Widnes Examiner. — 1888-08-18 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

GOVERNMENT TORTURE OF IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS. Sir,—The distressinkdetails of prison torture, brought out in evidence at the inquest tm the body of Dr. Ridley, the late medical attendant at Tullamore gaol, Ireland, are enough to make a man's blood boil with indignation, and wonder why the people have not arisen before now and once for all abolished the tyrannous system which prevails under the sanction and with the apparent support of the present Coercion Government. It almost seems as if the Government, knowing their inability to convince the people of the justice of their proceedings in Ireland on its merits, were determined to force the people into a sham belief in their liberty and equality witlf the rest of the fellow-subjects of Her Majesty. In the case of the late Mr. John Mandeville, the jury declared that he died from inflammation, brought about by the brutal and unjustifiable treatment in Tullamore gaol; and they protested against the system of treating political pr senses, and the cruel methods by which the prison rules were enforced. " Protested " indeed What effect will that have on Messrs. Balfour and Co.? rust about as much as a drop of water on the back of a duck. But while Mr. Mandeville's cruel death is bad enough, what I'.as to be said on the suicide of Dr. Ridley? At the time of writing the jury have not come to their decision, but the evidence has revealed a state of things which it is almost impossible to believe could have existed. Evidence given by several members of Parliament and other witnesses shows that Dr. Ridley was never known of himself to be cruel to the prisoners. On the contrary, his acts of kindness to those who suffered from the effects of Government persecution were many. Everything he did to lessen their hardships seemed to be overshadowed by fear of the authorities—his employers. He complained of being watched from Dublin Castle, and actually on one occasion, two days after ordering a mattrais for one of the prisoners, he received a communication from Dublin "calling him over the coals" for it. Does not this seem a determined and persistent effort on the part of the authorities to administer punishment of the bitterest, if not revengeful character, on those of their political opponents who may happen to fall within their clutches? It almost ceases to be a wonder to me that Dr. Ridley took his own life after Mr. Mandeville bad been "done to death," and after the abominable manner in which Dr. Ridley was compelled to treat prisoners who were unfit and unable to bear the inflictions put upon them. It need cause no surprise- therefore to learn from thc evidence of Mr. William O'Brien, 'M.P., that he never saw a more wretched look upon a man's face than that upon Dr. Ridley's, and well might the latter say that an uneasy feeling "haunted" him. Dr. Ridley admitted to Mr. O'Brien t,,at their treatment was unnatural, but he asked what could he do? His own words were that he had a wife and family, and he had to earn a few half-pence. These revelations, sir, make me wonder if the Government have not so goaded on Dr. Ridley to "unnatural treatment" of prisoners to such an extent that he has found relief only in taking his own life. If this is so, surely the Government, or the authorities under them, will be brought to account for the death of one who was said at the inquest to have been a conscientious and skilful man!' I wender how much longer the people will permit this tyranny to continue ; probably until the next general election, when I hope a great and radical change will be wrought.—Yeurs &c.,