第94章 ASSISTANCE IN GENERAL.(7)

A--was induced to leave a comfortable home to become the governess of the motherless children of Mr.G--,whom she found to be a kind and considerate employer.After she had been in his service some little time he proposed that she should take a trip to London.To this she very gladly consented,all the more so when he offered to take her himself to a good appointment he had secured for her.In London he seduced her,and kept her as his mistress until,tired of her,he told her to go and do as "other women did."Instead of descending to this infamy,she procured work,and so supported herself and child in some degree of comfort,when he sought her out and again dragged her down.Another child was born,and a second time he threw her up and left her to starve.It was then she applied to our people.We hunted up the man,followed him to the country,threatened him with public exposure,and forced from him the payment to his victim of #60down,an allowance of #1a week,and an Insurance Policy on his life for #450in her favour.

#60FROM ITALY.

C.was seduced by a young Italian of good position in society,who promised to marry her,but a short time before the day fixed for the ceremony he told her urgent business called him abroad.He assured her he would return in two years and make her his wife.He wrote occasionally,and at last broke her heart by sending the news of his marriage to another,adding insult to injury by suggesting that she should come and live with his wife as her maid,offering at the same time to pay for the maintenance of the child till it was old enough to be placed in charge of the captain of one of the vessels belonging to his firm.

None of these promises were fulfilled,and C.,with her mother's assistance,for a time managed to support herself and child;but the mother,worn out by age and trouble,could help her no longer,and the poor girl was driven to despair.Her case was brought before us,and we at once set to work to assist her.The Consul of the town where the seducer lived in style was communicated with.Approaches were made to the young man's father,who,to save the dishonour that would follow exposure,paid over #60.This helps to maintain the child;and the girl is in domestic service and doing well.

THE HIRE SYSTEM.

The most cruel wrongs are frequently inflicted on the very poorest persons,in connection with this method of obtaining Furniture,Sewing Machines,Mangles,or other articles.Caught by the lure of misleading advertisements,the poor are induced to purchase articles to be paid for by weekly or monthly instalments.They struggle through half the amount perhaps,at all manner of sacrifice,when some delay in the payment is made the occasion not only for seizing the goods,which they have come to regard as their own,and on which their very existence depends,but by availing themselves of some technical clause in the agreement,for robbing them in addition.In such circumstances the poor things,being utterly friendless,have to submit to these infamous extortions without remedy.Our Bureau will be open to all such.

TALLYMEN,MONEY LENDERS,AND BILLS-OF-SALEMONGERS.

Here again we have a class who prey upon the poverty of the people,inducing them to purchase things for which they have often no immediate use--anyway for which there is no real necessity--by all manner of specious promises as to easy terms of repayment.And once having got their dupes into their power they drag them down to misery,and very often utter temporal ruin;once in their net escape is exceedingly difficult,if not impossible.We propose to help the poor victims by this Scheme,as far as possible.

Our Bureau,we expect will be of immense service to Clergymen Ministers of all denominations,District Visitors,Missionaries,and others who freely mix among the poor,seeing that they must be frequently appealed to for legal advice,which they are quite unable to give,and equally at a loss to obtain.We shall always be very glad to assist such.

THE DEFENCE OF UNDEFENDED PERSONS.

The conviction is gradually fixing itself upon the public mind that a not inconsiderable number of innocent persons are from time to time convicted of crimes and offences,the reason for which often is the mere inability to secure an efficient defence.Although there are several societies in London and the country dealing with the criminal classes,and more particularly with discharged prisoners,yet there does not appear to be one for the purpose of assisting unconvicted prisoners.This work we propose boldly to take up.

By this and many other ways we shall help those charged with criminal offences,who,on a most careful enquiry,might reasonably be supposed to be innocent,but who,through want of means,are unable to obtain the legal assistance,and produce the evidence necessary for an efficient defence.

We shall not pretend authoritatively to judge as to who is innocent or who is guilty,but if after full explanation and enquiry the person charged may reasonably be supposed to be innocent,and is not in a position to defend himself,then we should feel free to advise such a case,hoping thereby to save such person and his family and friends from much misery,and possibly from utter ruin.Mr.Justice Field recently remarked:--"For a man to assist another man who was under a criminal charge was a highly laudable and praiseworthy act.If a man was without friends,and an Englishman came forward and legitimately,and for the purpose of honestly assisting him with means to put before the Court his case,that was a highly laudable and praiseworthy act,and he should be the last man in the country to complain of any man for so doing."These remarks are endorsed by most Judges and Magistrates,and our Advice Bureau will give practical effect to them.

In every case an attempt will be made to secure,not only the outward reformation,but the actual regeneration of all whom we assist.