Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-24
DEATH IN DUNGEONS.
The Irish Political Prisoners Con-
fined in Loaths0me Cells.
A BITTER ATTACK ON BALFOCR
By Parnell and His Supporters in the
House of Commons.
SOME VERY STRONG LANGUAGE USED.
The Tory Tool Boldly Denounced as Murderer Of the
Deepest Dye.

In the House of Commons last night the
Irish members made an attack upon the
Government policy in dealing with political
prisoners. 1t was asserted that members of
Parliament were virtually murdered In foul
dungeons. Mr.. Parnell made a strong
speech upon the subject.
LONDON, August 23.-In the House of
Commons this evening in the debate on the
prisons vote, an attack was made upon the
treatment of Irish political prisoners. The
case of Mr.. Conybeare having been referred
to, Mr.. Balfour announced that Mr.. Cony-
beare was now cured. and the only question
remaining was as to the origin of his dis
ease.
McFadden, he said, was the previous oc-
cupant of the cell. A thorough examina-
ton revealed no trace of disease in the
prison or among the prisoners. At the con-
clusion Of the examination he consented to
the transfer of Mr.. Conybeare to another
Jail.
HIS JAIL EXPERIENCE.
Mr.. Blame followed with an account Of
his experience in Londonderry Jail. He
to the hospital until they were nearly dy-
ing. He had seen prisoners arrive suffering
from lice. The closets were in a filthy con-
dition. He and other prisoners had been
exhibited from the balcony to lady friends
of the officials. He had never complained
of his treatment, because he knew it was
useless to do so.
Mr.. Sexton violently attacked Mr.. Bal
four's allusion to McFadden. Mr.. Balfour,
interposing, said he intended no insinua-
tion. Mr.. Sexton, continuing, described
the Londonderry Jail as pesthouse, where
prisoners contracted fever and were thrust
out to die. He detailed one case of fever
amid groans from the Parnellites, who, cry
ing "Another murder, There's the assas-
sin, invited MIR. Balfour to smile.
BALFoUR's CONTEMPT.
Mr.. Balfour said that long familiarity
with such attacks induced contempt He
adduced statistics to show that there was a
lower rate of mortality in Irish than in En-
glish prisons, he said that the humanitarian
ism of the Parnellites was only awakened
when their friends were imprisoned.
Mr.. Sexton, complaining of personal
attack, drew an indirect rebuke from the
Chair on both himself and Mr.. Balfour.
I. W. Russell (Unionist) member for
Tyrone, urged that in order to satisfy the
public sanitary engineer be appointed to
inspect the prisons.
Mr.. Parnell, in the course of his speech.
contended that oakum picking was ill-paid
work, and that an endeavor was made to
compensate even for this outlay by reducing
permanent enfeeblement of the prisoners.
For himself, he was convinced the Irish
prisoners were half starved. They ought
to be provided with plenty of remunerative
work and should be better fed.
BAD SANITARY CONDITION.
All the older prisons are in bad sanitary
condition. He had himself seen in the
older part of Kilmainham Jail the liquid
sewage leaking through the foundations OF
the walls and bursting into the very
yard. He was convinced that Derry prison
required to be entirely rebuilt. Otherwise
its Objectionable condition is irremediable.
The medical officers tried to hide the fact Of
the existence of fever under the medical
name of tuberculosis. Mr.. Balfour had been
guilty of culpable neglect.
He was glad that Mr.. Conybeare had been
removed, but he urged the House not to
forget that the humber victims of Balfour
were liable to be stricken at any moment
while Mr.. Balfour disported himself with
characteristic nonchalance. He hoped Mr..
Balfour would give some assur-
ance that an engineer. would be
appointed to lay the truth before
the country. Mr.. Balfour would find that
his procedure would only strengthen Irish
men in their determination not to yield.
Mr.. Balfour did not compel his pet Belfast
forgers to clean the prison cess pools as he
did Fitzgibbon. The Parnellites would
force this question until justice was OBJ
tanned.
The prisons vote was adopted, 113 to SO,
and all the other votes were agreed to.