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

NINTH DAY.

BIRMINGHAM, TNtISDIT.
This inquiry was resumed this morning.
Mr. Blount was again caked, and in con•egitenee of •
statement m►de by Mr. Sherwin to the commissioners pri-
vately, he was examined in relation to prisoners sick being
suffered to remain in their hammocks until they were bee&
sore. The witness said that he had no recoAlection of any
such case. The demeanour of the governor varied towards
the pri.onen according to their conduct. He was stern to
those who did on behave properly. There was always •
sort of disciplinarian manner about him. Was of opinion
that though of an irritable temper he meant kindly, as wee
evidenced by his occasionally giving prisoaen clothes and
money from his own resources on their leaving the gaol.
The Rev. Mr. Sherwin, 'Rain recalled—l have known
prisoners siek, kept in their hammocks, in their cells, for a
long period. Some of them have told me they had bed-
sores. I remember the case of • prisoner named Michael
Walsh. I think he was kept in his hammock too long.
He had been for a long time abroad, used to foreign diet,
and was unable to eat the prison diet. He gradually pined
away. After I had spoken about hi:. case, he was removed
to the infirmary.

Dr. Baly—As a g I rule, were there more sick pri.
loners left in their cells than there were patients in the in-
firmary ?

%Vitneas—There were.
Dr. Baly—Were them more in hammocks in the cells
than in beds?

Witnew—l am unable to speak to numben ; several in
the cells had beds. I remember • prisoner named Clerk
dying in his hammock in his cell.
Cept. Williams—And in the Secretary of States' return it
is stated that man was 117 days in the infirmary.

Mr. Blount re-called—Stated that Walsh had no bed sore
at the time he wu in his et.ll; there wu a slight abrasion of
the back whilst he wu in the infirmary.
The next question on which evidence was gone into was
the "crank labour" punishment.

Mr. Ralph Heaton, an engineer of fifty years' standing,
was called and examined. He said—l hate examined the
crank machines in use at the gaol ; the result is, that I
think they are calculated to extract a greater amount of
labour then was intended by the parties who set them to
work. Machines with leather applied, like those at the
gaol, would require to be frequer.tly oiled; and when they
had been at work for some:date and became warm, 21be. lase
forest would be required to turn it than at first.
Dr. B ily—Would an ordinary amount of oil leather he-
roine exhausted in a day's work ?
Witness—The man I saw at the gaol told me that it was
often oiled its certain parts but that there was a general
oiling every day. I thought the oiling was not so often as
was required. The leather would require leu oil than the
metal ; but in my *pinion the leather has an advantage
over two metal faces.

Capt. Wdhaass—Whence do you draw your deduction
that more labour was rrquind to work these cranks than
was intended ?

Witness—The fault is in the construction, and that I think
was not known : in fact, one of the cranks in use at the
gaol with a 51b. weight would require store than 141b1. to
lilt it, when the handle was in an inconvenient place near
the person.
Dr Baly—The weight and pressure would be felt the
moat in that position, would It?
Witness—Yes

6stpt: —Does the new machine obviate that ?
Witness—Yes; very beautifully.
Captain Williams—Are we to understand that the new
machine is a much more perfect instrument for penal disci-
plit,e than the one in use at the gaol?
Witness—Yes.
. _

Captain Williams—lt has fewer defects?
Witness—l don't see any.
Mr. Welsby—Suppose • boy working at one of these
cranks at the gaol with a 51b, weight, what amount ot la-
boar would he really be performing ?
Witneee—l think that four boys so employed would be
doing work equal to the general draught of • horse. One
of the disadvantages of these machines is, that it might be
screwed up, so that I could not pull the handle down.
Dr. Baly.—lf • boy was set to turn 10,000 revolutions is
a day at one of the cranks in that gaol do you think be
would be very much exhausted ?
Witages.—Certainly. I shouldn't think an able-bodied
labourer could do that labour without great eakasstion.
Any complaint from a boy put to such labour would be
well founded; such labour would be attended with pains of
the chest, loins, and at the pit of the stomach.
Dr. Baly.—Do you think that a task of 10,000 revo-
lutions a day with • 10lb weight would be toe much for a
man t
Witnete.—lt would—almost double.

