Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1894-03-09

In an Old English Jail.
What reader of Charles Reade's ever pop
ular novel, "It's 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 wildly
told9 No one, 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 1852 and 1883 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
many times he has been offered large re-
Enumeration to appear on the stage to play
the part of himself in an adaptation OF
| Reade's brilliant novel,
| His story is indeed sensational one and
| forms a wonderful chapter of prison life in
the fifties, and also contrasts in 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 breach of prison discipline was
a crime almost greater than that for which
prisoner entered a Jail. He pinned his
faith to constant threats of punishment
and an almost perpetual use of those bar
barous tortures, the collar, straitjacket,
dark cells and crank labor.
| 1t was in 1858 that the public first had
their suspicious aroused that cruelties of q
gross character were being practiced in the
Birmingham Jail. In that year 15year-
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
ment 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, 311s inches
deep and one-quarter inch thick. The pris-
oner was first muffled 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 then fastened on in such manner that
it cut the chin and neck and prevented any
movement of the head. Then the prisoner
was fastened up to the wall of his cell in
standing position. This punishment was
terribly painful, and yet it frequently last
ed for hours, and on occasions boys of Is
were kept in such positions from o'clock
in the morning until 10 at night!
| Very often they tainted and were then
brought round by liberal application of
water, which was thrown on them from
buckets.
The prisoners in this position were fed by
warden, who broke up the bread and
placed it in the prisoners mouth. Some
times, however, the collar was so tight that
prisoner could not swallow bread or water.
Among the labor boys had to perform
was the turning of a crank handle with a
10 pound pressure upon it for 10000 revo-
buttons between sunrise and night. So
many revolutions had to be made before
breakfast, so many before dinner, so many
before supper. If the required number was
not completed before breakfast, no break
fast; if not completed before dinner, no
dinner; if not before supper, no supper, so
that weakly man or boy would 20 a
whole day without food, and would think
himself lucky if at 10 o'clock at night he
got eight ounces of brown bread and pint
of water.
| During the whole Of the time these abom-
Unable cruelties were being practiced, the
chaplain and Mr.. Brown were doing their
utmost to relax the terrible prison disci-
pline adopted by the harsh governor. They
worked together with a will, and many.
many times have prisoners fallen on their
| knees in thankfulness for timely succor
which had been rendered them.
At length, at the demand of the inhabi-
tants of Birmingham, royal commission
OF inquiry was held to inquire into the truth
OF the allegations. The whole of them were
found to be true.
One particularly pitiable case was that
| of boy named Edward Andrews. about
whom, in the name of Josephus, Reade
gives true and heartrending account. Mr..
Brown has vived recollection of this poor
boy. He was sent to Jail for three months
for stealing four pounds of beef. He was
very weak, but was Notwithstanding mt
to the crank.
one DAY the chaplain, Mr.. Sherwin, was
attracted to the boys cell by cries of MUIR
derP' He found the boy crying piteously,
and he said he was being starved. He was
In the straitjacket at the time, and the
chaplain tried to insert one of his fingers
between the collar and the boys neck. but
failed Mr.. Brown happened to be pass
ing at the time, and he slackened the straps
on his own responsibility and greatly re-
heved the little sufferer
Several times after this the bow was nm
lshed by order of Austin, and on many &C.
caslons buckets of water were thrown over
him. Once Brown found the boy STRAINED
to the wall, and on being released he fell
to the ground insensible. On April 81 he
put an end to his sufferings by committing
suicide in his cell.
Austin was afterward tried at Warwick
assizes for his diabolicall ill treatment and
was sent to Jail for three months.
He is now, like the majority of the actors
in this dreadful drama, dead, but Mr
Brown still officiates as the chief warder
in the prison and takes a most kindly in
terest in any prisoners who are DESTROYS Of
reforming Observation-Disclosures Tit~Rits.