Policing, as it used to be done
Aug. 28th, 2011 06:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xenithIf you think the police in your area don't do a good job, it could be worse :)
I came across an editorial in the Cornwall Chronicle ranting about an incident involving a "felon constable" and what is thiscountry colony coming to and what are the government going to do about it??? (Unfortunately said editorial is a bit hard to read in places so I'm not copying it, but it's here for the curious).
Of course I had the find the original story, and I present it here for your entertainment. I've come across plenty of accounts of the convict constables being, well, not as diligent in their duties as they should be and, of course, taking advantage of their position. But this guy seems to be taking it a bit too far.
This appeared in couple of newspapers at the time, but this example is from the Colonial Times, 22 December 1835. I'm not putting it in italics because it's a bit long.
* * *
To the Editor of the Colonial Times.
SIR,--I beg to forward the following statement for your perusal, I can vouch for its correctness, as I received it from Reardon himself before witnesses : should you think proper to publish it of course you will make what remarks you think proper :
"CONFESSION OF REARDON.--Wednesday Morning, Dec.2. Constable Drinkwater, (a convict constable) came to me, Daniel Reardon, (also a convict constable) as I was standing at the Police Office door. He asked me if I would go with him, I said where ? He answered 'to bring Lanky Taylor down on a charge of murder.' I asked him what murder he had committed, he told me for shooting Capt. Sergeantson, and added 'we shall get our free pardons for it.' I told him I was ordered to go to Ross by Mr. 'Gray, he said 'I can get you off going there ; accordingly he went to Mr. Gray and asked him if I (Reardon) could go with him, which Mr. Gray consented to. Drinkwater afterwards came to me, and said he a scheme in his head by which we should get our liberty, I said what is that ? he said he would tell me as he went along the road, as he should have a better opportunity of talking.
"As we going towards, Mr. Willis's, he said 'Dan, if you will stick up for me, I will do the same for you, and we shall be sure to get our pardon;' he said, 'I was the first person that discovered a shot in Capt. Sergeantson ; I lifted up the corner of his waistcoat, and picked a piece of flesh of, and squeezed it between my fingers, and a shot came from it. I was up at Mr. Willis's house this morning, I was talking to young Mr. Willis in his bed-room. I told him I was the first person who discovered a shot in Captain Sergeantson. Mr. Willis said, the shot that were found in him should he saved, and now our main point is, after we take Lanky Taylor in charge and bring him to Campbell Town, I will get some small shot which will correspond with the shot that I have taken out of Captain Sergeantson ; I know the sized shot I want as I took particular notice of what I had taken out of the body.' I (Reardon) made answer, let us see Lanky Taylor first, then we shall see what we can do.
"Before we reached Lanky Taylor's hut he was in charge of two constables, Duxberry and Edmonds ; he (Drinkwater) stepped on one side and said, he had the main point--the shot was the main point, and, using a vulgar oath, said he would stick to him. We then went to Lanky Taylor's hut, which was locked, and therefore did not go in ; we went into another hut (Innes's) about forty yards distant, and had a drink of water, and from there we returned to Campbell Town. All the way we went along, Drinkwater was very pressing in getting me (Reardon) to back his evidence ; but of course I made no promise, feeling at the same time much hurt at his supposing for a moment that I should be guilty of such fiendish intentions. After arriving in Campbell Town, Drinkwater said, ' are you willing to back my evidence ? If we get some small shot and swear we found it in Lanky Taylor's hut, it is sure to hang him, and we shall get our liberty.' I (Reardon) told him it is a foolish thing altogether, as any person could see we had never been in the hut ; he remarked, 'it was no d--d odds, as Mr. Whitefoord would take his word for anything he said.' With that he wanted me to go into the constables' hut and get a shot belt which was hanging on a nail ; there was some small shot in it, which would answer our purpose. I told him I did not like then, as there were so many constables in the hut; he then went himself, and when I found he could not be persuaded off, I went and told Mr. Hughes, the gaoler of this place, the whole circumstance, as the Chief Constable was away from home.
"Mr. Hughes immediately recommended me to keep in with him, as that would he the most likely way of finding out his real intentions, so as they might be brought to a bearing. A few minutes afterwards I saw Drinkwater return from the constables' hut ; he told me he could not get the shot belt without being seen, at the same time giving me a shilling to go to Mr. Emmett's store, to get two pounds of the smallest shot he had ; I accordingly went, while I was there he stood on the outside of the shop, and before I came out he had gone away with Mr. Emmett's female servant ; I then went and took the shot to Mr. Hughes, and told him these are the shot I have just bought, and at the same time gave him a part of them ; the remainder I gave to Drinkwater, which he said were very much like the shot he had picked out of the body. Opposite the Caledonian Inn I assisted in putting the shot into a small bag, he said, 'd--n my eyes if we have not got our liberty now, he can't get over us if you stick up for me ;' with that he said, 'come along with me to Mr. Whitefoord, the Police Magistrate ; I did so ; he sent the cook into Mr. Whitefoord to say constables Drinkwater and Reardon wished to speak to him. Mr. Whitefoord came out, Drinkwater told him we had been up after Lanky Taylor, and as constables had previously taken him in charge, we did not think it necessary for us to come with him, so we thought it advisable to search his hut, and in searching his hut, myself and Reardon found this bag of shot, planted on the top of the wall plate, which corresponds with the shot I found in Capt. Sergeantson's body. He also said, Lanky Taylor* was sure to deny the shot, and of course it will tend to confirm the suspicion.'
