The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-08 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM BOROUGH PRISON.

EIGHTH DAY.
BIRMINGHAM, WZDNZSDAY.
This inquiry was resumed this morning.
The first witness called was Mr. George Underhay, from
the establishment of Messrs. Bolton, engineers, of Clerkens
well, who was examined in reference to the construction of
the cranks. Ile swore that this firm received an order
from Lieutenant Austin for a dozen cranks for the use of
this gaol. The order was for the cranks of the construction
which was very defective. This was pointed out to the
governor, who, however, persisted in having them without
the improvement, so that a five pound weight on the handle
of the old crank was equivalent to 20 pounds. Any persona
working a five-pound crank as in use in this gaol
would have to exert a force four times greater. Was of
opinion that with such a crank 10,000 turns a day would
be excessive (or • bay ; with our sew crank, a stroag,
healthy man would be able to do 1.5,000 turns a day.
After a long examination in reference to this matter, the
witness was ordered to make a close hispection of all the
cranks used at the gaol, in conjunction with another en-
gineer, and to report the result to-morrow.
The Rev. Mr. Sherwin, the chaplain, was again called,
and examined in reference to prisoners who had attempted
suicide. Remembered • prisoner named Plant being
in the straitjacket several times. This man
told him he was clammed to death. Saw ano.
they prisoner in his cell with the jacket and collar
on and strapped to the wall. There was a quantity of
bread just within his reacts, but the prisoner could only
open his mouth a little way, and bite little bits off. Plant
was very weak and distressed in body. Itemembi red a
person named Thomas attempting to commit suicide three
days before he was discharged from prison. Ile said that
it was under the pressure of weakness and hunger, accost.
panied by the threat of not being discharged from prison
until it was too late for him to reach home.

Mr. Welsby—ln the report to the Home-office this is put
down u an attempt at imposition. Du jou think it
was so ?

Witness—No ; I do not. The man was not an idle man.
He had been a hard-working man; but he was in a very
weak state.
Mr. Welsby—There is an entry respecting a boy named
Webb, who was committed to gaol fur two months fur hying
on a shed, he never having been in prison before : he was
several times Sent to the crank Ilsbour and had Mead and
water. There is also a case of Thomas Grieve.' which you
mentioned to Mr. Perry, who was put to hard labour at the
crank. Did that boy tell you when he was put to the
crank ?

Wetness—He did ; it was the day after he came to the
gaol. Ha was a feeble, miserable child, utterly unfit for
crank labour. I mentioned his case to Freer, and he agreed
with me.

Mr. Welsby—There is a prisoner named Jones, under
sentence of ten years' transportation, who was sentenced to
fourteen days hard labour fur stealing corn, twice attempted
to bang himself. Do you remember that man ?
Witness—l do; he was (he said) suffering the pangs of
hunger. When I spoke of such cars to the authorities,
was always told the prisoners were lic lug a part.
Mr. Welsby here read a letter addressed by the chaplain
to Mr. Perry, detailing cruelties in the gaol which the
visiting justices had suppressed. To this it was replied by
Mr. Barlow' on the part of the magistrates, that they did
not pretend to give Mr. Sherwin's evidence, but to report
on the whole cue. It was shown, however' that several
cues adverted to by Mr. Sherwin hail not been noticed at
all by the visiting justices.
The examiLation of Mr. Sherwin was then continued.—
lie spoke positively on the subject of the opinion which
the magistrates entertained of these attempts at suicide:
in his judgment they always looked upon them as "attempts
at imposition." With reference to the case of Andrews,
he said that Mr. Lucy, one of the visiting justices, remarked
that it was "an attempt at imposition carried too far."
That appeared to be the prevalent idea amongst the magi-
, striae' and gaol authorities whenever a prisoner attempted
to commit suicide. Mr. David Malin*, another of the
magistrates, had expressed an opinion to that effect.
Capt. Williams—Were you not aware, Mr. Sherwin, that
the act of parliament prescribes that your duty was to report
on any abuse or impropriety that came within your know-
ledge, to the visiting justices ?
Mr. Welsby—l suppose Mr. Sherwin thought they were
not abuses, seeing that the visiting justices were aware of
all that was going en in the gaol.
Witness-1 th night that in the ordinary tonne of prison
discipline there were abuses, but as regards the discipline
of this prison what was done iu accordance with it? The
visiting justices were remarkably vigilant, so was Lieut.
Austin, so that he must have known everything that was
going on.
Capt. Williams—Did you ever see such punishments at
Wakefield prison as you saw in this ?
Witness—No; I did not.

