Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-07-15
in PRISON FOR DEBT
THE WAY THE LAW is MADE TO
FIT THE CASE IN ENGLAND.

How N Person Who Either Cannot or |
VIII Not Pay what He owes May |
he Thrust Into Jail Over and Over |
Again For "Contempt of Court"
1t is commonly supposed that in
these days there is no imprisonment
for debt In England, but the SUPPOSE
ton is wrong, both in substance and
in fact.
True, the term imprisonment for
debt is done away with, perhaps be-
cause the debtor does not pay his debt
by going to prison. yet to prison ne
goes for II all the same, although IN
the eyes and in the shraseology Of the
law he goes there for contempt OF
court" whereas in 90 per cent of such
cases the poor defaulter suffers MS
seven. fourteen or twenty-eight days
.close confinement" solely because or
his inability to pay the monthly sum
ordered by the judge or the masiS-
,trate.
Nor. as already said, does the incar-
ceration pay what is owing. For II the
creditor chooses to do so he can nave
the debtor committed again immedl-
atelv after one term has been served
and so on as long as the debtor lives
because the judgment goes on forever
unless the amount of it be paid.
But second commitment on the
same Judgment is very rare.
At the Jail in certain eastern coun-
~ where the writer Of this article
spent fourteen days, he was not re-
ceived quite as felon would be- out
decidedly not as a nonlawDreaAer
should be received and treated.
The time of arrival was . p. m.
He had no dinner, so after his pocK-
ets had been emptied and the articles
4abulated he was given six ounces OF
brown bread and four ounces OF Lar
riot I.ane"-i. e., timed Australian
mutton.
He WAS then put into a receiving
cell" eight feet by four feet six incheS'
avith a concrete floor six feet below the
level of the earth and decidedly damp
as was proved by the wet salt kep'
there for the prisoners use.
Two hours later he was removed u
another receiving cell, this time with
wooden floor twelve feet long ana SIN
feet wide. At 6 o'clock there came Ills
supper, a pint Of weak oatmeal grue
and eight ounces Of the ubiquitous
brown bread-the staple article or die
and the best.
His bed was a two inch thick mat
+ress Of cocoanut fiber laid on three
boards supported on crosspieces apou
three inches from the floor
The bedclothes were ample, but IN
inflow and bed boards were Of decid
edly hard nature.
At a quarter to s a loud bell ram
10 20 to bed, and at o'clock the ga
Gin a small hole in the wall and shu
out Of the cell by piece of thick col
rugated glass was turned out. A
debtors get this treatment.
On the following morning at 1:3
there came breakfast-a pint OF wea
tea and eight ounces Of the brow
bread. Then the doctor called.
Are you all rightT
eyes. thank YOU" And the doc
banged like a clap Of thunder.
Then came the chaplain, clergy
man from outside, rather old, niue
grabbed and certainly unfit for his pos
He snapped like a terrier with toou
ache. yet there was growl in his snal
"USnph! What are you here for"
"Debt."
"Debt! Umphl Why don't you |
honest and pay your debts" And IL
door banged louder than before. Fina
IL came the governor on his dali
round Of inspection
A days routine was simply this I
at the ring of q bell at 5:45, dress
the dark; then came lights, beds al
bedding were put away, cells and co
rtdor swept and busted and cell utensi
cleaned; at 7:9O breakfast, each PR
omer being then locked In his cell I
IS.SU, at WHICH, l1LnO oAi NSAN -
and marched to chapel
Then from chapel TO cells again, 10
Hooked In until the governor MADE q
smart pace round Of inspection, sa
ing as he sped past each cell doc
"Any complaints?" but one had to
there a week before the two words [
came clear enough to be understood.
When he had gone all the debto
were put into room to pick cocoan
fiber Then came an hours eXercl
In a large yard, after that dinner a
another locking in till 100 p. M, I
lowed by another hours exercise a
more fiber picking up to $50. AT o;
there was tea, when each man W
again locked In till o'clock next mol
ing.
The debtors were allowed to spe
to each other while at work and at
ercise; they wore their own clothes
thev wished to; there was no SUI
lated amount Of work to be done, a
here ended the only practical diff
.ences between them and the laWDre'
,ers in the other part Of the prison
Pearsons Weekly.
Poison In War.
When the French beat the Forr