The herald., 1896-11-11
HOME OFFICE TAKES ACTION
And Mrs. Castle Is Released
From Prison
VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES
Conspired to Bring About the Much De-
sired Result
Castle Thinks His Nightmare is Ended
and Is Anxious to Get Back to
the United States.

LONDON, Nov 10-Mrs. Walter NJ
Castle Of San Francisco, sentenced at
Clerkenwell sessions to three months
Imprisonment without hard labor, after
having pleaded guilty. by the advice Of
her counsel, to the charge of shopliftins,
was released from Wormwood Scrubbs
prison today on medical grounds, by
order of the home secretary, Sir Matthew
White Ridley. The commissioners Of
prisoners, it appears, directed the medi-
cal board to inquire into and report upon
the health of Mrs. Castle, whose condi-
ton was causing anxiety to the prison
authorities. She was watched day ana
night by special attendants in the in
frmary and shown every possible atten-
tion The commissioners, after receiv-
ing the report of the medical board On
the state of Mrs Castles health, COM
municated with the home secre tary, who
promptly ordered her release from pris-
on, and that she be placed in the care of
her husband, who has undertaken TO
take her back to the United States with
the least possible delay.
Mr.. Castle called at the home office at
II o'clock and was informed that his wife
would be released at l o'clock. Accom-
panied by nurse he entered a carriage
| and drove to Wormwood Scrubbs prison,
where he arrived at 2:25 p. m. The Jail
ers ushered him into the waiting room
and, after brief delay, Deputy Northy
granted the unusual permission for the
carriage to enter the gates and drive
to the door of the hospital of the prison.
Mr.. Castle and the nurse alighted and
went to the door A few moments later
Mrs. Castle, dressed in deep black, was
almost carried out of the hospital BY
female attendants. She was deathly
pale and her face was tear stained. She
appeared to be on the verge of collapse,
and sank fainting into her husbands $
arms. He tenderly embraced and tried
to console her. The nurse enveloped
Mrs. Castles face in heavy VEIL
wrapped her up in a shawl and assist ed
her to the carriage, where her head fell
on her husbands shoulder and she sob
bed Historically. AS the driver passed
out of the prison gates the driver applied
the whip and drove rapidly away
While Mr.. Castle was in the waiting
room of the prison he was interviewed
by representative of the Associated
| Press. He said:
Il feel twenty years younger and as
though the nightmare of the past month
had vanished. My wife was informed
last night that I would call for her to-
day. She was utterly Frustrated yester-
day. I shall Immediately retire to the
country and place my wife under the
doctors care and endeavor to restore her
health in order to permit her speedy re-
turn to America. I desire especially 20
thank the Associated Press for it's kind
ness to me and mine for the manner in
which 1t has placed the matter before the
American newspapers"
Bernard Abrahams of the counsel FOR
the Castles received ,:e following note
from the home office last evening:
THE prisoner, Ella Castle, will he
released. on account of her mental and
physical condition. and other circum-
stances. (Signed) DIGBY,
"Under Secretary"
Mr.. Henry Labouchere in Truth today
devotes a page and a half to Mrs Cas-
Ties case. during which he says:
Il learn that some of the magistrates
favored heavy sentence and few
were for releasing the prisoner. Had
she been released on the ground of men
tai infirmity she could not have been
the gamer, for she would have been
sent to a criminal lunatic asylum. ac-
cording to the law since 1883. The sem
tence seems to me light considering the
circumstances I do not believe In klep-
tomania for it only seems to attack the
rich and if 1t really exists am sure the
punishment of every person stealing
while suffering therefrom would have a
very deterrent effect upon it's spreading,
Mrs. Castle got off cheaply when told of
her imprisonment for three months with
out hard labor. The effect on her health
seems improbable, for I gather she has
been travelling in Europe and except for
the matter of stealing her health was
the same as anybody else's. Probably
the regret for what she has done and
what has come to her for doing it will
weigh on her spirits. but this is precise
ly the state that Imprisonment Is in
tended to produce on a prisoner and If
this regret really causes her to be ill
she will be transferred to a hospital
where she will be cared for by all con-
nected with it. This Castle case is re-
markable for the many objects found in
the Castles trunks stolen in Vienna.
How were the customs houses passed on
the journey to England? One would
have thought the officers would have
been surprised to find such large num-
ber of opera glasses.
Continuing, Mr.. Labouchere expresses
surprise at the fact that Mr.. Castle did
not notice the collection of goods in
their rooms at the hotel Cecil and adds:
/, The child seems generally to have ac-
companied the mother when urged by
her peculiar disease to go to a shop in
order to pilfer. This child saw nothing.
Mr.. Labouchere, after sarcastic ref
erence to the defense and acquittal of
another wealthy woman for stealing ho-
tel candlesticks, observed: On the
morning of Mrs Castles sentence a
seamstress and a governess were SEN
fenced at the same session to nine and
six months hard labor for stealing fur
necklet and neither had ever been pre-
viously convicted. The governess faint