§ MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he can state by whom, and on what charge, Friedrich Schumacher was arrested, on the 13th of September last, at Leman Street, East, Police Station; whether complaints have reached him that, after being arrested and locked up in a cell, a written paper, and, if so, to what tenor, was presented for signature to the said Friedrich Schumacher, and that he was told that he would be released if he signed the paper, and on his signing the paper was thereupon released; whether the charge against the said Friedrich Schumacher was duly entered in the charge-sheet of the day, and submitted to the magistrate in ordinary course; if so, what was the magistrate's decision thereon; and, if not, what reason has been given; and, whether a private inquiry into this case was conducted at Scotland Yard, and by whom; if so, on what date, and what, if any, action has since been taken in the matter?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that Schumacher was arrested by an Inspector, and charged with being a suspected person, found on the premises of the local Inspector at Leman Street Police Station. I have received no complaint on the matter; but am informed that the Inspector, in consequence of what Schumacher said, removed him to the Inspector's office, where he made a statement, which was reduced to writing, in which he satisfactorily explained the circumstances which led to his being found on the promises. He was not told that if he signed the statement he would be released; but he did so voluntarily, and was released. The charge had been entered on the sheet in the usual way; but was not submitted to the magistrate. The matter was inquired into at Scotland Yard on the 8th instant by the Assistant Commissioner and the Chief Constable; and the Inspector was reprimanded for the irregularities of his conduct, and a sergeant who had not acted properly in this matter has been reduced in rank.