THH POLICE AND THE PUBLIC.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10738, 18 August 1900, Page 8

THH POLICE AND THE PUBLIC.

The action of the police in connection witii the arrest of a young man. Thomas Chappie, who ajqiearcd at the Police Court on Thursday, charged with having been illegally on premises, appeared, on the face of it, no peculiar, that a representative of thi.«jonniil made some enquiries concerning lik tmitment. It seems that Chappie is suffering from the? .Meets of a severe fall from a ladder, which has interfered detrimentally with his health. ai;d brings on fits of giddiness, tn which lie is occasionally subject. After dropping his stick over Jensen's fence, Chappie states he went into the garden to search for it. and one of these fits came on him, his mind being occupied at die same tune with some serious family trouble. When, he was apprehended by the'prosecutor Jensen, the latter was inclined t<* accept his explanation', and let him go, but a man, A. J. Wilkinson, who cam« to Jensen's assistance, suggested that he should be taken to the lock-up for the police to deal with the matter. The watch-house keeper asked if tlie stick was in the garden, and a constable wa.s sent for it, and found it, and a charge of being illegally on premises was laid. There was no suggestion that considering the circumstances of the case the prosecutor should lay an information, and Chappie was locked up without furrlrer parley. Before incarcerated in the cells he asked leave of tho watch-house keeper to ring up his friends, nml let them know where he was, because his mother would be anxious. The watchhouse keeper's reply wa.s that the sergeant would do that. Before being finally left to himself in, the lock-up, Chappie again repeated his Tcquest that his friends be communicated with, and gave the address of a house on the opposite side of the street to his, whose owner is always prepared to answer the telephone, and "is a friend of the Chappie's, in order not to inconvenience tho police. He wa.s not told anything more by the watch-house keeper as to whether his. friends had been communicated with, neither was be asked whether there were any other friends he would like to communicate with, or if he wanted to get bail. Being ignorant of the procedure of the police station, he was left to himself. At 6.30 o'clock in the morning, his father having found that he was not at home, came to tho conclusion that he -.-- been detained by some illness, and went to* tlie house where .lie had been on tho "previous evening. Ho was told that his son had gono home at the usual time. Thinking it passible that ne had had a recurrence of his fainting fits, ho went off to the police station, where he found' the young man in the lock-up. Mr Cliappr_ immediately took step- to bail out hi- son, and they were about-to reave-the station when.he found that his boot- had-heen taken. Another watchhouse keeper was on, and knew nothing ttbou Mr Chappie wasr forced to go home .and procure more footgear before his son-could leave the -tation.