Evidence Type: Newspaper Report
22 April 1845
COUNTRY NEWS
PARRAMATTA
TIP AT THE FACTORY.—On Friday, a prisoner employed at the Factory, as a tailor, being introduced to the notice of the Bench for drunkenness, a very extraordinary exposure of the prison discipline, exercised in this establishment, was disclosed.
INSPECTOR FOX deposed, that between three and four o’clock, on the previous day, he saw the prisoner drunk, going the back way to the building, when he ordered him to go by the front; and sent two constables after him, to see if his orders were obeyed; and they returned to him, and reported, that they were not allowed to take the prisoner.
DENNIS LYNCH, constable in the Parramatta Police, deposed, between three or four o’clock yesterday, I was ordered by the last witness to see if the prisoner had gone into the Factory; I went thither, and told the gatekeeper to go and tell the prisoner that he was wanted; the gatekeeper did so; and returned and told me that the prisoner would not come; I then went to where the prisoner slept, in the Factory, and found him sitting at his dinner, in such a beastly state of drunkenness, that he was unable to eat it; I told him to make haste and finish his dinner, and put on his coat; which on his refusing, I went to Mr. SMYTHE,* the storekeeper, and repeated the circumstance to him, when he (Mr. S.) told me “it was no business of mine, as I did not see the prisoner outside;” I said, I would take a prisoner of the Crown whenever I saw him drunk;” and he said, “I should not take the prisoner;” and ordered me outside the gate, when I was outside the gate Mrs. SMYTHE,** the matron, called me, and said she wanted to speak to me; I went to her, and she told me she would give me one or two shillings not to say anything about the prisoner, and not to mind him, but that she would not give the money then, as Mr. CAMERON,*** the clerk, was present, but would do so some other time. The prisoner was sentenced ten days to the cells for drunkenness.
* a.k.a. GEORGE SMYTH, Storekeeper (1844–1846)
** a.k.a. LUCY SMYTH, Matron (1844–1846)
*** a.k.a. ALEXANDER CAMERON, Clerk
CITATION
Female Factory Online, (femalefactoryonline.org), “Law Report of UNIDENTIFIED MAN,” https://femalefactoryonline.org/law-reports/p18450422/, accessed [insert current date].
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