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

7'2

_ _
BRUTAL TREATMENT OF PRISONERS IN
WINCHESTER OAOL.

Yesterday Mr. W. Payne held a lengthened inquiry
at the Queen's Prison, 'SouthWark; On the 156dy of Wit-
ham Jones, aged 53, an inintlte or. that:Prison to whiejt
place he had been removed by',7694gis 41- iia in-
chester Gaol about three month pusro s agapandisvitere he died
of fever on Saturday
_night
The principal witness was William Sills f Poulton, a
debtor in the Queen's Prison, who said'
.tbat a-person
named William Miller, who had been in Winchester
Gaol for 43 years, 'wrote to=him on the 27th of July to
inform him that Jones, the deceased, wasortoznin4e, and
mentioned the dreadful treatment that both of them
were then receiving. Witneiiihad been •thlre for months before he was'l2
ilemd,ied the 0A
er
ii.l that prison. During seven Rion* or that, timp4ror
tasted animal food, and no sustenance
whatever but
bread and gruel. Witness was in that prison for debt.
It is a gaol for felons as well as for debtors. When a
man first went there he was put into the sheriff's ward,
which is a place for debtors, where they vieie 'kept for
14 days ; but if they did not settle' their debt or make
application to the Insolvent Court they were removed to
what was termed the convict prison. It, is called the
D. wing, under the felon's gaol: The diet for Sundays
was, for breakfast, one pint of gruel and, four ounces of
bread ; for dinner, three ounces of cheese and four ounces
of bread. In the evening the same as for breakfast.
Every day the same for breakfast and supper. Monday
the dinner consisted of four potatoes weighing, perhaps,
half a pound, and four ounces of bread. Tuesday's din-
ner, three ounces of cheeSe and four ounces of bread.
Wednesday's dinner, the same as on Monday--,four po.
tatoes. For Thursday's dinner they had what was
termed a quart of soup and four ounces of bread. Fri.
day's dinner consisted of three ounces of cheese and
four ounces of bread. Saturday they had the same
as on Thursday ; they had no meat whatever.
The soup, he understood, was made from the
water in which the felon's beef was boiled.
Witness was not allowed to purchase anything, so that
money was of no use to him. Everthing they received
must come to them through the post, even to a sheet of
paper. Witness used to complain to the surgeon in
consequence of a rupture he was troubled with.. He
wished him to get away from the prison, or the diet
would kill him. He bad been confined in bedfor two
.days without tasting food, because he could not touch
the prison diet.' He spoke to th&doetor, and asked him
for a little tea, but he made no reply, and pointed to the
rejected gruel. All the debtor prisoners there were
kept on the same allowance: The prisoners did not
associate together, as each had a separate cell to sleep in
and a separate yard (20 ft. by'3o 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 consequence
of the treatment he received in Winchester Gaol. He
had several letters from Miller on the subject of his treat-
ment, directed to witness in a different name, as the
governor would not let any of the prisoners correspond
with
there. any person who had previously been a prisoner
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 be had settled
his debt he should bring an action against the county for
the infamous treatment he had received whilst 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
as to the dietary of the debtors in Winchester Gaol ought
to be inquired 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, as he
considered, after what had transpired as to the different
gaols throughout England, that Winchester Gaol ought
to be inquired into. It was entirely out of his jurisdic-
tion to inquire as to the dietary of a prison, and the
general treatment in gaols ; but it was a matter that
came specially under the operation of the royal commis-
sion appointed for that purpose.
The verdict was then signed, and the proceedings
terminated.