Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-03-15
Brutal Treatment OF the British
Governments Political
Prisoners.
Justice Of Court DepIores Cruelty
and Says 1t Is Most
PitiabIe.
GUILTY OF PETTY oFFENsEs.

How Sim Fem prisoners were
manacied, even when they at
tended chapel, is one OF the devel-
opments of the hearing by Justice
Dodd. now in progress. on the al.
legged Entertainment of the Sim Fain-
ers in Belfast Jail.
No prisoners were present to
testify. T. w. Brown, representing
the Governor, against whom allega-
lions of cruelty were made, said
that an outbreak in Jail took place
In June last. At that time there
were ninety-five Sim Fein prisoners
In Belfast Jail and eighty-fve or
binary prisoners. The staff OF the
prison consisted of forty-fve to
forty-seven warders.
The trouble began with the pris-
oners standing on tables in their
cells looking out of the windows
which faced the street, and singing
rebel songs. They attracted a
large and hostile crowd outside tho
Jail, and breach of the peace was
feared. The following day the dis
turbance was continued, and on the
day afterward pandemonium pre-
vailed. They smashed the furniture
in the cells, barricaded the cells,
bored holes through to communici-
cate with one another, broke the
windows, got the window bars and
demonstrated with them violently.
The police were called, in from
outside to remove them to another
part of the prison. Captain William
Barrows, Governor of the prison, IN
evidence said that il was untrue
that the prisoners had been put into
straightjackets He admitted Somb
of the prisoners were manacled with
their hands behind their backs
Replying to the Judge, witness
said on one occasion, a Sunday.
about forty Of the prisoners at
tended holy communion IN the
prison chapel ID haudcutfs bec445s
ION ffId previous dag ffFf \ "a rts'
fused 10 return 10 their cells AFTER
attending church
"But You know that man going
to communion are DESTROYS Of max
ing the sign of the cross. IT Is
very sacred ordinance. Could not
some other course have been pur-
sued? Could you not have had po-
licemen there for instance?" asked
the Court.
'"That might have been done, but
thought what was done was the
safest course" said the witness.
at requires good deal OF argu-
ment to satisfy me that by little
skill and cost this might not have
been avoided" said the Judge.
Thomas Bowe, chief warder. adj
mitted three mems hands had been
manacled behind their backs all
night.
Had that ever been done in the
Jail before?" the Court asked. "The
men could not very we'll sleep un-<
der those conditions"
YES" replied the witness. they
could make themselves comfortable
for the night. On June 30 Yhe
prisoners went to mass handcuffeA
No one complained. After mass
they refused to go to their cells"
what was in your mind? II was
not likely they would make wreck
of the chapel?" asked the Court
HAS Handwriting in this way
ever occurred in your experience az
warder?"
81 do not remember case" was
the reply.
Can you tell me from your posi-
ton that in what occurred there
was nothing done at all against the
faith you protest."
The witness replied, after some
hesitation: 81 would rather they
had not been handcuffed If it could
have been avoided"
Most pitiable, most regrettable,"
commented the Court.