Dr. Baly—lf • weak old man were to be pot to such
labour would it be possible for him to do it ?
Witness—He °mild not. Ile might do it for a day on
ordinary labouring men's diet, but he'd waste considerably.
A 10lb. weight on these cranks would be equivalent to at
lout 351 he.
Further evidence in reference to the matter showed that
there was a defect in balancing the handle of the crank,
which would tend to increase the force required to work it.
Mr. Kettle (wbo appeared for Lieut. Austin) here seg.
greeted that a witness was present to contradict one of the
witnesses yesterday on some important point.
Mr. Welaby said—We are anxious to call as many
witnesses as are necessary to elucidate all the matters
really relative to this inquiry, but certainly they would not
go into eollateral issues.
Mr. Kettle rejoined that it justice was to be done it was
necessary to call certain witnesses to answer evidence given
against his client.
Mr. Welsh, said that Mr. Kettle's remark was most un-
just, improper, and uncalled for: this inquiry had been
public throutiout, so there had been abundant opportunity
of judging whether anything approaching to partiality had
been shown throughout the proceedings. (Applause from
the audience.)
Isaiah Potter, steward at the prison from its opening
until a fortnight since, was next sworn—The first collar (a
small one)) was introduced at the gaol a short time before
Captain Maconochie left, by Lieut. Austin: it was not
used for some time afterwards ; as soon as Freer,'
the deputy-governor, came, and other stocks were
made. Captain Msoonochie saw the stock, but would
not allow it to be used, it was taken to a prisoner to be put
on by Cotterill, son., but Capt. Maconoehie sent it away.
At the time Mr. Perry made his inquiry at the gaol, I
noticed that two of the stocks had been out and narrowed.
They have not been used, I believe, since that inquiry was
instituted. I have seen some strapped in the jacket to the
wall. They tried very much. I have seen them faint
when they were being strapped up, and water was applied ,
to revive them. I have said to Freer, the warder, that I
thought it was a very harsh punishment, and that prisoners
couldn't endure it. He always told me that he couldn't
help it—that he was ordered to do what he did by the
governor.
Welsby—Had this punishment a good or a bad
effect?

made prisoners commit themselves mach
more. I never saw a prisonerstrapped to the wall in Capt.
Mroonochie's time. The jacket used In Capt. Macon.-
' shies time allowed plumes to walk about their cells. It
was a practice of Mr. Austin to deprive prisoners of bed
until ten o'clock at night, and occasionally of exercise ;
also to pat prisonen on bread and water. I remember a
prisoner named Howard being strapped to the wall—this
was about Christmas, 1861. He was punished with bread
and water, taken to the refractory sell, and afterwards
strapped to the wall with the seller on. Before this be
tempted to strike an Miter. The primmer bed his legs
strapped to prevent his kicking. I have seen
boys at the crank labour wheel. I remember
one spooned to be quite deranged. Mr. Freer
was present at the time. The boy was left at
the wheel. I asked Mr. Freer how long the boy had been
in that state. He replied only the day ; " he supposed the
crank had done it." I remember a primmer named Roes
having his grail reduced in
_quality by the governor's order.
This was in April, 1852. Freer brought the order to me,
bat I saw the governor in the ceetre hall, and he lei&
" Reduce that scoundrel Boss's gruel—he's not worthy of
it." I complied with the order, and the prisoner had the
gruel reduced one-third in strength for 14 days. After-
wards there was an order that a primmer named Maher
should have ninth elm diet. Sebentendy Maher was
orateseed to close coMeement fee twenty-aces days
cm ninth slue diet. Two prisoners named Has.
rises and Taylor were also sentenced to tea days'
close confinement for offences on ninth class
diet. In the coarse of hrtemination this witness swore
that some of the collars had bun cut down, or reduced in
breadth, prior to the inquiry made by Mr. Perry.
Freaks', the engineer, made a statement to the effect
that the alteration bad been made is the cranks for the
purpose of equalising the labour.
Mr. Welsby—No doubt of that.
Abna Wilke, a boy 16 years of age, was next called and
'indeed. This boy had been in the gaol three times.
The entry respecting lain in the chaplain's gaol book wee—
" Aba• Wilke, in strait jacket and collar, strapped
to the wall, his feet bare ; his cries of murder were
terrific." The boy said—Soon after I wes in the gaol
I was put in the strait jacket fur not doing
my crank labour; afterwards I broke my crank, and
crushed on the finger of the Index. When they found
this out I was put in the jacket aid-eollar, and strapped to
the wall: floss due after that I was again strapped up,
and had on ounces of bread at night. When I bed the
jacket on I cried out, I was in so much pain. I called eat
" Murder," and said that I would sooner be deed than
alive. The last time I was in the jacket and strapped to
the wall was on a Sunday.
Dr. Bray—What is the latest time you ever had your
first foot any day ?
Wiese's—Once I had my breakfast late in the afternoon,
it was nearly supper-time. I had six ounces of bread.
Ose day, when I had the jacket on, there was some bread
on the table, bat the collar hindered my month from getting
hold of it. This was • Sunday. Mr. Sherwin, the chap-
lain, came to me and tried to get bread into my mouth, but
I couldn't bite it for the collar. I was in each pain that I
had kicked my shoes off. Freer and Taylor strapped me
to the well. They both helped to pull the strings tight.
John Vernon, another little boy, gave similar evidence.
He said—l was kept in the crank cell on two successive
days until tea at night; then I was sentenced to throe

