The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-11-20
CRUEL PUNlSHM ENT.
SCENES IN CHARLES READE'S NOVEL
WERE STRICTLY TRUE.

What reader of Charles Rcade' ever pop
ular novel, "lts Never Too Late to Mend"
las not been touched by the intensely thrill.
ing stories of prison life contained in it and
felt deep sympathy with the poor sufferers
whose terrible experiences are SO wildly
told? No one, we would assert. The story
reads like a highly colored felton, yet ev-
cry word of it is absolutely true
Very few people may be aware that this
celebrated book was founded on the cruel
ties practiccd in the Birmingham Jail in
the years 1882 and 1858 Indeed, the orig
iual of the character of Evans, the human
itarian, still lives, and in fact is even now
in the service of the prison authorities. He
is Mr. William Brown, the chief warden Of
Winson Green Jail, Birmingham, and
many times he has been offered large re
muneration to appear ON the stage to play
the part of himself in an adaptation of
Reades brilliant novel.
His story is indeed sensational one and
forms wonderful chapter of prison life in
the tifties, aud also contrasts in striking
manner the treatment of prisoners now
adopted.
In 1882 Lieutenant Austin was appointed
governor of NusOn Green prison. lie had
formerly been in the navy, and I'm that Scrv-
ice had forced himself to the conclusion
that discipline was everything. He took a
delight in severe punishment and consid-
cred that a breach Of prison discipline was
crime almost greater than that for which
Il prisoner entered "A jail He pinned his
faith to constant threats of punishment
and an almos, perpetual use OF those bar
baruus fortunes, the collar, straitjacket,
dark cells and crank labor.
3 in, b.. l., Ey-t I,l
their suspicious aroused that cruelties of a
gross character were being practiced in the
Birmingham Jail. In that year 15-year-
old boy committed suicide in order to es-
cape tortuous punishment. The facts that
came out ut the inquest highly inCensed
the inhabitants.
1t was proved beyond doubt that strait
jackets were constantly used a. punish
meut for the smallest offense, such as the
inability of prisoner to fulfill the amount
Of crank labor set him, or for talking to
another prisoner, or for using bad language
These jackets were provided with per
fectly rigid collars 10 inches long, 3. inches
deep and oue-quarter inch thick. The pris-
Ouer was first mutlled in the jacket, with
his arms tied together on his breast, and
then strapped so tightly at the back that
it was impossible to insert finger between
the strap and the flesh. The leather collar
was mon fastened ON in srcb g, r,ar,,ertbot
l. ont 10 ob;,, ,,,l ,,,,,l, ,I ,,,,.,',,.l ',,,,
,,C,,er,.,,t ~ tl,o Laad 1Lon bo,,riS,,,,a,
was fastened mn IN the vail If hi. cali il, a
.+,ndi,,, ,,,si,i,,, ti,bi. ,,,,nisI,,,o,,t ,,'
tarrilI,, nairf,,I md vot If f,ac,Iarti,, Inst
,d fn,, idurs md ~, oc,a.ia,,l 49, - -
Were kept in such positions from o o'clock
Vo,,,- ofrar 7bar fair,,d aTd ,,.ar, +t,,,
hror,bt rouud Nv. a IiLnrai ar,,Iicatio,, -
,,,t,., which ,vas throw, ~, tbo,,' fr,,,,,
hlrkats
mo nrison,r. I'm This no.itiou ,yoro fod IN,
, ,r,rf.n Who broLe nm tba hraod a,,J
,l,cad IL in no ,,.isoro,.i ,,,o,,,b g.,
tirnas boyavar tho coIIar yvas sn ti,,bt tha+
cn,,6 NOT reof -. ,t,
An,on,r tha Iahor hors Lad t,' ,,,.f,,.,,,
tIa t,,r,i,,,,of or,,,l, I,or,jlaa ,,,;tt
IN nnnnd n,a.s,'s,,' rnor IT. for IN ONO rern'
h,tions hetu,enn sI,n,isn and ,i,,Lt 90
many revolutions had IN i've ,nada haforo
Lraai,rost 50 nn,,v bcforn dinner ca r,ony
haf,ra c,,nrar Tftborao,,irad mn, Io, 49,
not ror,nidtad b.fora braal,fn.t mn hraoIS-
fast. if not conducted h.fora dinner NO
dinner. If not bafGra simmer no .,I,,,ar 70
thar a ,vanLl,, man or how y,orid ~, -
whole dev without food ma would t6i,L
lir,salf i,,cl,, ~ at IN o'cIocly at ni,,L+ No
cot aie,ht ounces of brown broad and a mint
of water
Durir,, Tho whole of Fla. +i,,,.. ,bos., ol,,,,,
Unable crueIties were heinz nracticed tho
chanloin and Mr. Brown ,yere doino, their
utmost tn reIov the tarrihIa r,isoG disni.
Mine odontnd NV tho harsh ,,ovarnor M
tynrl,ad to,,etLgr Win , vii and r,ar,-
many timos bnve nr.isoners fnilsn an tI,air,
knees in tbankfiInr.s for timely snccor
which had h4ar rendered. thern
At LENGTH AT tho demand ~ boipbobi
tants of Birmingham a ROYAL commission
of inquiry was held toinnuire intotbe truth
of the ,Iiagations The whole of tharo yyare
found IN IN. rrue
One narticuIorIv pitiabIe cosa was that
Of a bov named Edward Andrews about
whom in the name of Joscnbus R.ade
r,iyaa n tile and bea,trprdino account Mr.
Brown has yived recollection of this moor
bov He was sent TO iail for th,na months
for stealing four pounds OF beef. lie was
very weak, but was Notwithstanding put
10 IAe CRANK
one uay Ihe chaplain, MI 0nerWlh, was
aIJracIeu 10 the hoy cen ny cries Oh Mur-
ger lie iouhu uhe boy crying pitGousiy,
ana ne sara ne was DeiLg starved lie was
III ILe str"1' J'cAtU d. 'ne ttiIe, anu 'he
chaplain Nllcu 70 INSERT one oi MS myers
between the Coiiar ana Che BOY neck ou1
i"lie"' MT. brown h"pPeneu 10 DC pass
IlS az 'ne '''i4e' an" ne Sl"oNehe" 'le Straps
on ms own leaPol!sIolli'y ana greatly re-
He'eu Une "'''e SCHeIyr
9ever"l tunes "IIer TINS 'he Doy was pun