The Sun. — 1846-04-11 (London, England)

THE COMMITMENT OF SUICIDAL PRISONERS. Having mentioned the details that usually form the princ.pal portion of their reports, the visiting justices proceed to invite the notice of the Court to some matters that have required peculiar consideration, and as to which they deem it proper that the Court and county should be fully informed. The visiting justices having learned that on the 11th ult a prisoner who had been committed for re-examination on a charge of murder, strangled himself in the prison, and that no intimation had been given by the committing magistrate to the governor of his being in an unsound state of mind, or inclined to commit suicide, they directed their clerk to address the letter, of which they annex a copy, dated the 18th ult., to the Secretary of. State for the Home Department, from whom theyreceived an answer on the 21st ult., and, though unaware whether the directions suggested have been issued from the Home-office, they have understood with pleasure that in some subsequent cases their hints have been carried into effect in cases of committals from the police. courts. The visiting justices, in making their proceedings known to the Court, beg to draw the attention of the magistracy of the county at large to the suggestion contained in their letter, and to impress on them the propriety of their adopting it in every case which shall come before them, and to which the suggestion may be applicable ; as otherwise, prisoners so peculiarly afflicted may not receive special attention, and sad catastrophes, distressful to the governor, and painful to the public mind, may unhappily occur : " Carlisle-street, Soho, March 18, 1846. " Sir—A prisoner named John Rofe, who was committed to the blouse of Correction at Westminster, on the 9th instant, from Worship-street Police-court, to be brought up for further examination, for cutting and wounding Edwin Rofe, with intent to murder him, strangled himself in the water-closet of the prison, on the 11th instant, while the van was waiting to re-convey him to the police-court. In consequence of this melancholy event, I am directed by the visiting justices to acquaint you that it has occurred to them, that it is desirable that whenever a prisoner who is about to be commited shall appear tfo be insane or of unsound mind, or shall be suspected o private insanity, or an inclination to commit suicide,he a by the communication on the subject should t the you opar i so willn committing And mronorerquoef therefore magistrate police magistrates. With reference to Rote's itnostrthucetegdovet case, be pleased to issue directions to that effect to the f the warrant, as the fact was, that the person whom I am desired to observe that it did not appear on the face o he attempted to murder was his own son, an intimation whereof would probably have led the governor to suspect that the prisoner was not of sound mind, and that no communication was made, or message delivered, from the committing magistrate to the governor, either of that fact or any other, that would induce special attention or precautions with respect to him, although it did happen that both by the surgeon and the officers particular attentions were afforded to the prisoner. "I am further directed to state that the coroner's jury who sat on the body, in returning their verdict, unanimously expressed themselves satisfied that every reasonable precaution had been taken by the governor and the officers of the prison against the commission of suicide, and that a relative of the deceased, who attended the inquest, joined in that opinion, and thanked the governor for the vigilance and kindness which he had shown to the prisoner. The visiting justices, also, having caused inquiry to be made into the circumstances of the case, are happy to be able fully to exonerate the governor and all the officers from any blame on the occasion, yet they trust that the precautionary measures they have suggested will be approved and sanctioned by you —1 have lhe honour to , e. " C. Y. ALLEN, Clerk to the Justices. "To the Right Hon. Sir James Graham, Bart." " Wheehall, 21st March, 1846.  " Sir,--I am directed by Secretary Sir James Graham to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th instant, submitting a suggestion of the visiting justices of the House of Correction at Westminster that instructions should be given to the police magistrates to make a private communication to the governor on the committal of any prisoner who is insane, or suspected to be of insane mind, or inclined to commit snicide.—l am, Sir, &c., " S. M.