Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1893-11-30
EVANS IN ZEAL LEE.
Charles Reado's Famous Humanitarian
Discovered In jail.

Charles Reados Famous Humanitarian |
Discovered in Jail.
Very few people may be aware |
that the celebrated novel, otis
Never too Late to Mend was
founded on the crueltios practiced in
the Birmingham, England, Jail in tho
years 1852 and 1858. Indeed, tho
original OF the character OF Evans,
the humanitarian, still lives, and, in
fact, is now in the service of the
prison authorities. He is Mr. Will
lam Brown, the chief warder Of tho
Wilson Green jail Birmingham, and
many times he has been offered
large remuneration to appear on the
stage to play the part Of himself in
adaptation of Reade's brilliant novel.
His story indeed is sensational
one, and forms a wonderful chapter Of
prison life in the "ffties,n and also
contrasts in Il striking manner the
treatment Of prisoners now adopted.
In 1852 Lieutenant Austin was an.
pointed governor of Wilson Green
prison. He had formerly been in the
navy, and in that service had forced
himself to the conclusion that disci-
pine was everything He took de-
light in severe punishment, and con
slderCd that breach of prison dis
ciplin was q crime almost greater
than that for which the prisoner
entered the Jail lie pinned his
faith to constant threats of punish
ment, and an almost perpetual use of
those barbarous fortunes, the cellar,
strait-jackot, dark cells and crank
labor.
Among the labor boys had to per-
form was turning OF crank handle
with ten-pound pressure upon it
for 10, 600 revolutions between sun
rise and night. SO many revolutions
had to be before breakfast, so many
before dinner, so many before supper.
If the required number was not com
pleted before breakfast, no breakfast;
if not completed before dinner no
dinner; if not completed before sup
per no supper, so that a weakly man
or boy would go whole day without
food, and would think himself lucky
if at 10 o'clock he got eight ounces
of brown bread and pint of water.
During the whole of the time these
abnormal cruelties were being prac-
ticed the chaplain and Mr. Brown
were doing their utmost TO relax the
terrible prison discipline adopted by
the harsh governor They worked
together with will, and many,
many times have prisoners fallen on
their knees in thanlifulncss for time
ly succor which had been rendered
them.
At length, at the demand of the
inhabitants of Birmingham. Il royal
commission of inquiry was held to
inquire into the truth of these
allegations. The whole of them
were found to be true. Severa
shocking cases were made public,
and altogether the commission sat
thirteen days and siXty-four wit
nesses were examined.
One particularly pitiable case was
that of q boy named Edward An
drews, about whom, in the namo OF
Josephus, Reade gives Il true and
heartrending account. Mr.. Brown
has vivid recollection of this poor
boy. He was sent to Jail for three
months for stealing four pounds OF
beef He was very weak indeed but
was, Notwithstanding, put to the
crank, Very often he was unable tt
| perform his task in consequence Of
sheer inability. and he was ordered
by the governor to be fed on bread
and water only
One day the chaplain, Mr. Sherwin
was attracted to the boys cell by
cries of Murder" He found the
boy crying piteously, and he said he
was being Starved, lie was in the
strait-jacket at the time, and the
chaplain tried to insert one of mis-
fingers between the collar and the
boys neck, but failed. Mr.. Brown
happened to be passing at the time
and he slackened the straps on his
own responsibility, and greatly re
lieved the little sufferer.
Several times after this the boy
was punished by order of Austin, ant
on many occasions buckets of water
were thrown over him. Once Brown
found the boy strapped to the wall
and on being released he fell to the
ground insensible On April q III
put an end to his sufferings by com
| mfttiRp suicide in his cell