THE POLICE ASKING QUESTIONS.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 850, 15 August 1871, Page 3

THE POLICE ASKING QUESTIONS.

Again and again judges and magistrates have condemned the practice of thejpolice questioning the persons they arrest, but we (" Law Journal ") are sorry to say there ia no amendment. Last week a woman was charged at Westminster with concealing the birth of her illegitimate child. The only witness against her was Inspector Turpin, of the B division, who, " after cautioning the prisoner, questioned her," and elicited a sort of confession, which he repeated in the witness box. Mr Arnold said, "it was excessively irregular and improper to question the prisoner and extort a confession from her," and ho remanded the woman on hor own recognizances. "We are glad the woman was not kept in custody on the unsupported evidence of the inquisitorial policeman. should the police be allowed to ask any questions of the persons they have in custody? Why should they do that which is not allowed to magistrate or judge ? It seems to us that there is a remedy which is simple and would be effective. The police should not, as a rule, bo allowed to repeat in the witness box any communications made to them by prisoners.' They would then have less disposition to examine their prisoners, and if they did so, the questioning could do no harm.

"Would it not be a nice thing if we could afford to imitate the example of a certain American journalist in the matter of our "little bills." The tailor of this gentleman sent in his account, with a request for payment, as he had a large sum to make up. Creditors, by a sort of civil fiction, have always large sums to make up when they are dunning refractory debtors. The tailor was somewhat starled a few hours afterwards by the account being returned with a note appended, as follows :—" Your manuscript respectfully declined." ; The great lirigiliat' of Bologna mastered a hundred languages by attacking them singly; as the lion did the bulls.' 'On the other hand, by dividing his time among too many objects, a man of genius often becomes diamond-dust instead of a diamond.