The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-01-04 00:00:00

TRILLTAISNT IN POOLE LOCK-UP.

An inquest was held at the county gaol, on Thursday
a'ternoon, touching the death of • man named George
Sims, about 57 years of age, who, together with John
Novel and George Clark, were comniitted for trial •
the Poole Quarter Sessions by the maitistrate• of that
town, on • charge of stealing a bale of cloth belonging
to Mr. Evans, draper, of Poole, and they were sent to
the county gaol for safe cuetody.
The Governor (Mr. J. V. D. Lawrence,) stated that
Shllll wee received from Poole on the 3rd December,
and remained in the trial ward till the 11th, when the
surgeon directed his removal to the infirmary since
when he beil been under Mr. Good's care, and had had
everything the surgeon ordered for him. He died on
Wednesday night, shortly before twelve o'clock. Sims
had been in the gaol orce before. He was always a
eellow man, and did not 1.4 very strong. Two other
prisoners (Noval and Clark) came with Sims, and one
of them was now in the infirmary. Sims made no com-
plaint to him.
Mr. J. Good, gaol surgeon, said that he saw Sims on
his admission to the gaol. He was apparently well, and
made no complaint. On the sth he applied to MIT.
Fie then appeared to be suffering from • very severe
cold. Suitable treatment was ordered, and on the
11th, as the man seemed worse, his removal to the
infirmary was directed. Symptoms of typhoid fever
ensued, and for several days the man was alarmingly ill.
He raliied, became able to walk about, and seemed
going on favourably. Bat, on Monday, the 27th, be
had a complete relapse of the dis-ase, grew worse, and
died Ile saw him every day after the 11th. On his
admission to the infirmary, sims made a statement to
him which he thought the jury ought to know. Sims
attributed his illness to the treatment be received in
Poole-lock-up. He said that early in the evening of Nov.
27, he and the two others were teken to the station ;
they were wet as drowned rats," for it had been rain-
ing allday. That they remained in their wet clothes
from that time till Monday night, with no means of
drying them, or changing them. That he bad only a
plank to lie on, and no rug or anything to cover him.
The Coroner: Supposing that is true, are you of
opinionithat treatment caused the man's death?
The Surgeon : I can't positively swear that was the
cause of his death, hut nothing could be more cal.
enlisted to bring on fewer than being drenched with
wet, and remaining in such clothes two days and two
night', and letting them dry upon him.
John Novel, one of the three, was fetched from the
infirmary. He said they were taken about half-meit
five. At the station the Superintendent took their
names. Witness told him how wet they were, but he
said nothing—he took no notice. They were put in
separate cells. He had a plank bed, and • small rug
uot big enough to cover a man properly. There were
no blankets. He got nothing at ell to eat on Saturday
night. lie told the Superintendent he should get a
bad cold, sleeping in wet clothes, and be found it come
true. At ten o'clock I bad three little bits of bread, a
bit of cheese, and drop of t 5, similar food at four in
the afternoon, and again thefollowing morning. On Mon-
day morning they were taken before the Poole magis•
trams, and committed to Poole gaol. There at n'elit
they all took of their clothe.' for the lint time. They
were separate during the day time, but put into one
cell to sleep together at night. Two small beds were
put t gether for the One, to lie on, but th-y hod plenty
of clothes, and hsil nothing to complain of there. On
the Friday (Dec. 3), when they came to Dorcheiter, he
fe t very queer on getting up. was shaking all over,
and could not keep • limb steady. Ile did not say
anything about it on seeing the surgeon (Mr. Goal) for
he thought if be hail • warm bed and kept quiet he
should get all right. He went to the infirmary on Monday,
the 11th, and was very bad, bus be was now getting
better, though he didn't believe he should ever be the
same man again.
A Juror When do you consider your clothes were
dry and fit to wear?
Witness: Hy the Wednesday after we were taken.
He never saw • lire. Was 25, and bad never had any
nines. before . . .

-
Mr. Good mid No% al h.ol had the drop.). and be thought
would hate died.

_ ......
Clark wit. •I...ealled. On Satunlay night he had no rug. lie
aeked the constable If there were not *Mil% and he wii.l " he
didn't. know." On Sunday he waw put in the eell with Sim..
*they had to lie on • hare pla• k -he at one end and Simi at
the other. They had one rug between them.

The Coroner ha. Mg addressed that jury on the facts of the
case, they conferred together, and at length came to the e. 4n-
c1u44441 that Sims came to his death through the giNsel neglect
of thefpollee 'Whorl les at Pools. The Corunertold them thin
was equal to a verdict of manslaughter, which the evident*
did not warrant, for Mr. Good would not ',ay their treatment.
home...lag what the a1t0.... eai.l aaw troy, Melee! nally reused
the man" death. The jory were unwilling to say anything
less, and then Mr. Lock to'.(l them if they acre 44 that opi
it would only be fair to the P4444e authorities to adjourn that
they might have all flop 4rtnnity 44 giving their version 44 the
ease. After lona c owideration. the Jury retunied a verdict
that ghnn dim of typhoid fever and they desire4l the Coroner
to expo.... to the pollee authoritien (4 Poole their 40 rotor
opinion that they were deserving 44 great cen.ure for their
treatment of dtstauntl and tar( other prisoners from their ap-
prehension to committal in nut providim proper bed clothes
or them.
Our Poole oorre•ponlent.writes as follows
- - -

Front intuiries I 'have made in Poole, It appears that the
town George SilllA. agml 1.7 yews, and two other prisoners
slept at the casual ward of the workhouse the night preced-
ing the robbery, and that on the following morning (the
Saturday) they left at the usual time and wandered about the
neighbourhood until the) entered the town and conimittml
the robbery at the shop of Mr. EV.II+. hosier. The early part
of the day was very wet, and the prisoners consequently had
wet clothes when they weie taken so the polite station, but
they made no complaint when they were put into the cells,
and they Were In the charze room for two hours near a fire,
before they were placed in the cell, On Saturday 1 inspeetcd
the eells, by the invitation of the ',Mice -authorities, when 1
found everything to be selio'esomely dean, well renfilated, a
ride platform, about 16 inches from the floor, to deep upon,
and a mum, rug for rod. prisoner. Uusually these cells are
occupied but by one man; on the omaision when it:mires Sims
was • prisoner, 'here was an unusual number of prisoner';
therefore two men were put into one cell. The morning that
Sims warn committed for trial he had some warm coffee given
to him by the ;mike, MAI Sims especially thanked them (the
pollee) for their kindness. Although the cells are no satisfac-
tory, I would respectfully suggest one alteration ; viz :—Tbst
the stone Seer should be taken up and wood put down in ita
shad.