PRACTICAL JOURNALISM.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4745, 22 March 1884, Page 4

PRACTICAL JOURNALISM.

-•- v^At the.-Marlboroßgh street Police Court dn tTanusrjrS, MrH. S. MacLaucblan, a journalirff, .was charged with being a suspiciour character. A policeman stated that he was on duty .between two and four o'clock that morning near Hanover square. At a quarter to three he saw the prisoner loitering in the square, and told him to go home. The prisoner took no notice,' but continued walking round the place. The witness subsequently asked the prisoner to give an account of himself, as he

thought he looked like a bad character. .That morning the prisoner referred* the witness to a gentleman living in „, Charlotte street; but this, gentleman said' ; rKe.knew nothing about,.him except that a man of the same name had been a journalist some time ago. In reply to, the Magistrate, (he prisoner stated that be wag a journalist, and had been' commissioned by the editor of his paper to make enquiries into the profits of beggftifc) in the streets of London. He disguised Inmseif as he now appeared, and begged s alt,the,previous,.day in the West End.. . He sang songs with a man who had a banjo, and afterwards sold matches. Mr Newton : Was your arrest.Jthen, to be made part of. your.article ? ,- Prisoner: No, -that was unrehearsed; but it is a useful and not disagreeable , experience. Mr Newton : Why did you not explain yourself properly to the officer ? If you are engaged in these rash enterprises you must be prepared'for-such unfortunate denouements as this is.

Prisoner (to the policeman) : Did I not ' explain to you that I was a journalist, and > engaged in my professional work P The policeman : No, you only said you were a journalist, and you refused to give any account of yourself. Prisoner : My recollection of the affair is different. You 1 should study " Strokes on Memory." Mr Newton said he must have a witness, to confirm the prisoner's story, and the prisoner thereupon called Mr Hawkes, who stated that he was secretary to the proprietor of the Echo, and knew the prisoner to be a member of th» staff'of that paper. He had known him as a .journalist for five years. He was of gpod character. Last week the editor arranged with the prisoner to get himself up as a beggar, and do a day's begging in the streets of London. The. prisoner was to write some articles on his experience. It was not arranged that the prisoner was to !be taken into custody or committed for a • term .of ' imprisonment. No doubt either of these experiences would be useful ton journalist. - , .

By the,prisoner - % Did you dress me in my present 'get-up' in your chambers in the Temple yesterday morning ? • The witness': Yes. The prisoner: Did you make these rents in my clothes ? :■ ■ . ■ " The witness: Yeß. Mr ZTewton said;he was satisfied as to the prisoner's story, and he would be dis* charged. He trusted that the unpleasantpens he had encountered would make him more cautious if he should meditate other enterprises of tliis kind. •