Mr. Welsby—:l think it due to this gentleman to say,
that my own opinion is, that as everything done at this
prison was a part of the discipline carried on there well
known to the visiting justice•, Mr. Sherwin might fairly
think it was not necessary for him to interfere.

Mr. Sherwin, in the course of a further examination,
mentioned that he remembered a prisoner named Twam!ey,
who had been long ill, and under medical treatment, being
found dead in the morning in a sitting position in his cell.
The man had never had his clothes off. The reverend
gentleman mentioned other instances where prisoners bad
died in the cell', though the return to the Secretary of
State was that they had died in the infirmary.
Alfred Webb, a youth 15 years of age, was next called.
lie is a very little boy ; judging from his appearance he
would not be thought more than 12 years old. lie said—l
recollect being sent to the gaol for two months for getting
into a shed where there was some lead. I went to get
cap which one of my companions had thrown there.
I had never been in a prison before. My father
had worked for Mr. Bacchus for several years,
and I had worked there fur some time. I was punished in
the gaol very severely. Three days after I entered it I
was put on bread and water and sentenced to the strait-
, jacket. This was for saying " good bye" to a boy in an
adjoining cell. When I was in the jacket and was strapped
to the wall the first time was on a Sunday, from chapel
I time is the morning until night. I had a leather collar
round my neck. My legs were strapped together. The
jacket and straps hurt my neck, arms, and chest very much.
After this I was set to ten days' work at the crank,
to be turned 10,000 times a day. I worked
in the cell from six in the morning until ten
at night, in the dark. On those days when I did not
do the work I had nothing to eat all day; at night they
gave me a little bread and water. Mr. Cotterill, jun., said
he'd keep me on the crank till I did the work.
Mr. Welsby—Are you sure you had nothing to eat all
day
Witness—Ne ; nothing.
Dr. Baly—Row much bread did they give you when
you were taken from the cell at night ?
Witness—Sometimes six and sometimes eight ounces.
Dr. Baly—And you had nothing to cat all day ?
---• _

Witnea—Nothing.
Mr. Welsh —No gruel, little boy ?
Witness—No, none.
Mr. Welaby—Did you ever have the strait jacket put on
you after you had been at the crank till ten at night?
Witness—Yes ; it wu put on by two of them.
Mr. Welsby—Did they pull it tight ?
Witness—Yes ; my arms were strapped, but I was not
strapped to the wall. I lay on the floor on my bed ; it was
on all night, and in the morning they took it off and sent
me to the crank. I had had no sleep. I was "in such
agonies and pains," and was so hungry they had given
me nothing to eat all the day; they put 8 ounces of bread
in the bed My arms were bound. I bit at the bread as
well at I could.

Dr. Daly—Are you quite sure you had had no food be-
fore that day ?
Witness—Not a bit. They would not give me a drop of
water.

Capt. Williams—Moat monstrous and chocking !
Mr. Welsby—lt's the most diabolical thing I ever heard
of in my life.
Capt. Williams--Here's one day he does all his work but
500 turns, and they give him bread and water at night.
There is an entry that on one of the days when he was un-
dergoing this punishment they gave him his food. I dare
say it's incorrect, for they were not in the habit of dojos
that sort of thing.
Mr. Welsby—Did they ever give you your food when you
didn't do your work?
Witness—No. I had bread and water on three Sundays.
Capt. Williams—Did you ever tell the doctor you couldn't
turn the crank ?

