OLD BAILEY FARE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19298, 10 April 1926, Page 2 (Supplement)

OLD BAILEY FARE.

MURDERERS' LUNCHES. VARIETY OF APPETITES. Although there is no restaurant or buffet inside the Old Bailey, it entertains both its judges and its prisoners to lunch. Every day during the Sessions, "My Lords, the King's Justices," as the blackcowned ushers proclaim each moining and evening, dine together. They are the cuos of tlu*Lord Mayor and Sheriffs. Prwoners have tho choice of a "stalebanquet." as tho official mid day meal is called, or.they can have whatever thev tike sent in from tho restaurants near the Court. Horatio Bottomley bought a champagne lunch every day of his long trial. Ho anticipated acquittal, and planned a banquet at one of (ho best-known rostaurants in London, to which his friends were invited, 110 "dined," however, alone that night, on a mug of cocoa and a slice of brcul and margarine in Wormwood Scrubhs. Seildon, the North London poisoner, nlso enjoyed a good lunch every day ho was on trial for his life at the Old Bailey. Ho chose his own menu, and had bis meals sent in from n restaurant near the Court. Socfdon's last meal at the Old B-mW was n mired grill, apple tart and ens'ard. and coffee. Tie. was j< st sittiric down to ii when tho warder bec!:oned him. He ionised tip from h's chair, confident of necuittnl, and tiioprd lightly up the stairs to the dock. Soddon travo one swift "lance fit. t|v< itiry, and bis fate. An Old B'i'ev cat had Seddon's lunch that. day. Ronald True dined lavishly nil the time be was at the Old Bailey. The prospect of death, apparently, had no terrors foi him. He ato a good trn before he was driven off to the condemned cell at Pen tnnviHo. and shouted "cheerio" fo one of tho warders. Dr. Crippen hardly touched his lunch on tho day of his long trial. He seemed obsessed with tho fato hanging over his head.