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Archiver > LONDON > 2000-02 > 0950397904


From: Jennifer Smith <>
Subject: A POLICEMAN'S LOT
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 15:25:04 -0800


A short while ago there were some queries from listers whose relatives
had been members of the Metropolitan Police force. Thought you might
like this article from the Hampstead Express, dated January 1897:

The Case of P.C. Murray -- Remission of Sentence.

On the 7th inst. Mr. Basil Wood Smith, J.P., Chairman of the Hampstead
Bench of Magistrates received the following official communication from
the Home Office in reference to the case of ex-P.C. Murray, who on the
24th of November was sentenced by the Common Serjeant (sic) at the
Central Criminal Court to nine months' hard labour for alleged
perjery:--

Sir: with reference to the case of Thomas Murray, I am directed by the
Secretary of State to inform you that, after full investigation and
consideration of all the circumstances of the case, he has felt
justified in recommending the remission of the remainder of the
prisoner's sentence. -- I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Kenneth E.
Digby.

Murray was released from Wormwood Scrubbs Prison soon after 10 o'clock
on the morning of the 8th inst., having until then received no official
intimation of what was in store for hom. A Hampstead comrade was in
waiting to accompany him home, and he made his way direct to his wife
and family.

The following is an interview with the released man:

-- A representative of the Express saw Murray very soon after his
arrival in Hampstead yesterday morning. Murray's first words were those
of sincere gratitude to all in Hampstead who have worked so hard on his
behalf, and a request to our representative to convey his thanks to them
through the columns of the Express. Special thanks were expressed by
him to the various ministers of religion, amongst others, for their
action, to Mrs. Cook (wife of Dr. Cook), who has been an indefatigable
worker, to the Express, and to Sub-Div. Inspr. Holland and his
(Murray's) comrades, who have supported his wife and family during his
incarceration, the knowledge of which, he says, was a great comfort to
him during the dreary weeks he has spent in prison. Murray was employed
as a bricklayer at Wormwood Scrubbs, and he brings with him a slight
wound on one of his fingers, received while at work on Thursday last, as
a memento for the time being of his prison life. Prison fare and
confinement and a plank bed at night, have somewhat affected Murray's
health, but a few days' rest and change of air, in company with his wife
and children, will probably set that right. While still asserting his
innocence, and reasserting what he has said from the first, viz., that
he had but done his duty and told - the simple truth- there was an
entire absence of any tone or expression of vindictiveness in his
references to the circumstances of his trial. Murray stated that he had
been sustained by a feeling that all would come right in the end, and
that, especially during the last week or two, he had had a presentiment
that good news was about to come to him. He tells a story of hearing
one night a Police whistle sounding in the vicinity of Pentonville
prison, where he was at first incarcerated, and of jumping up from his
slumber to answer the call, only to find, alas! that he was a prisoner
in a cell. With a simple frankness, too, free from anything like cant,
he admits that while in prison, suffering under a keen sense of
injustice, he prayed to God as he had never before prayed.

Yesterday Murray received a cordial welcome hom from his old Hampstead
comrades, whom he heartily thanked for their kindness to his wife and
children, adding that he hoped none of them would ever have, like
himself, the misfortune of being sent to prison for doing their duty.


This article is courtesy of my great uncle, Detective Chief Inspector
Alfred Collins, who kept a scrapbook of his cases throughout his
career. If you feel these snippets of London life are appropriate fare
on the List, I'll continue to submit them from time to time. I am also
continuing to work my way through the scrapbook and compile a list of
police members, magistrates etc. in case someone out there has a
connection.

Jennifer, in
sunny Duncan, B.C.

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