Evening journal., 1893-09-07
CRUEL PUNISHMENT.
6cENES IN CHARLES READE'S NOVEL
WERE STRICTLY TRUE.


oE Prison Life That Really Took Place
In AN old English Jail.
What reader OF Charles Reade's ever pop
ular novel, Its Never Too Late TO Mend" |
has 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 vividly |
told? No ons we would assert. The story
reads like highly colored fiction, 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 practiced in the Birmingham Jail in
the years is52 and 1853. Indeed, the orig
inal 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
maRy times he has been offered a 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 a sensational one and
forms a wonderful chapter of prison life in
the fifties. and also contrasts in q striking
manner the treatment of prisoners now
adopted
governor of Winson Green prison. he had
formerly been in the navy, and in that serv-
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
a crime almost greater than that for which
prisoner entered jail He pinned his
faith to constant threats of punishment
and an almost perpetual use of those bar
barous tortures, the collar, strsitjacket,
dark cells aud crank labor.
1t was in 1853 that the public first had
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 at the inquest highly incensed
the inhabitants
1t was proved beyond doubt that strait
Jackets were constantly used as punish
3 ment for the smallest offense, such as the
inability Of prisoner to fulfill theamount
of crank labor set him, OF for talking TO
o another prisoner, or for using bad language.
= These jackets were provided with per
fectly rigid collars Is inches long, 80 inches
deep and one-quarter inch thick. The pris-
\ oner was first mufiied in the jacket with
p his arms tied together on his breast, and
q I
IL was impossible to insert a finger between
the strap and the flesh. The leather collar
was then fastened on in such manner that
. Il cut the chin AID neck and prevented any
- movement of the head. Then the prisoner
was fastened up TO the wall Of his cell ia a
standing position. This punishment was
. terribly painful, and yet it frequently last
% ed for hours, and on occasions boys Of l5
were kept in such positions from 9 O'Clock
ia the morning until 10 at night
u Very often they tainted and were then
brought round by liberal application Of
water, which was thrown on them from
. buckets.
r The prisoners in this position were fed by
a warden, who broke up the bread and
placed it ia the prisoners mouth. Some
"a times, however, the collar was so tight thai
II a prisoner could not swallow bread or water
q Among to labor boys had TO perform
was the turning Of crank handle with
10 pound pressure upon it for 1000 revo
7, lutions between sunrise and night. 5,
3 many revolutions had TO be made befor
= breakfast, so rnRny before dinner, so mann
before supper. lfthe required number wa
not completed before breakfast, no break
s. fast; if not completed before dinner, M
dinner; if not before supper, no supper, ~
that weakly man or boy would 90
D. whole day without food, and would thinl
to himself lucky if at 10 o'clock at night b
got eight ounces of brown bread and pin
of water.
Is During the whole Of the time these abom
Unable cruelties were being practiced, th
chaplain and Mr.. Brown were doing thei
utmost to relax the terrible prison disc
pline adopted by the harsh governor. The
IL worked together with Will, and maay
many times have prisoners fallen on thei
knees In tbankfulness for timely succo
Ia which had been rendered them.
At length, at the demand Of the inhab
tants Of Birmingham, royal oommissio
of of inquiry was held to inquire intothe trut
on of the allegations. The whole Of them wer
&c found to be true.
Mt One particularly pitiable case was tina
w Of boy named Edward Andrews, abou
whom in the name of JOsephus, Read
gives a true and hearhrending account. M
nd Brown has vived recollection of this poe
air boy. He was sent to Jail for three month
for stealing four pounds Of beef He wa
very weak, but was Notwithstanding pu
to the crank.
One day the chaplain, Mr Sherwin, wa
in attracted to the boys cell by cries OF 'Alu
derr' He found the boy crying piteousl,
ho and he said he was being starved. lie wa
~ in the straitjacket at the time, and IL
~ chaplain tried TO insert one OF his hnge
- between the collar and the boys neck, bI
- failad. Mr.. Brown happened TO be pas
- ing as the time, and he slackened thestral
"a on his own responsibility and greatly 7
~ lieyed the little sufferer.
~. Several times after this the boy was pul
"a "a ished 10y order of Austin, and on many Q
~ casions buckets of water were thrown Ov
"a him Once Brown found the boy strapp'
.sU D to the wall. and on being released he f
y TO the ground insensible. On April "a
0n put an end to his sufferings by committiI
-, suicide in his cell.
RAJ Austin was afterward tried at Warwi,
AT assizes for his diabolicall i'll treatment an
oi- was sent TO Jail for three months.
IL He IS now, like the majority of the acto
nst in this dreadful drama, dead, but NJ
SEQ Brown still oilioiatcs as the chief ward
rtz in the prison and takes most kindly /
ne terest in any prisoners who are desirous
on reforming hemselves.-LondonT Tit-Bits.
ain
by Songs of the Roustabouts.
a.. ~