having an idea of what was about to follow, I protested strongly against being placed in durance vile. My appeal was in vain, • the " thumb " had been turned down, and I was quietly marched along a whitewashed brick passage, and a door being opened, I was thrust into a eel) and locked up. It was the worst sell I had ever had in my life. A lamp in the passage shed a light into the cell through gome iron bars above the door and enabled me to see two animated bundles of old clothes coddled together for warmth in the left hand corner. The noise made by my entrance disturbed them and they began to move uneasily about, every now and again giving themselves a shuddering shake like a dog with the cold shivers. Upon my inquiring what was the matter, the most dilapidated-looking animated bundle said " Drunk/ and after a shiver added, "Oh 1 such a drunk," this makes the third time in a week. The bundle then placed its head between its knees and was silent. Leaving the two unfortunates to their misery, I paced like a caged beast up and down the cell, did a " sentry-go "on my own account. I was fortunate in haying no worse companions than were lying in the corner, for I believe

that sometimes high jinks are carried on, hallowing, singing, cursing, with door banging accompaniment the whele night long. Two iron rings bolted into the floor were highly suggestieve of the means adopted to restrain any very violent customers. What associations of crime, some long since expiated on the gaUows, these stone walls and iron bars conjured up. Here, or an adjacent one, paced that wretched young man Eppwright, whose violent death was looked upon by a very large section of the community as nothing less than a judicial murder. Petitions were signed, and prayers offered up for him by numerous congregations in the city, but for all that he was handed, j Here thought out the weary hours Cyrus Haley, a man of no mean abilities, but not able to curb a fierce spirit of revenge, which was the means of leading from arson to attempted murder, and then on to an ignominious death. At the present time may be seen a bullet mark iv the top bannister of the left hand stair case, the handiwork of Cyrus Haley, who used to practice with an auvgun. Numbers of other noted criminals might be mentioned down to Wininta, but an outline of their crimes alone would fill a book. About midnight, a tramp of feet along the passage denoted the approach of visitors, the door was unlocked, and a young fellow was bundled into the lock-up and the door closed upon him. At this juncture, I asked for a blanket, which was shortly afterwards given to me. The new comer (a German) was highly indigo nant at having been " run in " by three constables, he told me. If so, there had been a great waste of physical power ; he might have been noisy outside, but inside J he was quiet, only " a little bit on," { and ought to have found his way home, j insteadof being run "in." In whatstatehe was outside, of course I don't know. I believe the next morning he denied the charge of being drunk, which was foolish, because the thumb had been put down, and the police, having experience in such j matters, are paid to know when a person is drunk and when he is sober, and if they don't know, it must be patent to everyone they ought to. Tired out with pacing up and down, I at last succumbed to nature's sweet restorer, and when I woke, it was broid daylight, very cold, and the two animated bundles shivering away worse than ever. After a while, the I door was unlocked, and other prisoners ] were put in, whereupon the two " drunks " in the corner begged piteously for water, which was given to them. The new comers must have been taken out of another cell and brought into ours so as to have all hands together when the time came for presentation. Bye-and*bye the door wae again opened and I was requested to step outside to see a friend of mine who had learnt by the morning paper what I had not know myself, viz., the night before I was bordering—rather a nice distinction— ondelirumtremens, possibly that energetic reporter concluded that a night in the lock-up would reduce me to that state by the time the first proof-sheet came off the machine in the morning. Promising to assist me in any way that he could my good friend departed. My custodians had my name Pat enough (no fun meant.) All things have an end, and so the hour at length arrived when I had my laHs and penates returned and was liberated, after the misunderstanding of the previous evening had been explained, two gentlemen, kindly acting as arbitrators. Before ending this account of a night in the lockup, I must say from what little I saw that the Auckland public may congratulate themselves upon possessing a first class body of police, thoroughly efficient and zealous in their duties. To the prisoners they were as lenient as it was consistent with their duty to be. That good officers I make good men is especially noticeable in I this case. Sergeant Major Pardy, in his position, has extraordinary power, especially when the Eesident Magistrate is away, and inexperienced J.P.s are on the Bench ; at such times he is de facto judge, jury, and prosecutor, a position so powerful that without it was in the hands of an officer as competent, experienced, and trusted as the Sergeant-Major, it would be dangerous to the liberty of the subject. In conclusin, I beg to say that however zealous our constables may be, the best of men make a mistake sometimes, no matter who they are or what they are, and so remembering that fact I shall also endeavor to keep in mind that wise proverb of Solomon's (must have been Solomon's) which being interpreted means " Steer clear of rogues and policeman."