Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-10-18
A BASTILE.
A Description of KiImRinham
Jail and Its HOspItaliiies.

Mr.. Parnell's place of confinement
is the county Jail OF Dublin, and is
situated just west of the suburbs of
Kilmainham. from which it derives
its name. 1t is a gloomy, massive
structure, and is considered the harsh
est place of its kind in all Dublin for
the Imprisonment of political prison
ers. Its principal wing forms an OBJ
long, there being two tiers of cells,
with accommodations for about sixty
prisoners. During tho suspension Of
the habeas corpus act, 1867, Kill
mainham jail was crowded with sus
pected Fenians. Governor Price was
the head %jailer, and he made himself
very unpopular by his harsh treatment
of the prisoners. General Halpin,
who defended himself and who was
sentenced to fifteen years penal ser
vitude, dubbed Price "the gorilla"
and that cognomen stuck to him ever
atterward. One Of the features of
the institution was that political pris
oners we're treated with the same
harsh severity as condemned malefac-
tors, the only exception made as re-
CARDS the former that they we're not
obliged to work. But in the matter
of discipline, food, etc., the treatment
was the same. OF course such pris.
oner rs could afford it were permitted
to supply themselves with what deli
caeies they desired, but at their own
expense. During twenty. three hours
out of the twenty-four they were con-
fined to separate cells, and the remain
ing hour was devoted to walking
around in Indian file in a ring in a
small yard. No communication or
conversation was allowed. Visitors
were permitted once a week, and con-
versation could then be only con-
Quoted in the presence of the warden,
a thick wire netting interposing be-
tweeB the prisoner and his friend.
Under the second clause Of the Coer-
cion act any person detained in pur-
suanee of a warrant under that act
must be treated as a person accused
OF crime and not as a convicted pris-
For this reason Mr.. Dillon
and the other suspects" who have
preceded Mr.. Parnell TO the Kilmain-
ham Jail, have Jared better than SINH
lar prisoners did in times past. Mr..
James Redpath, the American, who
has been lending a hand TO the Irish
agitation, but who is now, fortunately
for himself, on his way home. gave the
following description Of life in Kill
mailman last July:
"Kilmainham is the bastile of Ire
land. 1t is an old prison Of the gloom.
lest description. Solid stone walls,
outside and inside-a jail within a
Iail-walls Of a thickness not deemed
necessary now in building our modern
prisons-long, low stony passage ways,
and heavy bolts and massive iron
doors eyerywhore-musty smells as
you 20 along the stony corridors aud
ascend the stony stairways-silent
in uniform everywhere inside
Harmed red. coated sentinels in
The streets and around the building
i is not a residence TO be desired, even
although the rules that govern it, as
TO the suspects, are l%enient
enough, and although the officers are
respectful 10 the visitors and courteous
o the patriots whom they guard.
Each suspect is allowed TO have one
daily. The interview is lin
ted to fifteen minutes. On my first
1isit l saw Mr.. Dillon, Mr.. Boyton
md Mr.. Brennan. Along a low, tun-
el.like passage, stone above, around
md below you, across a large room,
Up an old stone stairway worn with the
Get Of generations Of prisoners-we
a sort Of court, in which the
uspects are allowed to take exercise,
Though they are hidden from our
iew behind a board fence. Enter a
ell. II is divided into three divisions
T coops. At the further side stands
he prisoner behind a sort of wire
ence, breast high; in the middle coop
us stands a silent warden,
behind you stands a second
your guide. The middle
pace - narrow enough TO enable the
isitor to shake hands with his friend,
be suspect"