days bread and water; then to three days punishment
jecket ; and then to seven da)s at the crank—all at one
time. I sraskept at the crank for nearly • month—and
he spoke of the pale inflicted on him by the jacket sad
collar.
Mr. Welaby—Wbat time are there prisoner/ discharged
from the gaol when their imprisonment has expired ?
Mr. Austin—At four o'clock. That was the practice in
the prison before I was governor. It wag • punishment for
re-eommittals.
Mr. Webby—Then its illegal, and highly improper, and
en notion would lie. Prisoners should be discharged the
first thing in the morning,
William Taylor, a:s3 • little boy, had been punished
with the game severity : I was punished (the boy said) be-
cause I omeldn't turn the crank round. Ones because I
couldn't do the crank work. The governor ordered me to
be pat into the jacket, and I had no food irons Wednesday
night Inviday morning at half past ten, when thew had
come out of chapel. I had eight ounces of bread and seater.
The governor came then, and made the crank easier.
William Barns, twelve years of age: I was in the prison
Iset Christmas. I rung the bell on a Sunday accidentally
sad they put me in the straitjacket and collar ; I had no
exercise, and no bed till 10 at night, for • week. I cried
oat, and said that it I bad taken my mother's advice I
shouldn't have beers there. Brown cam*. but he didn't
slacken my jacket. I was on the crank three weeks and
two days. The governor saw me when I was being pu-
nished.

Captain Williams—Not one punishment of this boy is re-
corded, Mr. Austin.
Thomas Lloyd said—l am 10 years' old. I have been in
gaol tour times ; was last time committed in April. I was
punished for knocking at the wall. 1 was sentenced to
three days in the stretched jacket and collar, fourteen days
without bed and gas, and three days bread and water. I
had the jacket on from morning till night, and bad only
eight ounces of bread, and water morning and night. I was
deprived of the bed and gas for all but the last two nights.
I wall in the strait jacket in May.
Isaac Giddings, 11 years old, had been severely punished.
When I was on bread-and-water (the be said) I was
allowed six °lmre. of bread. They called it six ounces,
but it was no bigger than my fist. They threw it in m
cell. Ones for knocking a bit of soap off the window, I
bad three days' punishment with broad-and-water.
Mr. Weisby—Well, really, this seems almost incredible.
Lieut. Austin—l think it can't be true what he says
about the strait jacket. The boy was transported, and I in-
duced Mr. Spooner, the Deputy Recorder, to alter the sen-
tence to seven days' imprisonmert, and got Mr. Ellis to
take him.

All the little boys last examined are now in Mr. Ellis's
Reformatory School, supported chiefly by Mr. Joseph
Sturge and other gentlemen ; and • very intemtiug fact
was elicited—these little boys have al: helped to gain each
ot.er admission to the school.

Mr. We!shy said that the most beautiful trait that bad
turned up in the course of this inquiry wes—these chil-
dren endeavouring to assist each other in getting into this
Reformatory School.
The inquiry was again adjourned.