Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-06-13
In PRISON FOR DEBT
THE WAY TIE LAW is MADE TO
j FIT THE CASE IN ENGLAND.
How n Person Who Either Cannot or
VIII Not Pay What He Owes Mny
DC Thrust Into JnII Over and Over
AEnin For "Contcmpt of Court"

VIII Not Pay What lie Owes NIny
De Thrust Into JnII Over and Over
AEnin For contempt of Court"
1t is commonly supposed that in
these days there is 10 Imprisonment
for debt in England, but the suppose
ton is wrong, both In substance and
TN fact
True. the term imprisonment for
debt is done away with. perhaps be-
cdusc the debtor does not pay his debt
by going to prison. yet to prison he
goes for ii all the same, although In
the eyes and I'm the phrascology of the
law he goes there for contempt OF
court" whereas in 90 per cent OF such
cases the poor dcfaulter suffers his
seven, fourteen or twenty-eight days
"closc confinement" solely because OF
his inability to pay the monthly sum
ordered by the judge or the magls-
tratc.
Nor. as already said, does the incar-
ccratlon pay what Is owing For If the
creditor chooses to do so he can have
the debtor committed again immcdi-
ately after one term has been served
and so OIL rs long as the debtor lives.
because tho 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 Il certain eastern coun-
ty. where the writer of this article
spent fourteen days. he was not re-
ceivcd quite as Il fclOn would he, but
decidedly not .us nonlawbreallcr
should be received and treated.
The time Of arrival was . p. III.
lie had no dinner. SO after his poclk-
cts had been emptlcd and the articles
tabulatcd he was given six ounces OF
brown bread and four ounces Of liar
rlct I.anc"-i. e., timed Australian
mutton.
lie was then put into receiving
cell" eight feet by four feet six inches,
with Il concrete floor six feet below the
level Of the earth and decidedly damp,
as was proved by the wet salt kept
there for tho prisoners use.
Two hours later he was removed to
another receiving cell, this time with Il
wooden floor twelve feet long and six
feet wide. At q o'clock there came his
supper. pint of weak oatmeal cruel
and eight ounces of the ubiquitous
brown brend-the staple article Of diet
and the best.
His bed was n two inch thick mat
tress Of cocoanut fiber laid on three
boards supported Oh crosspicccS about
three inches from the floor,
The bedclothes were ample, but the
pillow and bed boards were Of decid-
edly hard nature
AT quarter 10 9 loud bell rang
to so To bed, and at 8 O'clock the gus
lin small hole in the wall and shut
out Of the coll by n piece OF thick cor
rugatcd glass; was turned out All
debtors get this treatment
On the following morning ut 7:3O
there came brcnkfast-a pint Of weak
tea and eight ounces Of the brown
bread. Then The doctor called.
Are YOU all right?'
Yes. thank YOU" And the door
banged like a clap of thunder.
Then came the chaplain, n clergy
man from outside, rather old, much
Grabbed and certainly unfit for his most.
lie snapped like y terrier with tooth
ache. yet there was Il grOwl In his snap.
lymph. What are you here for?"
"Debt."
"Dcht! Umrh. Why don't you be
honest and pay your dchtsi' And the
door banged louder than before. Final
ly cnme the governor on his daily
round of inspection.
n days routine was simply this: JJD
Mt the ring of Il bell ut 5:l5, dress I'm
the dark: then came lights. beds and
bedding were put away. cells and cor
rldor swept and busted and cell utensils
cleaned; mt 7:50 breakfast, each pris-
oner being then locked in his cell till
S:30, mt which time NIL were mustered
and marched to chapel.
Then from chapel to cells again, to be
locked in until the governor made his
smart pace round Of inspection, say
Ing as he sped past each cell door,
ANY conplaInts?" but one had to be
there It week before the two words be-
came clear enough to be understood.
When he Ind gone alI the debtors
were put into room 20 picl; cocoanut
fiber. Then came an hours exercise
In large yard. after that dinner and
another locking in till 80 p. m. fol-
lowed by another hours exercise and
more fiber picking up to $50. At 5:35
there was tea, when each man was
again locked in till o'clock next morn
ing.
The debtors were allowed to speak
to each other while Mt work and at ey-
ercise; they wore their own clothes if
they wished to; there was no stipu-
lated amount of work to be done, and
here ended the only practical differ
ences between them and the lnwbreak-
'ers in the other part Of the prison.
iPearsons Weekly.