The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-16 00:00:00

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than that of the, able-bodied men, as they onl SivaintleV :/$4.
a-week, instead of three times. .They hav -#I3O ' ---'" '''. .
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%pudding twice, and rice. The longest period cep ' ...4•06...k.'
person in the separation ward usually is a week. 3ittion.a S
struction of the separation ward is that it is to separate those
who are bad characters, and who are likely to contaminate
others by being in the house. We do not look upon it as a
punish-mut ward, but .simply as a separation. For punish-
ment the longest periodl have known a person to be placed
there has been eight days, but I have known an inmate in
the ward for eight weeks, but not generally as a punishment.
I once kept a man closely confined to that ward for about
five months. He had had four months' imprisonment for an
indecent assault on a young girl. I considered it so heinous
a crime, and so likely to create great demoralisation in the
house, that I felt it my duty to do so. That man was George
Grant, who is now present. The assault was on a girl 12
years of age. At that time the ward was 60ft. long ; it is
now 40ft. long. There was then a yard to it for picking
oakum. There is now no yard attached to it. The yard
was cut off about two years ago, as it was required by the
Midland Railway Company, the lease of the directors
having expired. James and Grant had since that no yard to
exercise in, and I understood they were to have no liberty
of the yard or garden of the workhouse. When Grant was
ordered to the separation ward I believe ho was taking me-
dicine, but don't know it for a fact. The superintendent of
the ward has a room at the entrance, under the same roof,
but does not sleep there, as he complained of its close proxi-
mity to the dead-house, and the fumes of brimstone arising
from the place where clothes are fumigated. Neither Grant
nor James ever applied to me for permission to come out of
the separation ward between the 29th of March last at any
time. James has once discharged himself. An inmate can
discharge hiinself at any time. I dO not consider the order
of the directors on the 28th March gave me power to re-
tain the men if they desired their discharge. There is a
road of about 10ft. wide.between the northern end of the
separation ward and the dead-house. But there is a pas-
sage of 18ft. or 20ft. between the outer door and the en-
trance to the separation ward. Persons found dead in the
parish are usually brought to,this dead-house. The se-pa-
ration ward is lighted by skylights, and there are large
moveable openings in the roof by "Louvre" boards. There
are wooden bedsteads and bedding for the inmates of the
separation ward. James and Grant occupied their whole
time in this ward, and slept there. The medical officer
visited Grant since he has been in the separation ward.
When-pefeons come into the workhouse I usually put them
in the receiving ward ; but if I had intimation from the
overseer, and understood ho was a bad character, then I
should send him to the separation ward. There is a visiting
committee of the directors who make a thorough inspection
of the house now about once a month.

Mr. Parnall read an order of the Poor-law Board which
made it imperative that such a committee should inspect
workhouses once a week.

Evidence continued—There is a committee called the
"House Committee" who more or less inspect the house
once a week. They usually take from half an hour to an
hour in doing so.
By Grant—Did I ask you on the 2d of April whether I
must be confined in this ward without air or exercise, and
whether you did not say to me, " There is no help for it
unless you take your discharge ?"
Mr. Morrison said it was so. In answer to further
questions he said Grant made one or two complaints about
being kept there.
By James—These separation wards were formerly used
for casuals whom we knew as our own parishioners, and in
the day time for men to pick oakum in. We have had from
20 to 23 men at work there dgily. Never heard any one
complain of the use of that ward as a work-room. It was
discontinued as a work-room up to about Lady-day last. It
was discoritinued by order of the board, and about the same
time I received the order for the confinement of Grant and
yourself. I inferred that I was so to dispose of the room to
place Grant and James therein, and re-establish it as a se-
paration ward. I believe Grant and James went into the
ward alone.
At the request of James, Mr. Parker, the assistant clerk,
read tha minutes of the board of directors of March 28 last,
directing that he and Grant should be placed in the sepa-
ration ward, and be only employed in that ward, and not
allowed to have access to or leave the workhouse without
the resolution of the board of directors.
By Mr. Cooper—lt was the house committee that recom-
mended the re-appropriation of the separation ward, and
that James and Grant should be placed therein. It required
two entire days for the directors to visit and inspect the
whole of the workhouse. In the punishment book, from the
Ist October, there are 32 entries of punishment. All those
who were put down as "locked up" were not sent to the
separation ward. Only 11 were sent there. A place called
the round house is the place for refractory punishment. It
consists of six separate rooms.
Mr. Cooper—Practically carrying out the regulations of
the Poor-law Board.

