§ MR. A. C. MORTONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the case of John Williams, Edward Kelley, and Anthony Savage, who, in October, were, at the Scarborough Police Court, respectively sentenced to three months, two months, and 21 days' imprisonment for sleeping out in a brickyard; and whether he will inquire into the case, with a view to at once liberate these men?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQTTITH,) Fife, E.Yes; my attention has been called to these cases, and I find that these men belong to a gang of professional tramps, who quarter themselves in the summer in the woods, and in the autumn in the brick and tile fields on the outskirts of Scarborough, and who, by 260 the intimidation of women and by a course of petty robberies, have become a. nuisance and danger to the town. The Justices for some time tried the effect of lenient treatment, but with no result. Of the three men now in question, Savage had been no fewer than 19 times previously convicted of begging and kindred offences, while the other two, Williams and Kelley, had been previously convicted of the same offence no longer ago than September last. Under the circumstances, I see no ground for interference.
§ MR. A. C. MORTONWould it not be better to punish these men for the offences alluded to in the answer, rather than for merely sleeping in a brickfield?
§ MR. ASQUITHI think that the Magistrates exercised a very wise discretion.