THE POLICE-OFFICE.
The morning was rainy, cold, and lowering.
Markham awoke unrefreshed by his sleep, which had been haunted by the
ghost of the young officer who had committed suicide at the Hell. He
shivered and felt nervous; as if under the impulse of some impending
danger whose nature he could not altogether define. By the good offices
of Crisp he obtained the means of washing himself and arranging his
toilette previous to an appearance at the police-court; and the same
intervention procured him a good breakfast. As he, however, could not
eat a morsel, Mr. Crisp very kindly and considerately devoured it all
for him.
At about half-past nine o'clock the various constables connected with
the charges entered in the police-sheet, arrived at the station-house
for the purpose of conducting their prisoners to the Police-court. All
those persons who were charged with felony were handcuffed; but of this
class the most knowing contrived to bring their hands beneath their
garments in some way or other, and thus conceal the symbol of ignominy
as they passed through the streets.
Richard was astonished at the number of women who were charged with
intoxication and disorderly conduct; and the chivalrous admiration of
the whole sex which he felt, and which is so natural to youth, was
considerably diminished by the hardened appearance and revolting
language of these females.
Markham and the constable who had arrested him proceeded in a cab
together to the police-office in Marlborough Street. Upon reaching that
establishment, the officer said, "The Magistrate will hear the _drunk_
and _assault_ charges first; so it may be an hour or more before your
business will come on. I ought by rights to lock you up; but if you
like, we can stay together in the public-house there; and one of my
partners will let us know when the case is coming on."
This arrangement was very acceptable to Richard; and to the nearest
public-house did he and the constable accordingly adjourn. For this
handsome accommodation all that he had to pay was half-a-guinea to the
officer, besides liquidating the score for as much liquor as the said
officer and every one of his "partners" who happened to drop in, could
consume.
For the present we must request the reader to accompany us to the
interior of the police-office.
In a small, low, badly-lighted room, sate an elderly gentleman at a
desk. This was the Magistrate. Near him was the clerk, whom the worthy
functionary consulted so often that it almost seemed as if this clerk
were a peripatetic law-manual or text-book. In front of the desk were
the bar and the dock; and the space between them and the door was filled
with policemen and the friends of those "who had got into trouble."
The first charge was called. A man dressed in the garb of a common
labourer was accused of being drunk and incapable of taking care of
himself. The Magistrate put on a most awfully severe and frowning
countenance, and said in a gruff tone, "Well, my man, what do you say to
this charge?"
"Please your worship," observed the prisoner, scratching his head, "I am
out of work, and my wife has pawned all our little bits of things for
food for the children, and yesterday morning I was forced to go out to
look for work without any breakfast. There was but a little bread left,
and that I would not touch for all the world. Well, your worship, I was
fortunate enough to get the promise of some work for Monday; and meeting
a friend, he asked me to have a glass. Now beer upon an empty stomach,
your worship----"
The Magistrate, who had been reading a newspaper during this defence,
now lifted up his head, and exclaimed, "Well, you do'nt deny the charge:
you are fined five shillings. Call the next case."
"But your worship----"
"Call the next case."
The poor fellow was dragged away from the bar by two huge policemen; and
an elegantly dressed person of about twenty-six years of age was
introduced to the notice of the magistrate.
"What is your name?" enquired the clerk.
"Name! Oh--John Jenkins," was the reply, delivered in a flippant and
free-and-easy manner.
The Clerk and the Magistrate whispered together.
A constable then stood forward, and stated the charge. The prisoner at
the bar had turned out of a flash tavern in the Haymarket at one in the
morning, and commenced crowing like a cock, and ringing at front-door
bells, and playing all imaginable kinds of antics. When the constable
interfered, the gentleman knocked him down; and had not another
policeman come up to the spot at the moment, the said gentleman never
would have been taken into custody.
The Magistrate cross-questioned the policeman who gave evidence in this
case, with great severity; and then, turning with a bland smile to the
prisoner, who was surveying the clerk through his eye glass in as
independent a manner as if he were lounging over the front of his box at
the opera, the worthy functionary said in a tone of gentle entreaty,
"Now really we have reason to suspect that John Jenkins is _not_ your
name. In fact, my lord, we know you."
