Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-02-06
A FAMOUS OLD PRISON.
cRAwFoRD's PEN PICTURES or TIE
INTERIOR or NEweATE.

b@"~@ VI RSsShson n FehtAk&tsntse
Light and Drymess-celis. Chapel. Exc
cutiea shed and whipping Pess.
Eewgate IL the most notorious prison I'm
England. It's history is CONNECTED with the
story OF the crimes OF this kingdom for the
last 800 years. The present pribon, was built
toward the close of the last century, but il IL
upon the site Of the original rrison where q
Newgate has stood since 1910 Newaate has
held In lbs long history every kind OF victim
OF the Law. II il ut the end Of the Old Bailey.
very near Smithfield, where tie martyrs TO
fanaticism were publicly burned.
The exterior of Hewgate resembles an oii
fashioned fortress its walls are of a rough
gray stone. They have become nearly black
by exposure 10 the sooty atmosphere Of Lon
dom There are but few windows In the out
side walls. The main buildings OF the prison
are la an interior court not visible to the
public. The principal entrance In most for
bidding The lower half OF the door Is a
locked and barred square Of wood surmounted
by sharp iron spikes just above this il a
network OF iron. Over the door hung chains
and balls, symbols OF the Did Newgate.
There is blaokensd board at the right OF
this door upon which is now placed the OH
cial record Of an execution when it takes
place within this prison.
Newgate has been the scene of every form
Of execution. The breaking On the wheel,
the drawing and q,iarterug, and every kind
Of old fashioned torture has been tested to
the full extremity Of barbarols law within
these blanksned walls. Today Nswgate Is
used ms q prison Of detention for criminals
who are TO he tried at the Old Bailey, IL
they are sentenced to death they are kept at
Newgate and executed there. II they are
sentenced to penal servituds they are trans
ferred elsewhere
The other day, through pc Emission from
the home secretary, visited Nawgate III was
turned over To one OF the chief warders a
man who has been in NewgAte for thirty
years, and who has assisted at thirty 1--WE ex-
ecutions. He was tall, broad shouldered.
with regular features and a full, long brown
beard and flowing mustache. He looked as
digniiied as a colonel in the Morse Guardis
He spoke good English, without the slightest
Cockney accent, and did not drop one Of his
his, which IL more than can lie said for the
attendants at Windsor castle.
Common report describes Newgate as
damp, unwholesome and badly lighted This
Is Incorrect. Ii Is model prison 80 far as
ventilation, light and dryness are concerned.
The cells are large and high. They are
heated by hot water pipes, and are as COM
Portable as prison should be. Prisoners In
Newgate who conduct themselves we'll are
entitled to an hours daily exercise In the
court yard. Refractory prisonars who refuse
TO submit TO ordinary punishmAnts are given
twenty-four hours in the dark cell, with a
diet OF bread and water. The wartier showed
me one OF these dark cells, and kindly closed
me In II for a moment 10 give me an idea Of
this kind of punishment The cell was so
closed out from the light that could not see
my hand directly in front OF my eyes. The
warder said that this form OF punishment
was not at all appreciated by prisoners who
mad never undergone IT, He never saw a
prisoner who dreaded this punishment for the
first time, aud in the history OF Newgats
punishment no prisoner, however bad, had
ever placed himself In position to receiye
this punishment ascend time Twenty four
hours alone in absolute silence and darkness
breaks and cows the most stubborn shirt
and II continued much beyond this limit
would inevitably lead 10 madness
The cell of the condemned prisoner Is near
the dark cells. 1t is large room, double the
ordinary size. IL contains plank bed, upon
which a light mattress is lad. There are
two OF three religious inscriptions upon the
wall. A table, q stool for the prisoner. and
two for the wariers, who arr always with
him day and night from the time be Ii con
tieinned, compose the furniture Execution
follows sentence very swiftly In England.
The utmost period of delay do = not 70 be-
yond month, and often execution takes
place within ten days after - nience There
is mo appeal 20 any one except the home sec
rotary. He alone has tho power TO stay the
execution or To commute a sentence. IL In
very rare that he interferes Tn. odds are
ninety -niae TO one that man sentenced To
death IN England will be executed.
From the II | walked with the wartler to
the chapel Of the prison upon The first floor.
This is handsome old fashioned chamber,
high, well lighted, and finished in dark
woods. In the center Is loft, pulpit, Upon
the left OF this is gallery box for visiting
justices, Around the room upon the right
and left are cages or subdivisions behind
strong iron bars, where convicts used to sit
These who are on trial sit In front OF these
bars. There IS an upper gallery arranged
with stats for female prisoners These great
woodon slats arc 20 turned that the women
can see only the preacher, and not one of the
prisoners Al the right Of the pulpit il a lit
lie biack chair, the seat OF honor In the
chapel. This Is reserved exclusively for
prisoners under sentence of death. Formerly
there WINS pew for this class
After leaving the chapel walked with the
@artier around 10 the place of execution.
The prisoner marches from hiA cell through
the prison wing into narrow court and
around this court, not one moments walk,
10 a wooden shed made of implanted pine.
which Is built In corner of tho court against
the prison walls. This shed mas 4 cement
floor with wooden trap In thd centre. Over
that is simple beam across, from which
hangs rope. The only furniture In the
piace IL connected with the tran, which Ii
worked by u black iron lever There Is A
commission now experimenting in Newgate
as 10 the hest methods Of hanging. 40 As tn
secure n hrsaking Of the neck when the trap
drops In one of the large rooms looking on
10 the court where the execution shed il there
Is kept the whipping post. Under the Eng
lish law any attempt to rob q person accom-
panied by personal violence cbIg3stusssx the
technical offence Of .sgarrotihg.n This il
punished by from twenty five 10 fifty Iashes.
The men under sentence for garroting ara
seated upon the black box with their legs
fastened upon what was an oil pillory post.
Their arms ara fastened above their heads.
Then the flashing is well laid On until their
Packs are completely cut 10 pieces. The
warder said that there was no object In civ
ing more than twenty-five ikshes. After
twenty-five lashes the men " IRE numb and
lett no more pain. lie said that it was
most eHectnal form OF punishment, aud
reached q class Of street FufliAns who cared
nothing Tor imprisonment London swarms
with this class OF criminals, who are now
pretty thoroughly restrained b. the whipping
pest There h no form OF Punishment :,