The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-08-05
Newgate Prison.


In antiquity and yaried interest New
gate Prism yields To NJ place Of daranee
in the world 4 Jail has stood on this
same site for almos, a thousand years.
The iirst prison Wa nearly as old as the
Tower ii London and much older than shc
Rastiie Hundredsof thousands Of 'feIOtss
znd izspasserss have from first to last been
incarcerated wishin. and 20 many i must
hare been an abode of sorrow, suffering and
waspssakal,le voc, kind of terrestrial in
fern0. 10 enter which was Co abandon every
hope imprisonment was often lightly and
capricioasly indicted IN days before our
liberties we're fs8Ily won. and innnmcrahle
victims Of tyranny aud oppression have
bern lodgsd in Ne~gate. Political troa-
blss Also sent their quota; the jail was the
half.wAy house 70 the SeaiEold or the gai-
bows Tor turbulent o. shors-sighsed persons
Who eSpoused the losing side, il was the
st4rting-piAce for the painful pilgrimage 10
the piliaEy or whippiag.poss which was too
frequently the Punishment for rashly at
tered ibels and phillippicz against constifa-
ted powcr. Newrate. sgain, wzs on the
high rgai 70 Snlithheld; in times Of iniolcr-
asce and Geroe religious dissensions num-
hers Of dev0sed martyrs wen, thence 10 ss1f-
fer for conscience sake at the stake, Fer
centuries a large section uf the permanent
popnlation Of Newgate, Is of all jails, con-
sisted Of offenders against commercial laws;
fraudulent bankrapss were hanged others
more unfortunate than criminals we're elsp-
ped into jail 20 iingcr out their lives with
oar the ehaec of earning funds BY which
alone freedom eould be recovered. Debt
ors Of all degrees were equally condemned
10 anguish for years in prison, cften for the
most palsry snms-innocent persons, also;
Jail deliveries were rare, aud the boon Of
arraignment and fair trial was strsngely
withheld. while even those acquitted in
open court were often haaled back 10 pris
on because they were unable 20 discharge
the jaiIcrs illegal fees. The condition Of
the prisoners was most dcplorablc They
werc but seantily supplied with the com
nonest neeessaFiss of life. Light scarcely
penetrated their dark and loathSome dun
geons, no breath Of fresh air sweeteised the
fetid atmosphere thcy bFeathed; that they
enjoyed the luxury Of water was due tothe
munifeenee Of pioas ecclesiastic- Asfor
their daily subsistence, il was most precari-
Gus. Food, clothing, fuel, we're doled cut
in limited quantities by prosperous citizens
A. charitable gifts, while some hequeathed
small legaeies to be expended in the same
articles Of supply. These bare prison al
lowances were eked cut BY the chance
seizures in the markets; by bread forfeited
as inferior or Of light weight, and meat I'M
at to be publicly sold. An classes and cat
esories d prisoners were herded indiscrinl-
inateiy together; men and women, tried and
untried, upright but misguided zealots with
Hardened habitual offenders. The only
principle Of classification was prisoner
ability or otherwise to pay certain fees,
money could purchase the sguaiid comfort
of the masters side, but no immunity from
the balefnl companionship of felons equally
well furnished with funds and no less anx-
ious TO escape the awful horrors of the com
mon side ofthe jail The weight of the chains
again, which innocent and guilty all alike
wore, depended upon the price prisoner
could pay for easement Of irons, and it
was a common practice TO overload a new
conner with enormous fetters and so terrify
him into lavish disbursements. The jail at
all times was 50 hideously overcrowded that
plague and pestilenee perpetually ravished
it, and the deadly infection often spread
into the neighboring courts of law-The
Eortnightly Revie,c.