The case of James Austin, tramp in search of work,
locked up for a fortnight by the Dunstable police and heavily mulcted, whose story we mentioned last week, has been elucidated this week by letters from the superintendent of the Dunstable police station, from the clerk to the Dunstable magistrates, and from himself. On the whole, these letters do not leave his case quite in so good a position as we thought it last week. It is positively stated that he applied as a destitute person for lodging,—which, however, he as positively denies,—that he was seen smoking on his straw bed, contrary to the regulations of the tramp ward, and that the pipe and tobacco were found upon him after he had denied having either ; and he does not in his reply reiterate his assertions on this last head. Moreover, both the clerk to the magistrates and the superintendent assert that he gave a false name,—John Collings. On the other hand, no reply has been made to Austin's charge that so much more of his money was retained than would have sufficed for his board in prison and costs, and that he was refused an explanation as to the cash returned to him when he was released.
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