"Well, then," exclaimed the prisoner, turning his eye-glass from the
clerk upon the magistrate, "chalk me up as Lord Plymouth, since you are
down upon me in this way."
"My lord--my lord," said the Magistrate, with parental urbanity of
manner, "these little freaks of yours are really not creditable: upon my
honour they are not. I sit here to administer justice to the rich as
well as to the poor----"
"Oh! you do, do you?" cried the nobleman. "Now I tell you what it is--if
you dare talk any of your nonsense about prisons and houses of
correction to me, I'll not stand it. You know as well as I do that
whenever a barrister is to be appointed magistrate, the Home Secretary
sends for him and tells him to mind his P's and Q's towards the
aristocracy. So none of your nonsense; but be quick and let me off with
the usual fine."
"My lord," ejaculated the Magistrate, glancing with consternation from
the prisoner to the clerk, and from the clerk to the prisoner; "did I
not say that I sate here to administer equal justice to the rich and the
poor? The fine for drunkenness is five shillings, my lord--and in that
sum I fine you. As for the assault upon the policeman, I give you leave
to speak to him outside."
The nobleman demanded change for a ten pound note, and threw the five
shillings in a contemptuous and insolent manner towards the Clerk, who
thanked his lordship as if he had just received an especial favour. The
assault was easily settled _outside_; and the nobleman drove away in an
elegant cab, just as the wife of the poor labourer departed in tears
from her husband's cell for the purpose of pledging every remaining
article of clothing that could possibly be dispensed with, to raise the
five shillings wherewith to procure his liberation.
Several other cases of intoxication, disorderly conduct, and
"obstruction of the police in the exercise of their duty"--which last
embraced the veriest trifles as well as the most daring attempts at
rescue--were then disposed of. In all instances the constables
endeavoured to exaggerate the conduct of the accused, and never once
attempted to palliate it; and as the Magistrate seemed to place implicit
confidence in every word the police uttered (although one or two cases
of gross perjury were proved against them), convictions were much more
frequent than acquittals.
The cases of the poor starving emaciated beggar, the apple-cart man, and
the affectionate mother, who had all three so powerfully excited
Markham's attention at the station-house, were called on one after
another consecutively. Fortunately the inspector was not present at the
time to use his influence against the two first, and the master of the
workhouse did not appear to press the charge against the last. They were
all three accordingly discharged, with a severe admonition--the first
against begging and being houseless--the second against earning an
honest livelihood by selling fruit in the streets--and the third against
clamouring in a workhouse for the mere trifle of being separated from
her children.
As these three individuals emerged from the police-office, they were
accosted by Mr. Crisp, who informed them that they were "wanted" by a
gentleman at a public-house in the neighbourhood. Thither did the trio
of unfortunates, accompanied by the poor woman's children, proceed; and
great was their surprise when Mr. Crisp officiously introduced them into
a private room which Markham had engaged.
Richard and the police-officer in whose charge he remained, were there;
and the moment the poor creatures were shown in, they were accosted by
that young man whose ingenuous countenance inspired them with confidence
and hope.
"My good friends," said he, "I was in the station-house last night when
you arrived; and your sad tales touched me to the quick. Now, with
regard to you, my poor lad," he continued, addressing himself to the
_rogue and vagabond_, "what prospect have you before you? In what way
could a friend aid you?"
"My brother, sir, is well off, and would assist me," replied the poor
creature, "if I could but get to him. He lives in Edinburgh, and is well
to do as a wheelwright."
"Here are two guineas for you, my friend," said Richard. "They will take
you home; and then may your reception be as favourable as you seem to
think. There--I do not want you to thank me: go--and commence your
journey at once."
The poor fellow pressed Markham's hand with the most enthusiastic
gratitude, and took his departure with tears in his eyes and gladness in
his heart.
"And now, my good man," said Richard to the owner of the apple-cart,
"what do you propose to do?"
"To speak the truth, sir, I don't know. The police seem determined that
I shan't earn an honest livelihood: and as I am equally resolved not to
see my children starve before me, I have nothing left to do but to
become a thief. I shan't be the first whom the police have driven to
that last resource in this city."
"You speak bitterly," said Markham.
