The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-07-05
PRISONERS IN CHATHAM.
The Treatment of Irish Political Pri-
soners in England Worse Than
That Of Siberia.
THE H0RR1Rs OF A DUNGEON.

The Story That Poor John DAILY Tells and
How he Was offered Preedom to &.
Betray Parnel
The Tory sheetsof England have been
Derating Mr.. Gladstone because he said
that the treatment of Irish political
prisoners b, the English government
was worse than the treatment of exlles
in Siberia by the government of Russia.
Hownearly correct Mr.. Gladstone was
may be seen by the report of the COM
mission of inquiry OF the treatment of
the prisoners in Chatham Jail, from
which we make some extracts out of
the statement Of John DAILY. imprisoned
for treason felony. The document oc
cupies ten closely printed columns OF
the report, and the references to his
treatment extend over the period rang
ing from his first entrance to the prison
on Aug. 6, 81, to the inception Of the
inquiry:
On first entering the prison, John
DAILY states. he was put on tailoring
work, and subsequently, to the cleaning
of chains. handouts. ETC., which con-.
tinued for seven out OF nine months
probabation, the remainder being. occu-
pied in oakum picking. During all
that time he should have had an hours
walking exercise daily, but instead was
compelled to work in the ground wards
connected with the penal cells. About
the eighth mouth Of his probation he
complained to the doctor of losing the
use of his legs for want of exercise, and
after that; he was granted an hours
walking exercise daily. In Move mber,
"a, and between 6 ana 7o'clock, am,
Warden Durgan accused HMM his cell
of making a noise with tin ware, but
this DAILY denied. Next the Wardeh re-
ported him on the ground that he was
.'telegraphing"sbY means Of the noise
to the mauln the next cell. THIS DAILY
states was absolutely untrue, and for it
he was subjected to two days bread
and water. On Jan. 2 Warder Bass
again charged him with 'telegraphing"
and making use of an offensive express
sion, had linn reported, and for which
he was again put on two DAYS bread
and water. About this time John
DAILY complained to the two officers IN
charge Of not being allowed either salt
or spoon to season or eat the cruel he
got, and remarking it was unchristian
like, one of the officers, Parker, replied.
.'Do you call yourself Christlan?' to
which DAILY made no answer, whereupon
the same officer used another and more
violent observation. On a afsubsequent
occasion another warder accused him
of hummlng. which DAILY denied, and
next day being charged with insolently
banging the door, which he also denied,
he was subjected to twedays' bread and
water. In March he was given needle
and thread with which to sew buttons
on his clothes, and being then one
ounce short. in the quantity of oakum
he had picked, he got
Two DAYS BREAD AND WATER.
and, strange to say, this was a dav or
two after he had complained to the
doctor of not getting exercise. All this
time and subsequently his life and that
of his fellow prisoners was made mlser-
able through the conduct of the officers
on night duty, who seemed to amuse
themselves banging the trap doors OF
the cells, which made horrible noise.
SO much so that it was impossible to
sleep when one became exhausted.
DAILY continues: Il, in April, '65, was
put on the works at the carpenters, and
soon found out what a wretched time
was in for from the officer in charge,
who, either from instructions, or per
sonal dislike, showed a marked differ
ence in his conduct toward myself and
the other prisoners, Gallagher and Bur
ton excepted Reverting then to the
early davs Of his imprisonment. in '85,
John DAILY says: An officer, Mr..
Memmery, came to my cell with q dose
OF physic, but / told him, being all
right, did not want it. He then
shouted to Warder Bass that ! was not
going to have it, and Bass shouted
back, Make him take it, you. Where
upon Memmery assured me + would
have to take the physic or his Gosh PSI d
Itook the physic, and after vomiting il 1t
A-. b 4 bsn taE