The Osceola times., 1881-10-29
LOyDON'S FAMOUS JAIL.
Newgste, the Historical Criminal Land
mark, to be Deu,oliNhed,


prison Of Newgate. Frequently con-
demned as unsanitary, badly arranged
and unfit foI the purpose 10 which IL
was put. Newgate has continued TO
stand until at last inc commissioners OF
prisons have reported against its reten-
ton, and il only remains for the home
secretary to confirm their decision. Ac-
cordine to present arrangements there
will be no new Jail on the site OF the one
now waiting 10 be pulled down. Clerk
enwell prison will become the central
lookup for London malefactors; the
courts of law which compose what Is
known as the Old Bailey will be en-
larged so as 10 cover the space now oc'
cupied by the prison, and no more trace
will be left of Newgate than there Is OF
Tyburn tree. A hideous and unsightly
object is that which will thus disappear.
Black with smoke, though not a century
old until next year, it defaces great
thoroughfare, and infuses a gloom into
all who pass by its grimy portals. 1t
never had any pretentions to architec-
tectural beauty. Dance, who built 1t in
1852. had but one idea. Two years pre-.
vious had seen the Gordon riots, and
the great FIRE which followed; the tradi-
dition of criminals at the time when the
architect was called in were principally
records of Jail breaking, and Mr.. Dance
declared that he would erect an edifice
so strong that no one inside should get
ont and no one outside should get in.
How far he has succeeded, time has
shown. The dismal building stands as
stoutly as ever secure against dynamite
conspiracies and gun powder plots; and
were outer sOlidity all that was required
in q iail, it may continue TO darken New
gate street for many years TO come. But
these are days when the health Of
hardened and habitual criminals is
looked after, and when pestilence must
not even threaten the criminal; and the
result is that the narrow cells, dark pas
sages and dull yards will soon be swept
away and prisoners will know the inter-
ior of them no more.
Sewgateis one of the most appallingly
interesting structures in the country. If
il is not exactly the same jail as that
which Barnaby Rudge stormed and in
which Fagin spent his last night, if DR..
Dodd tenanted the predecessor Of the
present prison and read the sermon
which DR.. Johnson composed for him
in chapel which has never been pulled
down. still the scenes which have been
witnessed in the dungeon now threatened
with removal are thrilling enough for
more than passing interest. Here it
was that Thistlewood exclaimed, i shall
soon know the last grand secret" here
Gov. Wall, after eludiug justice for 20
years, was hanged for whipping a SOL
der to pieces at Goree; here Fauntleroy
dressed in black coat and trousers, with
silk stockings and dress shoes, made his
last bow to the public, and received a
bow in return, having Just previously
contided to bosom friend the secret Of
where TO bay the best curacao; and here,
in later DAYS, the pirates of the Flowery
land were hanged in one long ghastly
row. Ifit were not that the site upon
which the dreadful place stands is want.
ed for other purposes it also might be
left for public museum. II boasts many
curiosity. In yard known as the ex-
ecution shed lie by the side Of the wall
the long black uprights and cross-pieces
of the gallows upon which criminal after
criminal las swung. There is a,so a
black triangle fitted with loops for the
hands, the ankles and the knees Of male
factors sentenced to be whipped-a hor-
ribe object, which sent many an un-
comfortable thrill through a garroter's
heart.
1t was upon this instrument, in fact,
that the first experiment was ever made
in modern days a. TO the efficacy Of the
whip in restraining the brutal; upon it
also, when the failing arm of Calcraft
was tried and found wanting, stall
wart warders from Holloway were first
invited to try their skill, and ruiians
convicted Of robbery with violence
earnt the force of the regulation cat"
In this prison are morever condemned
cells, in which many a shunnei, des-
pairing man and woman has passed the
last fortnight Of life, deploring the mis-
takes and misdeeds which had led up
to incarceration and the gallOws; here is
strange looking chapel where over and
over again condemned sermons" have
been preached: and, lastly, there are, in
the corridor Of the prison, the graves OF
those who, having been hanged in ac-
cordance with law, have been buried
within the precints Of the Jail, in strict
Observance Of the letter Of the sentence
All these and many more objects OF in
terest are there 30 show in Newgate,
but with the Jail they must pass away
The historical gives may 90, like those
which encircled the wrists of Mr. Dick
Iurpin, 10 the museum Of York, or with
the triangle and plaster casts Of the
hanged may be treasured amongst the
city archives. They need not be de-
stroyed, for ithey possess more than a
passing value; they tell the tale Of crime
during a century.
Newgate itself goes because it is n
thing of the past and does not belong al
oil to the age in which we live. Both
the prison, its Calendar, and "mora re-
flections," are out Of all place at time
when the prevention OF crime, rather
than retaliation and revenge, are the
object of law. Great improvements
no doubt have been made in Newgate
since it was erected by Mr.. Dance. II
was in 1877 that Mrs. Fry first gave her
attention to the condition of the female
prisoners incarcerated within its walls
and passed the greater part of her time
Amongst the wretched creatures whom
accident and crime had confined there.
A very little later ON and vast changes
were TO be seen in the management of
the jail, which continued to be well
looked after till 1896 when once more a
better system Of supervision and the
separation Of hardened criminals from
debtors were recommended. The year
lSi3 witnessed yet other alterations, and
81 the prison went on improving new
wards being built, the women being
wholly separated from the men, while
further steps were taken to meet the
growing demands of scientific satisfac-
tion. Two years ago Newgate came un-
der new control naseinp ont of the hands