The National Register.
London, England, 1823-04-28 00:00:00

THE PENITENTIARY.

On Tuesday last an *tiny was held before the Coroner
for Westminster and a Jury, at the General Penitentiary,
Milbank, to ascertain the death of Ann Alartin, a female
convict, aged 22.
Mr. Robert Chapman, the new governor, stated, that
the deceased and her sister, Sarah Martin, had been con-
victed of felony at Exeter, during the spring assists of
1419, and sentenced to seven years' transportation, but
that punishment had been coi iiiii 'tied to live yews' impii-
soitinciet in the Penitentiary.
Mr. J. Pratt, surgeon to the prison, stated, that the
d,teensed had complained of indisposition—the last time
in January last—and was admitted into the infirmary.
There was such a general relaxation in her frame that she
voided every thing involuntarily ; she was affected with
a scrofulous disorder; every attention was paid to her in
the infirmary, and she had whatever she liked or was lit
for her in her indisposed state. For the last month' at
the request of the deceased, Sarah Aladin, her sister, had
been in constant attendance upon her. the physician
id daily visited her, and the witness more frequently—
she died oil Sunday last.
The Jurors proposed that lamb Martin, the sister,
should be brought before than and ex* iii i i Jell touching
the treatment the deceased had received.
The Govei not said, that it was contrary to the rules of
the institution to have convicts removed from their cells
to that place for the purpose of examination, and he must
decline acceding to liar request of the Jut y.
A Juror thought the Coroner had power to enforce her
attendance.
The Governer said, that the Jury might examine the
young W0111:10 in the visiting cell if they tbutielit proper.
This was agreed to by the Coroner and Juicy, at the
moue time tit westing against giving up their right of
having the witness brought before them whets they were
empanelled. The Jiiry then returned to the visiting
room, which is of considerable use, and divided into
three parts—ihe first, where visited are adowed to stand,
is divided by iron bars front the next dioision, in which
the turnkey stands, and is called the tninkey's room, and
beyond this is the third partition, where the convict stands
to speak to the visiter. The Jury were placed in the
visiting room, the Coroner in the turnkey's room, and
Sarah Martin in the convict's room, attended If; a Horse.
. .

Being sworn, she evinced great reluctance to speak in the
presence of the nurse, which the Jury perceived, and
ordered , person connected with the prison out of
Vie place, as the witness was evidently under leer that
her tAidetice might occasion her to be treated with seve-
rity. The Jury urged her to reveal the whole truth, and
promised that whatever she stated should nut operate to
her disadvantage.
Witness *lieu stated, that her sister lied been very ill
In January last, prior to her going into the infirmary, hum
which she was sent to work, in her cell, before she wits
quite recovered. Her sister had told 111:1 she thought that
Waite had continued • slim t time longer in the infirmary,
she should have soon been quite well; but. retuning to
the cell prematurely, she caught cold, and could not eat
the bad bread mad the water gruel, which was the only
fowl she was supplied with, except some 801110 (made from
tole bi.:lock'i bent to 11g) persous) which she with her
malady could nun swallow. She (deceased) wrote to the
surgeon, to info' in Men of Inc illuess, and that day he sent
her a powder. On the folio's ing day she wrote again to
tee sitigeon, informing him of her serious indisposition,
and he sent her another powder. Oo the following day
she wrote a third time to the doctor, and received a third
powder; cud afterwattle was ildlll4tiVil hate the iufirtuery,