Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-23
WILL BE OUT WITHIN A YEAR
British Jail Official Reports on Pair of
Notable Prisoners.
MRS. MAVERICK IS GOING INSANE
Oscar wilde Appears Aged and
Broken In HenIth-Neitbcr Could
survive Another Year of
Prison Life.

Copyright 1896, by the Associated Press)
LONDON. Nov 22.-From a high official
connected with her majestys prison at
Wormwood Scrubbs, the Associated press is
furnished the following account OF the pris-
oners, Mrs. Maybrick and Oscar Wilde:
by any one who knew Mrs Maybrck as
I did before her Incarceration, she would
not now be recognized. She Is a complete
mental and physical wreck wish to say
right here that this condition is not due to
prison treatment, but is the direct result of
confinement and mental worry. While she
is not insane her condition borders closely
upon It. She has not been at Wormwood
Scrubs for many months, but is now in the
smaller prison at Aylesbury in Bucking-
hamshire 1t is found that prisoners in her
mental state require as much change as is
consistent with prison regulations, and for
this reason she has been an inmate OF so
many prisons. While at Wormwood Scrubhs
she wac in the hospital for nine months in
the year and her health has demanded like
treatment at Aylesbury. She has grown
thin and her cheek bones protrude in a
manner most unpleasant to see. Her COM
plexion is ghastly. and her eyes have a
haunted look. She has all the cunning OF
an insane person This is shown by the
fact she has twice endeavored to commit
suicide once nearly successfully, despite the
strict and searching watch to which she
is cons family subjected. One OF these at
tempts was evidently made in an endeavor
to convince the doctors that she was suffer
ing from internal hemorrhage, and went too
far. She subsequently made the same at
tempt and very nearly succeeded The other
attempt was by means of strangulation.
Since these attempts. the watch to which
she has been subjected, precludes another
such repetition.
"In talking with her she once said to me,
I deserve all have got This was signif-
cant. but her mental condition at the time
was such that l did not attach much i'm
portance to her remarks. However that
may be, she was not, in my opinion, ever
proven guilty. l am firmly of the opinion
that she will not survive another year of
prison life. She has now been In confne-
ment since July, 1889. Ordinarily imprison-
ment for life means twenty years. there be-
ing few instances where prisoners have
been confined on a life sentence after that
period unless some new and pointed facts
in relation to their guilt have come to light
in the interim. / also think the efforts TO se-
cure her release that have come from Amer
lea and elsewhere and which have been
in the nature of coercng the home office.
have operated against her, and also believe
she will be set at liberty within year"
The official WIS also asked regarding
Oscar Wilde. and he said wilde was also
removed from the Scrubs a short time ago.
He is now at Reading His health is also
wretched. and he seems aged and broken.
He has spent much time in the hospital and,
like Mrs. Maybrick, has been frequently
transferred, and for the same reason. While
at Wormwood Scrubs he was a model pris-
oner. far as complying with the regula-
tions was concerned, but his work was done
in perfunctory manner. / must decline
to say at what labor he was employed.
Like Mrs. Maybrick. do not think he would
survive another year of prison life, but for
tunately for him. his sentence expires the
last of March. Personally, l do not believe
any petitions for his release will be
granted"