Witness—Yes. He said 1 could, and turned it once or
twice himself. I said " Please, sir, take it otl ; 1 would
turn it if I could." He said, " Oh ! it's your gammon.
Dr. Daly—Are you sure the surgeon used those words:
Witness--Ifss, sir.
William Taylor, a youth about 16 years old. who had
been in the gaol and made two attempts at suicide, Wl'
next called. After having been punished and deprived of
his bed, recollected the governor saying to him " that he
would make his life a second hell to him." Attempted to
hang himself with his braces ; afterwards made an attempt
to strangle himself with his hammock, and was found in
that state insensible. Told the warder that be had had
frightful dreams, ani that the words "child of hell in
letters of fire appeared before him." Collected portions of
hair which the barber had cut from his head, and wrote on
the slate "Good bye, my friends, we'U meet in heaven.
In his attempts at suicide, fully intended to kill himself.
Mr. Kettle said that as Lieutenant Austin was prepared

to deny the words imputed to him, and the repots were
oub;onsil dilly, he thought that that gentleman should
b.- U14.1111..81 at ,•111C1.,
Mr. W. MI said that the governor should be examined
present:v.
Mr. the surgeon, again calls.' and ezamined
at great ng.h by Dr taly.—Waa not aware until recently
Oat prisoners wee dui rte. dot their food all day, and then
oluy us or eight ounces of bread and water at night. Did
mot !yoke .icy 'lvry in his journal in reference to the in-
pew in ;he numhor of ettcmpu a: suicides. Made inquiry,
b., sot ,pecj); inquiry, on the subject. Disagreed with
the governor in thi;:king that the suicides arose from the
severity or the punishrnesZis.
In. y—Do you thank the punishment jacket quite
harmless?
Witnera—Perhapa not quite harmless.
Dr. Italy—Did vnu ever express an opinis`o that there was
dander attending that punishment ?
Witnen—l bare talked with the magistrates pen•r!illY.
I ttttt mse.e any official communication on the subject.
I du lot remember the boy %% but I am sure I never
made use of such an • tures, ion as be has attributed to
me. I ',serail, said, •• Nonsense, boys."
The witness was examined in reference to print en who
wen sick dying in their cells. He admitted that if there
was prorr atrendance it would he better that all 14T-
was in such a state of health should be removed to the in-
mary
c.v. Williams—Did a prisoner ever remain in his 1101-
woe, until hi. hack was sore ?

—Wanes-1 believe not.
Copt. Williams—ln the case of Thomas Clark, do you
remember brideath ?

aneo—Yee.
C.M. he ever is the infirmary ?
Wstnert-1 believe not.

Capt. Williams-1 hen, if the return to the Secretary of
state says that that man was 113 days in the infirmary it's
Menefee!, is it ?.

—Witness—. It is.
Capt. Williams—lM you tumid+ the returns fcr making
up the report to the Secretary of State ?
Wstnese-1 do.
Capt. Williams (handing to witneu the tetara)—ls this
your lisadwritiors
Witness—lt is sot. _ .

[There was an examination of a similar character in re-
(creme to a primmer named Jones, whom same had been
returne4 to the Secretary of State as dyisig after 38 days in
the infirmary: is fact, he died in ►iseell.]
(' .pt. Wsllium—Did prisoners in a bad state of health
in th,ir telis ever rentals in t►eir hammocks?

preferred hammocks.
Mr. William—Did you not think it your first duty u •
medical man to see that every prisoaer in • bad suite of
health bad a wood bed ?
Wens's—They had It wb they wished. I always
asked them.
Me. Weistiy—Naw, will you, on your solemn oath, say
that say prisoner ever told you he preferred a hammock to
abed?
Wawa (after a minute or two of hesitation)—They have
pt. Ivs Wit to show that I have always treated prisoners
wit► kindness.
• Welaby—Then I don't think yow have succeeded.
• Baly—Do you *WI to make any %Iteration or
ditioe to whet you said a day or two since on the subject
a %sit beiag thrust into tnet prisoner's mouth ?
Witness7l don't recollect now more than I did then.

Mr. 'l% elsby—lou have said something about prisoners
attesp•iag 'Made by means of bits of gl.u. Is there any
miry of thom cams
itars—l believe I have not recorded those cases.. .

Lieut. Austin was again called, and be swore positively
that he had never used such expressions as had been attes•
bated to him by Taylor.
At this stage the inquiry was again adjourned ; it is not
likely to terminate at present.