Mr. Farnall—Rathor more than practically, is it not, if
you keep men in confinement for several weeks?
Examination continued—When I received instructions
for the re-establishment of the separation ward, there was
no order for a yard, as there was one. I spoke to the sur-
geon about Grant, and he could have ordered him into the
infirmary if he thought necessary. Had been master of
Marylebone-Warkbottaa Panes s,. 1)14
never received orders from the Poor-law Board as' such.
Had received them as a member of the board previously:
By Mr. Cooper—l was present when the charge was in-
vestigated against Grant as to the alleged robbery. Grant
was present. The matter was under investigation for five
weeks, and the result was the board came to a conclusion
that there was no confidence to be placed in a word which
Grant said.

By tho Inspector—Grant complained he had not had a
fair investigation.

By Directors of the Poor—l don't say the separation
wards wore re-creaed for the purpose of incarcerating
James and Grant. Received no order from the house com-
mittee to employ these men in carrying coals. Grant could
not do so. Received an order on the 14th February that
Grant was no longer to bo employed as a messenger, or bo
allowed about the house ; and I therefore sent him to the
able men's ward, and told him not to leave it. This al-
leged robbery came out while Grant was :an inmate of the
able-bodied men's ward. It was found that the amount lost
was between £5 and £6, and when the directors investigated
it, it was found the offence had been condoned, and that
Grant had agreed to pay Clissold so much a week, and that
6d. or ls. had actually been paid. I believe it was the
knowledge of the offence being condoned by the parties
which induced the directors to abstain from prosecuting
Grant. The directors remonstrated with me about the
matron employing Grant about the house. It was the con-
tinuance of such employment, I believe, that induced the
directors to adopt the stringent order that both Grant and
James should be placed in the separation ward.
Mr. Farnall read an extract from a letter which James
had sent to the Poor-law Board, in which ho charged Mr.
J. R. Collins, a director, with calling him a miscreant, to
which Mr. Collins replied that he had no recollection of
using such an expression, although he fully believed that
James and Grant were guilty of the robbery, as they were
seen spending money, and Grant came home drunk that
night.

Mr. John Roberts examined—l am surgeon of the St
Pancras Workhouse. I know George Grant, and also the
separation wards of the St. Pancras Workhouse. lam not
aware of any medical book being kept such as that shown
to me by you in the form prescribed by the regulations of
the Poor-law Board. Grant was not under my hands for
medical treatment before he went to the separation ward.
I treated him after ho went there for bronchitis. I saw no
reason, from either the character of that ward or the state
of his malady, for a medical man to interfere. He never
complained to me of the ward in any way. I was aware
of the amount of diet he required. I considered it sufficient,
but I ordered him tea instead of gruel. The dietary of the
separate ward is Goz. of meat every Sunday. They have
eight slices of bread and a pint of milk porridge daily. On
Monday, for dinner a pint of pea-soup, and Boz. of bread for
supper. On Tuesday, for dinner 120 x. suet pudding. I
consider the dietary sufficient as laid down by the dietary
table, as it is for those who are in that ward for punish-
ment. It is a lower diet.
Mr. Farnall—There is no right in workhouses to put
people on a lower diet for punishment except beyonda cer-
tain number of hours.
Evidence continued—During the time I have been here I
consider the sanatory state of the separation ward good. Its
Proximity to the dead-house Ido not consider in any way
prejudicial to the health of the inmates. I have always
found the ventilation of the separation ward good. James
was in no way under my care as a medical man. On the
Sunday after Grant was put in the separation ward, the
master asked me if I saw any reason why he should be put
there, and I examined him and found no reason for inter-
ference, and also examined him the next day. I frequently
treat cases of bronchitis out of the infirmary. Ido not re-
member any of the directors speaking to me about Grant,
but I said to one on April 28 that I thought it would be well
to remove Grant, as I thought his health would suffer. I
meant that he should have open air and exercise, as I noticed
he looked paler that day. I told Grant I had recommended
that he might be allowed to go out. On May 1 Grant camp
to me, but did not look so pallid, but the next day an order
was given by the directors that he should have open air and
exercise if I thought he required it. I knew he had then
written to tho magistrate, and next day I gave instructions
that Grant was to go out for exercise morning and evening,
most convenient to the master. I did not then think him to
be any worse, but I thought it better to let him out as a
precautionary measure. I consider I have the fullest power
to order in such cases on my own authority. James was
not included in that order. As a medical man Ido not
think such confinement is right. Neither of them complained.
to me nor to the superintendent of the ward.
rd,
in that ward that lam a judge of the condition of it. Igo
but By
Henry
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Windows in the walls of a,
roomoftenoirwouldimprove
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the wants
ventilation.ni e.
By a Member of the Board—My attention was directed
to Grant on account of his being unwell. I did not attend
anyone else in the ward. I have power to order any amount
or description of diet I consider necessary for inmates at
any tune, and I have never on any occasion been called to
account or complained of for doing so.
' The inquiry was then adjourned till Thursday next.