The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-12 00:00:00

TREATMENT OF PRISONERS IN
WINCHESTER GAOL.

Yesterday Mr. W. Payne held a lengthened in-
quiry at the Queen's Prison, Southwark, on the body of
William PI" aged 53, en inmate of that prima (to which
place be had been removed by habeas corpus from Win-
chester Gael about three Meths ago) where he died of
fewer on Saturday night lest.
The pr.ncipal witness was William Sills Poulton, a
debtor in the Queen's Prima, who said that a penes
named William Miller, who had been in Winchester Owl
Sot 43 y-ars, wrote to bin en the 27th of July to inform
bun that Jones ( MIS esmkg, and mentioned the
dreadful treatment that d them were then receiving.
Witness had been those Its LI swaths before he waa re-
moved on the 17th 411 AVG W that prison. During
seen months of that time be saws tossed animal food, and
no nutenaace whatemi bst loud owl real. Witness was
in that prison for Md. It is a gad fee felons as well as
foe debtors. Whets diet west there be was pat into
the sheriff's ward, whisk is a plass for debtors, when they
wen kept for 14 days ; but if they did not settle their debt
et make application to the insolvent Court they were »-
moved to what was seised the maYiet prism It is Galled
the D wing, nadir as falsali psi. Tits diet for lieedess
was, for breakfast, illbe pint st rod and Ow some of
bread ; for dinner, throe sows of asses sad Ass semis
of bread. In the the Imp as Dm Isseldlist.
Every day the same it sal
e%
Monday the dime susish4 _baskaild Ass "WSWwa
perhaps, bait a pesed. and her semis st brad.
day's din Om mom if &slid sad Mat SONO of
broad. W Mum Ace ems as on Mader (Ow
Pstotool). ItiThusday's dbesmithey had what was teemed
s quart of um and four maim of breed. Friday's asset
laselmed ftes ammo of demos sad four mesa of
hush dmhsi As isms es se Thursday t they
Id es swat sdrva. Tbs asap, be understood, was
made from the water in which the felon's beef was boiled.
Witness was not allowed to masts anything, so that
Roney was of no use to him. Everything they remised
must come to them through the post, eves to a sliest of
Paper. Witness used to complain to the =MOSS is NNW
silence of a rupture he was troubled with. He wishadldia
to get away from the prison, or the diet would kill Wm.
He had been confined in bed for two days without swim
food, because he could not touch the prison diet. Heeds*
to the doctor, and asked him for • little tea, but he merle
no reply, and pointed to the rejected gruel. All the dueler
prisoners there were kept on the same allowance. The pri-
soners did not associate together, as each had a separate
cell to sleep in and a separate yard (20 ft. by 30 ft.) to walk
in. When witness first came to the Queen's Prison he was
under the care of the doctor for several weeks, in conse-
quence of the treatment be received in Winchester Gaol.
He had several letters from Miller on the subject of his
treatment, directed to witness in a different name, as the
governor would not let any of the prisoners correspond with
any person who had previously been • prisoner there.
In answer to a juror, the witness said he understood the
dietary was regulated by a bye law made by the visiting
justices. He had complained to the board, but nothing had
been done in the matter, and he was soon after removed to
this prison. As soon as he had settled his debt he should
bring an action against the county for the infamous treat-
ment he had received whist he was in Winchester
Gaol. He bad written to the Secretary of State, calling his
attention to it.

The Jury, after a consultation, returned the following
verdict • That the deceased died from fever, and the jury
are of opinion that the evidence given before them am to the
dietary of the debtors in Winchester Gaol ought to be in-
quired into by the Secretary of State."
The Coroner said he should send a copy of the verdict
and of the depositions to the Secretary of State, u be con-
sidered, after what bad transpired u to the different gaols
throughout England, that Winchester Gaol ought to be in-
quired into. It was entirely out of his jurisdiction to in-
/sire as to the dietary of a prison, and the general treat-
ment in gaols ; but it was • matter that came specially
under the operation of the royal commission appointed for
that perpose.
The verdict was thensi ned, and the proceeding, termi-
nated.

TIM STAMP DVTT ON FIRE INSURANrit.—From
a return jut issued it appears that in the year ended the
sth January, the stamp duty on policies roc lice insurance
amounted to no km a sum thaa 1,162,9134