REST/ND OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR
THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

WIDNESDAT, 8117. 7.

The twenty-third annual meeting of the British
Association was opened this day at one o'clock, by a sitting
of the general eowmittee in the library of the HuU General
Infirmary, Colonel SAIIINE, the president of the associa-
ting, in the chair.
The Ass.IoTANT GENERAL SECRETARY (John Phillips,
F.lt S.) then proceeded to read the minutes of the last
meeting of the Association, in 1852, at Belfast, which,
basing been confirmed, a draft of the report of the pro-
ceedings of the council during the past year was read.
_

The CHAIRMAN moved, and it wu seconded and carried,
that the report be receivtd and adopted.
The report of the parliamentary committee was then
read. It alluded to the steps which had been taken to
procure a reduction in the rut, a of postage on presentation
copies of works forwarded to correspondents in foreign
pmts. These could inOy now be sent at the same rat* as
letters, and the committee was anxious to have this reme-
died. Lord Canning had an .ounard that he was in treaty
with foreign governineuts fur the transmission of works
generally, but be thought it would be difficult to make
opeciil reculations ter scientific works. The report then
detailed what had been done in the matter of Lest Mu-
rey's proposals for hydro;raphical observations, and recom-
mended that no esertimis should be spared to imbue govern-
ment with the annuity of a reduction and co-ordination of
the observations of British naval officers.

The Co tIItOAN thought so valuable a report should be
referred to the committee of recommendation, in order
that they might prepare by the next committee meeting a
nimble recognition of the services of the parliamentary
committee, as well ■s to strt nether' t►e hands of the gene-
ral examinee with reference to the principal matters
therein alluded to.

The Rev. VIAMON HARCOURT moved • resolution to
the effect that the report alluded to by the chairman
should be referred to the committee of recommendation

Profeatior STIVELLT, of Belfast, seconded the motion,
which was then put sod carried Nem. die.
The committee then proceeded to the election of the
'viola. °Main necessary to conduct the business of the
sections, after which the committee of recommendation was
appointed.
Mr. Mismtes, in the absence of the treasurer, read the
general treasurer's account, from the Ist of Sept., at Belfast,
to theStli of Sept., 18.53, at Hall. Receipts—To balance
brought ea from the previous account, 2371. 9s. 11d. ; life
compositions at Belfast meeting, 1001.; ditto, during
the year, 181.; mutual subscriptions at Belfast, 1834 ;
ditto, daring the year, 581. Is.; associate tickets at Belfast
meeting, 6104.; ladies' ditto, ditto, 2921, ; composition for
fatare publications, 51. ; dividends on stock (one year),
lOU. 18s. 104.; interest on cash from Belfast, 81. Is. 10d.;
teem the sale of publicavona, via., reports, catalogues of
was. Woe's Lines, &c., 2011.95. Ild.; total, 1,71.51. Is. 6d.
Payments—For sundry printing, advertising, binding, ex-
penses of Belfast meeting, petty disbursements for treasurer,
2181 ; balance of account for printing report of the
twerictli meeting, ITU. 9s. 6d.; printing report of the
tecity-lint meeting, 4221. 24. 9d.; eagraving for the
report of the twentpstoond meeting, 1171. Me.
sal.; salami, twelve months, 3501.; maintaining the
establishment at Kew Observatory, 1631. i on aossant
errant for rematches as the British Anashilse, 101. ; ex.
IleliMeata es the in/asses of eater radiations, 151. ; &edg-
ing an the wt sweet of Beetkemak 101. ; ethnological it
r6l. ; balance at the baskets, 2141. 12a. 6d.; ditto in
is' mads of the peers! treasurer and local treararers,
M. Ts. Id. , total, 1,7161. Is. 6d.
The retest ben remised and adopted, the met-
a( adjearnei niimMlim that.
The smiths ineedieg mas bead M Ibui*! Weft of the
liesitsaim' Institute, elms W. H. M.A.,
P.O • S vice-president of the Boy al , and president
If the Cambridge Philosophisal Society, read his address.

OPILVING OF THE LORD WARDEN HOTEL