The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-11-18
ENGLISH ATROCITIES.
Brutal Treatment of Women at Hands
of Prison Officials.

London, Nov. 12.-Those tender
hearted Englishmen who are always
so greatly concerned about atrocities
in the Congo, or Russia, or Morocco
| now have an opportunity to shed a
| few tears about homegrown cruelty.
Whatever one may think of the suf-
fragettes and their methods of COM
manding attention, no real man can
read of the atrocities perpetrated
upon defenseless women in British
jails without experiencing boiling
of the blood. The water cure" as
administered in the Philippines, were
kindness compared with the treat
ment of some of the suffragettes.
The physicians and jailers impli-
Gated in the atrocities do not deny
them, but take a sort of pride in
what they call the ''humbling" of
the suffragettes.
Mrs. Leigh, one Of the victims, tells
sworn story in which handouts,
padded cells and worse atrocities fig
ure. She was one of those who, when
confined in prison, refused to partake
of food. Her story is in part as fol-
lows:
ION my arrival at Winsom Green
Gaol I protested against the treat
ment to which l was subjected, and
broke the windows in my cell. Ac-
cordingly at o'clock in the evening
I was taken to the punishment cell,
cold, dark room on the ground
foor-light only shines on very
bright days; no furniture in it.
"A plank bed was brought in;
was then stripped and handcuffed
with the hands behind during the
day, except at meals, when the palms
were placed together in front. At
night they were also placed in front
with the palms out. On Thursday
food was brought into the cell
potatoes, bread and gruel-but I did
not touch it.
Thursday afternoon the visiting
magistrates came. l was taken De-
fore them handcuffed. After hear
ing what I had to say they sentenced
me to nine days close confinement
with bread and water, and to lose
forty-two days remission marks and
pay IS. damage. The handouts were
removed at midnight on Thursday by
the matron's orders. 1 still refrained
from food.
About noon on Saturday l was
told the matron wished to speak to
me, and was taken to the doctors
room, where 1 saw the matron, eight
wardresses, and two doctors. There
was sheet on the floor and an arm
chair on it. The doctor said was
to sit down, and l did.
81 was then surrounded and forced
back on the chair, which was tilted
backwards. There were about ten Of
them. The doctor then forced my
mouth so as to form pouch, and
held me while one of the wardresses
poured some liquid from a spoon-it
was milk and brandy After giving
me what he thought was sufficient, he
sprinkled me with eau de Cologne,
and wardresses then escorted me to
another cell on the first floor, where
I remained two days.
''On Saturday afternoon the ward
resses forced me on the bed, and the
two doctors came in with them, and
while was held down a nasal tube
was inserted. 1t was two yards long,
with a funnel at the end; there is a
glass junction at the middle to see if
the liquid is passing. The end is put
up the nostril, one day and the other
nostril the other.
Great pain is experienced during
the process, both mental and physi-
cal. One doctor inserted the end up
my nostril, while was held down by
the wardresses, during which they
must have seen my pain.
''The sensation is most painful;
the drums of the ear seem to be
bursting, a horrible pain in the
throat and the breast. Before and
after, they test my heart and make
a lot of examination. The after-ef-
fects are a feeling of faintness, a
sense of great pain in the diaphragm,
or breast bone, in the nose and the
ears. The tube must 60 below the
breast-bone, though I cannot feel it
below there.
81 was very sick on tho first occa-
sion after the tube was withdrawn. I
have also suffered from bad indiges-
ton. 1 am fed in this way very irreg-
ularly. I have used no violence,
though having provocation in being
fed by force. l resist, and am over
come by weight of numbers. If the
doctor does not think the fluid is 60
ing down sufficiently swiftly, he
pinches my nose with the tube in it,
and my throat, causing me increased