"I at the same time beg to forward you another case of a similar nature, I am renting a small farm within a short distance of Mr. Willis, and I believe my reputation has remained unimpeached at present ; but still, if the present proceedings are suffered to continue, God only knows how soon I may be placed at the bar of the Supreme Court, and, my life sacrificed by the system.
"CONFESSION OF REARDON.-In the month of October last, constable Drinkwater asked me (Reardon) whether, I would go with him, (as he was determined to obtain his liberty) and get a sheep out of Mr. Willis's paddock, and plant it on James Smith's premises, (he mentioned either stable or stock-yard), and afterwards lay an information at the Police office, and get a search-warrant and have his place searched, and then 'we will find this sheep ; as there is a h-of a down on Smith, there is no doubt but we shall get something for it.' I told him to go and do it himself. "It was his intention to have got the sheep the night before, and have tied the legs and then to have hid it under some' straw, and his excuse for absence would have been to the Chief Constable, that he had been in search of a runaway.
"I can assure you it is really awful to contemplate the state of the Police in this district, no person's life or property is safe under its present protection
"Your obedient, humble servant,
James Smith."
"Campbell Town, Dec. 7th, 1835"
* This man's name is John Taylor, but is better known about here is Lanky Taylor.
* * *
For the concluding chapter, this article from the Hobart Courier, 25 December 1835...
One of the most dreadful attempts at subornation which we have ever heard of was brought to light last week at Campbell Town. A constable named Drinkwater was brought before Mr. Whitefoord the police magistrate of the district, charged by another constable with endeavouring to induce him to join him in a conspiracy to charge a man named Lankey Taylor with the murder of Capt. Sergeantson, for the discovery of which so high a reward has been offered. Drinkwater having seen the shot which had caused the unfortunate gentleman's death, had actually bought some of a similar kind and placed in Taylor's hut in order to convict him. The case was satisfactorily proved and he was sentenced two years to Port Arthur.
I came across an editorial in the Cornwall Chronicle ranting about an incident involving a "felon constable" and what is this
Of course I had the find the original story, and I present it here for your entertainment. I've come across plenty of accounts of the convict constables being, well, not as diligent in their duties as they should be and, of course, taking advantage of their position. But this guy seems to be taking it a bit too far.
This appeared in couple of newspapers at the time, but this example is from the Colonial Times, 22 December 1835. I'm not putting it in italics because it's a bit long.
To the Editor of the Colonial Times.
SIR,--I beg to forward the following statement for your perusal, I can vouch for its correctness, as I received it from Reardon himself before witnesses : should you think proper to publish it of course you will make what remarks you think proper :
"CONFESSION OF REARDON.--Wednesday Morning, Dec.2. Constable Drinkwater, (a convict constable) came to me, Daniel Reardon, (also a convict constable) as I was standing at the Police Office door. He asked me if I would go with him, I said where ? He answered 'to bring Lanky Taylor down on a charge of murder.' I asked him what murder he had committed, he told me for shooting Capt. Sergeantson, and added 'we shall get our free pardons for it.' I told him I was ordered to go to Ross by Mr. 'Gray, he said 'I can get you off going there ; accordingly he went to Mr. Gray and asked him if I (Reardon) could go with him, which Mr. Gray consented to. Drinkwater afterwards came to me, and said he a scheme in his head by which we should get our liberty, I said what is that ? he said he would tell me as he went along the road, as he should have a better opportunity of talking.
"As we going towards, Mr. Willis's, he said 'Dan, if you will stick up for me, I will do the same for you, and we shall be sure to get our pardon;' he said, 'I was the first person that discovered a shot in Capt. Sergeantson ; I lifted up the corner of his waistcoat, and picked a piece of flesh of, and squeezed it between my fingers, and a shot came from it. I was up at Mr. Willis's house this morning, I was talking to young Mr. Willis in his bed-room. I told him I was the first person who discovered a shot in Captain Sergeantson. Mr. Willis said, the shot that were found in him should he saved, and now our main point is, after we take Lanky Taylor in charge and bring him to Campbell Town, I will get some small shot which will correspond with the shot that I have taken out of Captain Sergeantson ; I know the sized shot I want as I took particular notice of what I had taken out of the body.' I (Reardon) made answer, let us see Lanky Taylor first, then we shall see what we can do.
