Neglect of duty
Mar. 9th, 2013 07:40 pmI'm collecting examples of policing, from the 1830s & 40s. This one is from the "magistrate book". I forgot the date but it's about January 1843.
William O'Brien
per Mandarin
Escort Constable P.B.
Charged on the complaint of Constable Wells with being drunk & neglect of duty in allowing two Prisoners to escape from his custody.
Plea Not Guilty
Henry Wells being duly sworn states I was going up Watchhouse lane yesterday & met the Prisoner who went with me to the District [Constable] & he told him that he had lost two prisoners who he said had slipped their handcuffs. On enquiry I learnt that the prisoner had been drinking with the men in this charge at the Black Snake & that they were not handcuffed. The Prisoner was beastly drunk when I saw him.
James Noble being duly sworn states I was in charge of the Prisoner yesterday enroute to Hobart I and two others were handcuffed together when we left Pontville Watchhouse & when we came to the Black Snake we all went in & had five pots of porter and a breakfast- the handcuffs were taken of then -- the man who absconded paid for all we had as he had money -- he then put the handcuffs on again and brought us to the public house near Glenorchy where we had two pots more porter & had our handcuffs taken off & while the constable /the Prisoner/ was back in ? the two men walked out of the front door & when the Prisoner came back I told him that the men had absconded and wanted me to go with them but that I refused. We then went out & I had the Handcuffs put on again & when we came near the Watchhouse he fired off his musket.
To be kept in hard labour in chains for Twelve Months and recommended that he be removed to Tasman's Peninsula.
William O'Brien
per Mandarin
Escort Constable P.B.
Charged on the complaint of Constable Wells with being drunk & neglect of duty in allowing two Prisoners to escape from his custody.
Plea Not Guilty
Henry Wells being duly sworn states I was going up Watchhouse lane yesterday & met the Prisoner who went with me to the District [Constable] & he told him that he had lost two prisoners who he said had slipped their handcuffs. On enquiry I learnt that the prisoner had been drinking with the men in this charge at the Black Snake & that they were not handcuffed. The Prisoner was beastly drunk when I saw him.
James Noble being duly sworn states I was in charge of the Prisoner yesterday enroute to Hobart I and two others were handcuffed together when we left Pontville Watchhouse & when we came to the Black Snake we all went in & had five pots of porter and a breakfast- the handcuffs were taken of then -- the man who absconded paid for all we had as he had money -- he then put the handcuffs on again and brought us to the public house near Glenorchy where we had two pots more porter & had our handcuffs taken off & while the constable /the Prisoner/ was back in ? the two men walked out of the front door & when the Prisoner came back I told him that the men had absconded and wanted me to go with them but that I refused. We then went out & I had the Handcuffs put on again & when we came near the Watchhouse he fired off his musket.
To be kept in hard labour in chains for Twelve Months and recommended that he be removed to Tasman's Peninsula.
