The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1873-10-09 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

MAID. tamed in England. There!, also a female home near by. "Bodmin Geol.—Captain Colville.—The Governor has procured the entire separation of prisoners while awaiting trial at the Assize Courts (a very useful step), and has introduced separate cells even in the prison omnibus. Also, when floggings are ordered, he adopts birching for lashing (on salts and youths), and with advantage. In the old congregate days, prisoners rather liked Bodmin Gaol, and it was a fount of corruption. Now, by entire separation, it is really penal and really reformatory. "Of Bedford Goof it must be mentioned that, although in a merely agricultural district, during the twenty years of Mr. Roberts's governorship, about £B,OOO cash, for prison Labour, has been paid to the county treasurer. The present committals are 30 per cent. less than twenty years ago. (N.B.—The amount of prison labour must be chiefly valued according to its produce in bond fide cash, and not, as in many prisons, by its estimate on paper.) " Other Gaol,.—Many other progressive goal* could be mentioned, and various interesting pointe about them, if space permitted. As, for example, York Castle, under Captain W. F. Lowrie where marbleworking is a speciality (Captain Lowrie has also made great efforts, and not without success, to induce the prisoners to take a hearty interest in their worship) ; Holloway (Mr. Weatherhead), a hive of industry, where prima labour (cash and value) amount, to £l3, 7s. per head; Birmingham (Kr. D. Meaden), where £560 is earned by stone.breakbig alone; Lancaster (Mr. H. W. Parry), where £230 is gained by gum-break. ing ; Durahester (Mr. J. V. D. Laurence), £134 cash for grinding corn ; Chester (Mr. J. B. Manning), £270 cash for preparing firewood- Gloceeter (Captain H. R. Wilson) and Bedford (Mr. R. E. Roberts) ; Maidstone (Major Bewilder); Carlisle (Mr. T. H. Redin); Hertford (Major Hawkin) : Taunton (Mr. W. Oakley) ; Stafford (Major Fulford) ; Edinburgh (Mr. Smith) ; Dover (Mr. E. Simmons); Manchester City (Captain Lane); Wandsworth (Mr. R. Onalow), another hive of varied industry; Leeds (Mr. C. A. Keene) ; Bristol (Captain Gardner); Dundalk (Mr. H. Noble, one of the best in Ireland, &A "But for the wretched system of repeated short sentences on inveterate misdemeanants. English labour would be manifold more profitableancl3l4Bal: more deterrent and reformatory. " The Convict Prisons (for sentences of five year and upward6).—Under the energetic chief direction of Major E. F. Da Cane these (eleven) prisons are the scenes of a vast amount of useful and varied industrial labour making docks, breakwaters, building, smith-work, brickmaking, carving, casting, ke. (upwards; of thirty different kinds of industry). A beautiful church at Portland has been wholly built by convicts, most of whom had to be taught their work as they went on. There are some firstgovernors andofficers among these prisons, but theremes also some grave defect., especially a grievous want of classification and separation. An ex-convict (oommilt-' ted for a first offence of stealing a few shillings) saidthis year. on his discharge, " Beton I entered Convict Prison I knew nothing of burglary, now I could easily break into any home in London • and I know the shops where to obtain the needful tocils for the parpose—aU of which I learnt from fellow prisoners.', At Portland Convict Prison, for instance, in 1873, there have been committed one murder and one attempted murder by prisoners. This is the fault of the congregate system, not of the officials, for Portland ham a most efficient governor, chaplain, and other officers. Murders are almost impossible in prisons on the separate system, as in most of the minty gaol.. Said the Governor of Bodmin Gaol to Mr. Tallack • Oar prisoners are all separated, at all times. Hence they are never a body, and they never feel themselves a power.' Moral contamination and physical contagion are thus both alike prevented by separation."