"Before we reached Lanky Taylor's hut he was in charge of two constables, Duxberry and Edmonds ; he (Drinkwater) stepped on one side and said, he had the main point--the shot was the main point, and, using a vulgar oath, said he would stick to him. We then went to Lanky Taylor's hut, which was locked, and therefore did not go in ; we went into another hut (Innes's) about forty yards distant, and had a drink of water, and from there we returned to Campbell Town. All the way we went along, Drinkwater was very pressing in getting me (Reardon) to back his evidence ; but of course I made no promise, feeling at the same time much hurt at his supposing for a moment that I should be guilty of such fiendish intentions. After arriving in Campbell Town, Drinkwater said, ' are you willing to back my evidence ? If we get some small shot and swear we found it in Lanky Taylor's hut, it is sure to hang him, and we shall get our liberty.' I (Reardon) told him it is a foolish thing altogether, as any person could see we had never been in the hut ; he remarked, 'it was no d--d odds, as Mr. Whitefoord would take his word for anything he said.' With that he wanted me to go into the constables' hut and get a shot belt which was hanging on a nail ; there was some small shot in it, which would answer our purpose. I told him I did not like then, as there were so many constables in the hut; he then went himself, and when I found he could not be persuaded off, I went and told Mr. Hughes, the gaoler of this place, the whole circumstance, as the Chief Constable was away from home.
"Mr. Hughes immediately recommended me to keep in with him, as that would he the most likely way of finding out his real intentions, so as they might be brought to a bearing. A few minutes afterwards I saw Drinkwater return from the constables' hut ; he told me he could not get the shot belt without being seen, at the same time giving me a shilling to go to Mr. Emmett's store, to get two pounds of the smallest shot he had ; I accordingly went, while I was there he stood on the outside of the shop, and before I came out he had gone away with Mr. Emmett's female servant ; I then went and took the shot to Mr. Hughes, and told him these are the shot I have just bought, and at the same time gave him a part of them ; the remainder I gave to Drinkwater, which he said were very much like the shot he had picked out of the body. Opposite the Caledonian Inn I assisted in putting the shot into a small bag, he said, 'd--n my eyes if we have not got our liberty now, he can't get over us if you stick up for me ;' with that he said, 'come along with me to Mr. Whitefoord, the Police Magistrate ; I did so ; he sent the cook into Mr. Whitefoord to say constables Drinkwater and Reardon wished to speak to him. Mr. Whitefoord came out, Drinkwater told him we had been up after Lanky Taylor, and as constables had previously taken him in charge, we did not think it necessary for us to come with him, so we thought it advisable to search his hut, and in searching his hut, myself and Reardon found this bag of shot, planted on the top of the wall plate, which corresponds with the shot I found in Capt. Sergeantson's body. He also said, Lanky Taylor* was sure to deny the shot, and of course it will tend to confirm the suspicion.'
"I at the same time beg to forward you another case of a similar nature, I am renting a small farm within a short distance of Mr. Willis, and I believe my reputation has remained unimpeached at present ; but still, if the present proceedings are suffered to continue, God only knows how soon I may be placed at the bar of the Supreme Court, and, my life sacrificed by the system.
"CONFESSION OF REARDON.-In the month of October last, constable Drinkwater asked me (Reardon) whether, I would go with him, (as he was determined to obtain his liberty) and get a sheep out of Mr. Willis's paddock, and plant it on James Smith's premises, (he mentioned either stable or stock-yard), and afterwards lay an information at the Police office, and get a search-warrant and have his place searched, and then 'we will find this sheep ; as there is a h-of a down on Smith, there is no doubt but we shall get something for it.' I told him to go and do it himself. "It was his intention to have got the sheep the night before, and have tied the legs and then to have hid it under some' straw, and his excuse for absence would have been to the Chief Constable, that he had been in search of a runaway.
"I can assure you it is really awful to contemplate the state of the Police in this district, no person's life or property is safe under its present protection
"Your obedient, humble servant,
James Smith."
"Campbell Town, Dec. 7th, 1835"
* This man's name is John Taylor, but is better known about here is Lanky Taylor.
For the concluding chapter, this article from the Hobart Courier, 25 December 1835...
One of the most dreadful attempts at subornation which we have ever heard of was brought to light last week at Campbell Town. A constable named Drinkwater was brought before Mr. Whitefoord the police magistrate of the district, charged by another constable with endeavouring to induce him to join him in a conspiracy to charge a man named Lankey Taylor with the murder of Capt. Sergeantson, for the discovery of which so high a reward has been offered. Drinkwater having seen the shot which had caused the unfortunate gentleman's death, had actually bought some of a similar kind and placed in Taylor's hut in order to convict him. The case was satisfactorily proved and he was sentenced two years to Port Arthur.
