Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-03-15

and women. The ancient prison al
Newgate was destroyed by the great
fire OF London in 1866; another prison
was then erected. which was that out OF
which Jack Sheppard. the notorious
housebrealer, contrived 10 make his
escape in the reign OF George H. This
building was pulled down in 1882, and
the one now standing was erected. in
different portions, between that
date and 1872, the architect being
Mr. George Dance, X. A; but one part
was burned down almost as soon as
il was built, in the Gordon riots OF 1880.
The outer walls of granite are 3 feet
thick; the front in Newgate street is
/ Is feet long, and that in the Old Bailey
is 295 feet, with "a stern, imposing as
pect. There are two lodges for turn
keys, and the keepers house In the
center of the Old Bailey front, behind
which is the chapel. The interior OF
the prison was re-arranged in 1897 and
1858 from the designs of Mr.. Burning,
the city architect The quadrangle,
occupied by men convicted OF felony,
is 124x64 feet, ana each of the two
wings forms another quadrangle. There
are los ordinary cells, each measuring
13x7 feet, 9 feet high with barred win
dow feet inches high and 2 feet 6
inches wide: the cells were warmed by
hot air, and the furniture was "a ham
mock-bed, slung at night across the
width of the cell, "a wash-stand with
basin, close-pan, "a folding table fixed
to the wall stool, and shelves OF
slate. Besides these there re eight
punishment cells for the refractory, and
sixteen reception cells.
The prison is calculated only for the
accommodation of l23 male and forty
five female prisoners, on the seperate
system, which is a small number for the
extent of the buildings. In former
times, before the seperate system was
introduced, Newgate was horribly over
crowded. and its condition excited the
strong disapproval of John Howard.
There was no classification of the in
mates; criminals and debtors. the old
and the young, convicts and those
awaiting trial, were confined together;
some who had money could bride the
warders, buy liquor, and indulge in
drunkenness and gambling; the free
conversation, with profane songs and
tales of vice. was most corrupting. AT
one time nearly eight hundred persons
of both sexes and all ages were huddled
up in Newgate. and a contagious fever
broke out which caused many deaths.
Mrs. Fry's benevolent labors were be-
gun among the female prisoners here,
of whom there were $50 at that period.
By the removal of the debtors to Gilt
spur street, Compiler, some of the gross
er disorders were checked, but the
place was found unsuitable for any
proper course of prison discipline. 1t
was therefore resolved in 1918 to use il
only for the safe custody of prisoners
committed for trial, and the house of
correction in Coldbath Fields and that
at Holloway were erected for penal es-
Establishments, in which those undergo
ing their sentence are confined. New
& ate, however. still remained in an un-
satisfactory state. and the reports OF
the government inspector of prisons
from 1886 TO 1913 repeatedly urged the
need of its alteration. There can be no
doubt that the city lands committee of
the London corporation have acted jul
diciously In proposing TO demolish the
building, which is ill-adapted for its
purpose and is not now required, and
to make profitable use Of its site. The
old associations Of Newgate are dismal
and detestable: many Londoners can re-
member seeing murderers hanged over
the gateway in the open street before
the act of Parliament in 1868 which
provided that executions should be
privately performed within the prison.
Five or six persons at the same time
were occasionally hanged there in the
good old days" of the reign of George
Ill.