"Yes--because I tell the truth, sir. My cart is to be returned to me;
but of what use is it, or the stock that is in it, since I don't dare go
about to sell fruit?"
"Could you not open a little shop?"
"Ah! sir--that requires money!"
"How much?"
"A matter of four or five pounds, sir," replied the man; "and where
could a poor devil like me----"
"I will give you five pounds for the purpose;" interrupted Markham; and
taking from his pocket-book a bank note, he handed it to the poor man.
We will not attempt to depict his gratitude: words would completely fail
to convey an idea of the exuberant joy which filled the heart of that
good and affectionate father, who would rather have become a thief than
seen his children starve!
"And now, my good woman, what can I do for you?" said Markham, turning
to the third object of his charity. "How in the name of heaven, came you
reduced, with three children, to such a state of want and destitution?"
"My husband, sir, is in prison," answered the poor creature, bursting
into tears, while her children clung the more closely around her.
"In prison! and for what crime?"
"Oh! crime, sir--it is only a crime in the eye of the law, but not in
the eye of either man or heaven."
"My good woman, this is absurd. Is there any offence of which the law
alone takes cognisance, and which is not reprehensible in the eye of
God?"
"On the contrary, sir--God has given us for our general use and benefit
the very thing which the law has forbidden us to take."
"This is trifling!" exclaimed Richard impatiently. "Can you, whom I
behold so affectionate to your children, be hardened in guilt?"
"Do not think so, sir! My husband was a hard working man--never spent an
hour at the public-house--never deprived his family of a farthing of his
wages. He was a pattern to all married men--and his pride was to see his
children well-dressed and happy. Alas, sir--we were too happy not to
meet with some sad reverse! My husband in an evil hour went out shooting
one afternoon, when there was a holiday at the factory where he worked;
and he killed a hare upon a nobleman's grounds near Richmond. He was
taken up and tried for poaching, and was sentenced to a year's
imprisonment with hard labour! This term expires in six weeks; but in
the meantime--O God! what have we not suffered!"
"Ah! forgive me," ejaculated Markham, deeply touched by this recital: "I
spoke harshly to you, because I did not remember that the law could be
guilty of a deed of such inhuman atrocity. And yet I have heard of
many--many such cases ere now! Merciful heavens! is it possible that the
law, which with the right hand protects the privileges of the
aristocracy, can with the left plunge whole families into despair!"
"Alas! it is too true!" responded the poor woman, pointing towards her
pale and shivering offspring.
"Well--cheer up--your husband will be restored to you in six weeks,"
said Markham. "In the meantime here is wherewith to provide for your
family."
Another five-pound note was taken from the pocket-book, and transferred
to the hand of the poor but tender-hearted mother. The children clung to
Richard's knees, and poured forth their gratitude in tears: their parent
loaded him with blessings which came from the very bottom of her heart,
and called him the saviour of herself and famished little ones. Never
until that day had Richard so entirely appreciated the luxury of
possessing wealth!
Scarcely was this last matter disposed of, when information arrived that
Markham's case would be heard in about ten minutes. To the police-court
did he and the constable who had charge of him, proceed accordingly; and
in due time the young man found himself standing at the bar in the
presence of a magistrate.
The usual questions were put relative to name, age, and residence, to
all of which Richard answered in a candid and respectful manner. The
constable then stated the nature of the charge, with which the reader is
already acquainted. Evidence was also gone into to show that the
officer, whose death had led to the irruption into the gambling-house on
the part of the police, had died by his own hand, and not in consequence
of any violence. This point was sufficiently proved by a medical man.
Markham, in his defence, stated he had accompanied some friends, whose
names he declined mentioning, to the gaming-house on the preceding
evening; that he had not played himself, nor had he intended to play;
and that he had been led into the establishment without previously being
acquainted with the exact nature of the place he was about to visit.
The Magistrate remonstrated with him upon the impropriety of being seen
in such houses, and inflicted a fine of five pounds, which was of course
immediately paid.
As he was leaving the police-court, Markham was informed by a beadle who
accosted him, that his presence would be required at the gambling-house
that same afternoon, at four o'clock, to give evidence at the coroner's
inquest concerning the means by which the deceased officer came by his
death.