The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-09-09
Of E.ss,ss rrss.. Life.


Mr.. Mccarthy Downing, member Of the
British Parliament, In q letter recently writ
ten to the right Hon. Henry Burch, Home
Of England, gives the result Of his
Of the treatment of o'Dono-
van Rosa, at the Chatham prison, and
which was written In justice not only 10
himself, but 10 several prominent officials
whose veracity was questioned by the prison
officials. He says concerning his visit;
"After some preliminary observations In
the visiting room I commenced to interro-
gate O'Donovan Rosa as to the treatment
which Il was said he had received, when
Major Farquharson interrupted me, saying
that he could not allow me 10 continue my
inquiries, that his orders were strict, aud
that he had been censured before for rot ad-
herring TO thcm.' / asked him whether he
had received particular directions In antlci-
patton Of my visit; he replied not.
Then stated that In applying to you for
the order to SEQ O'Donovan and Burke that
mentioned the object In seeing them, and
that had sent you previously a copy Of the
Irishnsan Of the nth day Of July, which
contained q reiteration Of that treatment;
that II he pcrsevered In preventing my In
quiry l would Immediately leave the jail;
that he must take the consequences, for that
I would, on the earliest day, make a
statement Of the transaction In my place In
the House OF Commons. AMER some con-
alteration was permitted (under evident
impotence on the part OF deputy governor)
to proceed.
That gentleman Is reported 10 have said
that Rosa stated In answer TO mo, that he
frequently had to eat his meals on his belly
like dog sincerely hope that there Is
~. L..
only did not make that statement, or any
statement Of the kind, but In the most dis
tinct and prompt manner replied that 'ho
had not been obliged to lap his food, because,
though manacled, he was ablo to use q
spoon;' and at the same time crossed his
bands and showed how he had done so.
do not for q moment consider that Mr..
Blake nor myself require additional tcsti-
mony to sustain the truth Of any statement
that We have made, but you have the means
OF procuring the evidence Of the prisoner
himself, by putting to him In writing the
question, whether he did make the statement
put forward by the deputy governor, and let
the answer be given by the prisoner In his
own handwriting.
lie cannot be Influenced by me or by any
person who may sympathizc with him; and
as stated 10 Mr.. Blake, to the prison on
Gals, and to several others, l rely with i'm
plicit confidence on his regard for veracityj
for, whatever bis faults may have been, 1
don't hesitate to say Of him that believe
him to be incapable OF making wilful mis-
statement.
went to the prison believing that the &C
counts Of his treatment had been cxagger-
ated, and expecting that would have that
belief turned into certainty by the evidence
Of the prisoner himself that belief was
formed because that the prisoner did not
mention to me when visited him IN March
that he had been manecied, and because
had card you In tho House state on the
authority OF the Jail officials that he was
only manacled for portion OF The day.
left the prisoner without doubt on my
mind that the prisoners statement was sub.
stantially true, and In the draft OF my joint
letter with Mr.. Blake to you stated our con-
viction, but at his request 1t was omitted as
unnecessary. formed that conclusion be-
cause that the prisoner made his statement
In a clear, positive, and, will add, natural
manner.
That Major Farquharson, after the prls-
oner was removed, alleged that the prison.
er's statement was untrue, and, as well as
can remember, said cit was fabrication"
We expressed our readiness to receive
proofs to that effect, and the deputy gov
ernor led US to his Office and then said 81
Vec NV hoiS VIC tihS kuas tho Ptio-
oner stated he was manacled, but I will give
you tho most satisfactory proof that the
statement is false. will produce to you the
books Of that period, where an entry should
have been made Of every act OF punishment
OF the degree alleged, aud will produce the
warder who was In charge Of the prisoner ut
the time" And then he len the room.
He was absent q considerable time, and on
his return stated that on consideration he did
E.aIl al l.. L.. 49, H. raj
prison In the absence Of the Governor, and
he did not produce the warder.
DR.. Burns and the Roman Catholic chap
lain were now present, and Captain Davys,
the deputy governor, a portion OF the time. !"
The writer ,ha- sivas Mo -aro-. ~ oo-
versation with different parties, showing
clearly that Rosa was manacled while q
prisoner and subjected to other lll.treatment,
and he then reviews the case made by the
Jail officials, as follows;
"The Handwriting Of Rosa did not emanate
from the Governor, upon whom the assault
was committed. Capt. Hardy requested
authority from the Governor to handcuG the
prisoner with his hands behind which the
Governor, who was leaving for some days,
gave; course quite Inconsistent with the
rule, as above stated by Major Farquharson.
"The Governor says sent for the war
der, who stated that to the best OF his belief
lOT Out uAy tuAt HOssA was Ehuu-
cuffed with his hands behind his back aud
his separate textbook confirmed the state
ment, as the chief warder's occurrence book.
"Sow take the evidence of DR.. Burns, who
saw him so handcuffed six or seven days,
and probably more'-hls evidence TO the In
spector Of prisons, In which he says, Il saw
him so handcufIed three days. Take the
evidence Of the Roman Catholic chaplain,
who, on the three or four special visits that
he paid the prisoners, found him with his
hands manacled behind, aud Of what value
which Is to be found only the one entry OF
the prisoner being so manacled for one day;
and Of what value is the chief warder's 'oc-
currence book which corroborated the entry
In the separate cell-book y"
The evidence OF the chief wafder is next
given. He admitted that Russa had been
handcuffed behind his back, but could not
state how often, as the order was a verbal
one, nor the exact time the prisoner was kept
In handouts behind. The writer In review
Ing the testimony says.
at Is SO long ago The cannot exactly say
how often he was handcuffed, but II was In
variably entered In the separate cell -book.
Where are those entries Why were not
the promised books, (which would have
proved the falschood Of the prisoners state
ment,' produced to me and Mr.. Blake The
ORDER too, was verbal. The warder could
not give the date, nor could he remember
whether Captain Hardy specified the hands
being behind the back or not Here is q
power TO inlet the most severe and degrad-
Ing penal punishment given by the governor
on his hastily leaving the prison, to a deputy,
and by him verbally to the chief warder,
who cannot remember Its terms. appre-
bend that this cannot DO satisfactory to
yourself, as ! am sure 1t will not bo ID the
public at large,
Captain Hardy, In his evidence, states
that he visited the prisoner on every alter.
nate day; that he saw him on the 18th with
his hands behind his back, and did not see
him more than ouce so handcuded;' but how
Is this consistent with the following answer
by the same witnessi
Question. During the time prisoner was
handcuffed behind were the handouts ever
removed y Answer. Yes. at night and at
meal times
ask how Is 1t that Captain Hardy did
not sec the prisoner manacled for the six or
seven days or more that DR.. Burns saw him;
that he did not see him for the three or four
days that the Roman Catholic chaplain saw
him, nor the three days that the chief warder
saw hint
We have now the note made by Captain
stopford, which ia In itself Of Importance.
lie says; 1t appears to be the inyariable
practice to enter all the prisoners handcuired
behind as measure OF restraint, In this
book, and find only one entry Of tho prls.
oo ar haip1 ba n don Nad hahtnb and that IN n a