Twenty Years' Recollections of an Irish Police MagistratePorter, Frank Thorpe
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Twenty Years' Recollections of an Irish Police Magistrate
Porter, Frank Thorpe
Crime -- Ireland; Criminals -- Ireland; Ireland -- Social life and customs; Porter, Frank Thorpe, 1801-1882
Rushton told him that I was not there in any official capacity, but as a
private individual who had not interfered, directly or indirectly, in
any matter coming before the court. He was discharged with a caution. I
have never seen him since: and I mention the case of this
street-preacher only to show how accidental circumstances may produce,
in some minds, the most unfounded conclusions.
UNLUCKY RIOTERS.
On my resumption of duty in Dublin, I had very few cases of importance
or peculiar interest to dispose of. I may mention one in which two men
were charged with being actively engaged in a riotous tumult in Dean
Street, and assaulting the police. They had been extremely violent, and
one of the constables had been so severely injured as to be
incapacitated for duty during several days. In almost all such cases the
prosecutors prefer a summary decision; and in the one to which my
present remarks apply, I stated that I considered the prisoners, Foley
and Magrath, deserved the utmost punishment which I was empowered to
award, namely two months' imprisonment with hard labor. The culprits
loudly exclaimed against such a judgment, and vociferated that they
should get a full and fair trial by a jury. I acceded to their demand,
and returned the informations to the next commission of _Oyer et
Terminer_ for the city of Dublin. There never was a more complete
exemplification of an escape from the frying-pan by a fall into the
fire. They were tried and convicted before Baron Richards, and he
sentenced them to be imprisoned for twelve months, and kept to hard
labor each alternate month. Their repugnance to a summary conviction had
received great publicity; and the increased punishment to which they
were subjected had the effect of reconciling the delinquents who were
subsequently brought to the police-court to the fullest exercise, by the
magistrates, of their summary jurisdiction.
VISIT TO PARIS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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