The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-24 00:00:00

LEICESTER COUNTY GAOL. 1

LEICESTER, SEPT. 42..
The first witness this morning was William God rey,
/
an old soldier, who wore a Waterloo medal, and also
one in commemoration of another battle in whic he
fought. He deposed that he had the superintendence of
a ward in which there were 30 celbi in 28 of which there
were cranks. He had been a warder in 'the gaol ever
since its opening in 1846, and was a turnkey in the old
house of correction many years before, having now been
a prison officer for 25 years. To the best Of 14s re-
collection, the rule for compelling prisoners to earn their
food before being allowed to have it was put in operation
in 1848. When a prisoner came in he gave him a copy
of the crank labour rules, and if he (the prisoner) could
not read, read and explain them to him. Told him he
would have to perform 14,400 revolutions per day, which
was 1,800 an hour for eight hours, and that he would
have time for meals, exercise, school, and chapel. He
also told him if he did not do the proper amount of
work he should have to report him. bnt did not tell him
his food would be stopped. If the task was not per-
formed on the first day he reported it to the governor,
at 8 o'clock in the evening. The next morning the go-
vernor explained to the prisoner particularly "the keep-
ing-back system," and admonished him, but did not stop
his food at that time. If he was behind with his work

at dinner time that day, he would not get his dinner, nnr
would he get any other meal until he bad got up the work

in arrear at that time, unless it was ordered by gayer.

nor or surgeon

He thought two days was the longest

time a priiOner had been -without food, and that only
an odd one or two had been without so long. A dinner
which was not earned at the proper time was left stand
ing near the prisoner's cell for a reasonable time, and ii
it was then earned it was taken to the cook-house, and
warmed before being given to him. If it was kept for a I
long time, so as to be at all damaged, it was taken to
the cook-house, and fresh food issued. He had seen a
prisoner in a state of exhaustion at crank labour, and
had known the surgeon order prisoners to be taken from
the crank and kept in bed three or four days. That wa.s
frequently the case. Blisters were frequently put on—
generally on the side. Some prisoners complained very
much-of the severity of the labour, others said nothing
about it. For his own part, he thougt it hard work, but
considered labouring (agricultural) work was harder.
All the difference was, a labouring man who bad got a
good job lived better lan a prisoner at the crank. Pri-
soners had been whipped on days when their food was
stopped, and put to work immediately after the whip-
pine. In all such cases it was held out to them that it
they showed a disposition to work they would soon get
their food. If they still remained idle they would get no
food, unless it was ordered by the governor or surgeon.
Prisoners at the crank generally began to get thin after
being at it a week or ten days. Men did not get thin at
the treadwheel when it was in use. Some prisoners at
the crank were low-spirited, some very irritable and in-
subordinate. It had been a very hard job for him to
manage them, especially under the stoppage system.
(The stoppage system, it should be remarked, has been
discontinued for some time past, in consequence of the
interference of the Home-office.) There were frequent
cases of swelling of the legs. He often found it out be-
fore a prisoner complained, as he could see it when the
men walked.