New-York tribune., 1897-01-18
HORRORS OF BRITISH PRISONS.
JouN REDMOND COMPARES THEM uSFAVoHA'1'
WITH AMERICAN PENAL INSTITUTIONS

Mas Ian ,7,-John f. Redmond. NJ. F.s
,,,orded the morning mass In 81. Mary S" -,
,odav At the close Of the services nc 'oo~
for Boston TO pay his respects 20 Arono's"op
Jams lie return ed to Lynn at O'CLOCK ,ns 90
noor ard was taken to the Clover Club headausr.
,.rs where a reception by about one huno'e" 80
ffty Of the leading CITIZENS WIS ''''"
reception was II formal 49,. -
Mr. Redmond made a brief address, IN wn'c" ~
said that what Interested him most ]" ,''' ~
try was the prison system which was lar a"e.~
of that Of England. The latter was. In MS op'h-
ion the most brutal In the world anu ,"s"s ~
described as a system OF solitude ana s"e"c''
wien a nrisoner in England received WISH rom
frend or from his wife, or any memoer vi "'s
family he was locked in an iron cage at one e'~
of a large hall. and the visitors "e'e ' "
the other end OF the hall. with two warmers ~ III.
centre TO hear every word that WAS s""'
rr,soner in England was allowed only one V's'.
y, ,our months and was allowed 10 write only
-. ,e,ter IN four months. For the slightest ot-
fence against the rules even these priv'eses "
denied A prisoner was not ahoweu 'oo
literature OF any kind until n" had pee" 80
time in prison. and then only ABOUT one 80
,hree weeks Some prisoners In Engiaho "e's
,,,ad nm I'm ,he,r cells twenty-five hours a oay'
md when they were marched around the pr'so,'
wards for exercise II one prisoner snou'" spe
% another he would get forty-eight hours OF son.
,arv confinement in IA dark cell. with on'y oreAo
and
hr,,,, and revolving that II drove many men IN
.rs from the tortures inflicted on tnem' NO
,,,or,nt was made in English prisons 10 give men
or,,Iovment similar 10 that TO whicn they ha"
hoo, accustomed In the outside WORLD anu III"
business man and men OF literary tastes VINO
m,ph, get into jail got the same kina Vi 49, 49,
as the men who mad always Dor Desn vas about a.
Ing ho,d as - well could be. and while man wns
a had hard work %fn. 64 BE snas
of
The treatment of the Irish political prsone,s m N
the British prisons was something 700 s,a.n hJs,s -
contemplate originally there were egn,eem =.
,ps nr,soners but three Of them died OF the hard-
shins they underwent and Ave were driven insamr:
two OF the latter being DR. Ganagnrr ur ~, ,hs care
~, ,reir friends No hopes were entertained OF tne
latter ever being any better In mno .hns snr
Prison in England, who were nops,.sSsy ,h.rr n;
hut Instead OF the Government liberatins tnem "
giving their friends an opportunity 10 ssrs .o ssnt
during the rest OF their days, one vi the" """ '
10 an asylum for criminals. .,.,,o, rohr rstv
in Portland Prison and thrSuen rnnd sar 9ay brokS
n MN ,'s q, The news and when he recovered Mf.
Redmond showed him small pnotograPn, - OF ns .n
,hern given him Mr.. Redmond saw the governoos
| ~ the prison and asked permission 70 give ~
little mementos TO Daiy pu, ina. t mn the dis-
n;,a Mt ~ ~ ,hc prison Mr. Redmond said that wnen
ba returned to England he would bring me mT,ssI
~ The prison system OF Great eritan oetore .ov"S
lament and make an eHor' W ""'' - ''
"' liz ,old of visits to prisons in America where tns
prisoners had many privileges sha arsons that
,nian, treatment did not In any way intettst
i,h the discipline OF the prison lie SAID tnat .ms
,ond g,ven TO American prisoners was luAurlous
nomnsred 10 that served to the men Ia durance ~
Iosp,nJ In this country he saw carpet on ths
doors in some OF the prisons ne 's''e"'