(Copy.)
Black Boy Lane
Colchester. Feb 8. 1860.
Right Hon Sir,
We the undersigned beg to draw your attention to the following circumstance trusting you will call upon the respective parties for a thorough explanation of their conduct.
On the evening of Wednesday Jany 25th, being inmates of the Colchester Union, we escaped over the Wall but did not take any property whatever belonging to the Guardians. To our surprise we were the same evening apprehended by Police Superintendent Downes and another Policeman at the instance of the Master of the Union House.
We understand that according to the Poor Law Rules escaping from the Union House is no offence unless property belonging to the Guardians be taken away, also by the same rules that the Union Officers are not empowered to apprehend or cause to be apprehended persons so escaping. The Police have therefore acted illegally (as also the Master of the House) in apprehending us. We also understand that when a Policeman apprehends a person, the person should be charged in the usual way and conveyed before a Magistrate but this was not done, we were taken in Custody of the Police to the Union House and detained till the following afternoon. If the Police were justified in apprehending us, omitting the question of a Warrant altogether, why were we not taken before a Magistrate, if not justified why were we apprehended at all. We beg most humbly to apologize for submitting the matter to you but considering that an outrage has been committed on the liberty of the subject, we think it right to acquaint you of it to prevent a recurrence of such conduct
We are, Rt. Hon Sir
Your most humble Servts
(signed) Sarah Johnson Harriet Percival