The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1909-05-19
.LONDON'SO DDPRISON
Westminster Clock Tower Is the
Finest Jail In England.
BUT 1T is ALWAYS EMPTY

Bradlaueh Was It's Last Occupant.
The Old Prison In Former Days.
II the average sentenced criminal
were allowed to select his place of
confinement his choice would prob
ably fall on the Clock Tower prison
at Westminster. as that Is the very
finest prison In Great Britain and is
able to supply comforts and luxuries
quite unknown to the ordinary Bill
Skies.
But the law decides that members
Of parliament only may be confined
In that jail. although rank outsiders
could be committed to the Clock Tow
er for certain offenses against the
rules and regulations Of parliament.
The Clock Tower prison. as It ex-
lists today, was erected In connection
with the houSe occupied by the SER
geant at arms. This official is in COM
plete charge OF any member COM
mitted to the Clock Tower. and
member cannot easily make his es-
cape. because, in order to do so, he
must pass through the house Of the
sergeant.
Very few members Of parliament
are committed to the Clock Tower In
these days. We have to go back many
years to find n precedent Mr.. Charles
Bradlaugh being the last member to
occupy the cells at the Clock Tower,
and he did not occupy them long. He
was handed over to the custody Of the
sergeant at arms on June IS. 1880.
committed to the Tower and released
next day.
There are two sets of cells n the
Clock Tower. an upper and a lower.
but both suits of cells are much the
same. In each there is a sitting room
Of very ample proportions. well car
peted and furnished and replete with
most OF the things which go toward
making one comfortable.
In each suit there are two bedrooms
-one for the use Of the imprisoned
NJ. p, the other for the convenience
of the TALLER. who must always be on
the spot in order to see that the
legislator makes no attempt to escape.
Any member of parliament sent to
the Clock Tower by order Of the
speaker would be required to pay for
his own food. and II he did not do
so he could be sued in court. Any
legislator incarcerated in the Clock
Tower would be allowed to rise In
the morning just when he pleased, and
he could retire 10 bed when the spirit
moved him He could read to his
hearts content and smoke rs much
as he liked. there being no restrictions
over such matters: his whole punish
ment would lie In being prevented
from Joining his fellows and mixing
with them.
He would be taken out to exercise,
but would always have two officials
beside him to guard against any at
tempt at escape. and his exercise
would be taken on the terrace before
the house sat for the day. Under
no circumstances would he be al
lowed to hold converse with his fell
low men. One way or another an tn-
prisoned NJ. p. would not have a bad
time of II. and he would not be Kept
In confinement for any lengthy period.
But If the Clock Tower is not much
used nowadays. the Power-the prison
of the house of commons of former,
day-was much in evidence. In olden
tlon obnoxious to the house, or. indeed.
any trlhe. was sufficient to send the
culprlt forthwith to the Tower, and
not to the Tower only. for a member
could be committed to Newgate.
Sometimes The reason for committing
member to the Tower was somewhat
amusing. as witness the case Of a
member for Southampton who once
entered the house In a drunken condi-
ton and. nistaking the speaker for an
owl sitting In an ivy bush. addressed
him as such. Result-the Tower.
However. the member was released
next day and severely reprimanded
for his ridiculous behavior.
The Tower was made use Of by the.
long parliapent. In one day as many
MS eleven Presbyterian members of the
house were committed to the custody
Of the sergeant at arms and flung into
the Tower. And. to show that men,
bers were not committed for errors in
speech alone. one has only to mention
the case Of Captain Churchill. who In
1860 was committed to the Tower for
refusing to take merchant ships under
the protection OF his man Of war unless
he received a gift of f200.
In those days they had to pay stfly
for the privilege of being sent to the
Tower. as witness an extract from the
diary OF Lord Clarendon. written the
day following bis committal to the
tower. Tie says: "Mr. bod brought me
a note Of the fees. which come to ESQ
VIZ. the governor. f100; gentleman
porter. $40: gentleman gaoIer. flo"
When member offends In these
days and requires to be ''named"-al.
ways a necessity before committal-he
" not sent TO the Clock Tower. but Is
suspended from duty and is not allow
ed to enter the house for so long as the
r1embers decree. -Pearson's Weekly.