Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1855-08-08 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

CONVICTION OF LIEUTENANT -AUSTIN, BA, NOR CRUELTY TO A PRISONER. REGINA V. AUSTIN (S. J.)-1111IVIIIIIINA31 GAOL  ..... -....-This wee a prosecution, snstituted by the AttorneyGeneral an the part of the Crown amorist Lieutenant Aussiii, R.N., late Governor of the Borough Gaol, at Birmingham, for certain comities alleged to bare been practised toe ards the prisoners under his tare, lu all, there were eight indietments in this prosecution; bee at,ainst the detemlnut ; arid two against twin and &aunt ''jolly; the latter being at the time surgcou at the gaol, and one against Blount iudividually for omits.; to beep proper books, in compliance with the act of parliament. : The circumstances toiler which this prostration arose will be in the recollection of our readers. In the months ot April. It;:dl, a bon maned Andrews committed suicide in the Birmingham Gael, and partly in consequent* of the evidence elicited at the inquest, it trim:mired that many . acts of cruelty had been committed towards the Mutates of : the gaol; the result Was Grit a comaii,sLotb of iumery was instituted by Lord Palmerston, then Roam Secretary. The commisrionera sat for IT deys ; a great number of wit..rs were mantitted, and some Aisolusures of a very remarkable character were niade. The examinetions MrLisy lwillatsl,7 . f..,..d the ,‘ sonocrhi,e,lLk soothe,.thieiclar ho ge oat triad Mr J r.. riedon Talteurrie Coleridge. Mr Mellor gave an outline of the case far the prosecution. Ile mid that in 1831. on the completaal of the new gaol !at Ilinniughani, Captain Maommohie was appointed , governor, but that to 1037, differences having arisen uetween him and the borough jostle., on the 22nd of : October to that year Lieut. Austin was appointed to : the offioe in Lis etmel. It appeared that in the year IBM 'a buy named Audrey., a prisoner in the gaol, comtnitted . suicide, and in consequence of the reveled°ta at the , inquest, the Nome Secretary referred the matter to Me Perry, .tlie prison inspector, who made • report, which I was laid before the magistrates; and, ultimately, .a cum-1 mission was issued under the Great Seal, •ppoinhag Mr ' Welsby, the Recorder of Chester, Captain Williams, sad 1/r Baillie, the three commimonsrs. They commenced their sittings on the 30th of August, and closed theta OR lire 1351, of September. In the tour. of the nest year their report was laid before parliament, and mbeequutly„ under the advice of the Attorney and Solicitor Generals, indietnieno were preferred against tne defendant, whisks were laid before the grand jury at the last assizes; them wore Wavers d by the defendants thentiel.a, and the Cass was now to be tried in this court. The learned coumel treat on to describe the system of punishment , established ley the deferidaut as not only illegal, hut 1 po.itively cruel mid unendurable. In the mouth of March ,• a boy, Inwood Andrew,., wa- committed to the gaol on a I socumary colonction, for stealing heel r he had been sews , before In gaol ; Ito was a heble and delicate tiny, and not ,be toy means in good health. Notrrithstending this, he I was, on the :anti ut March, placed to bard labour at the 1 crauk, • machine fastened to the wall, end subject to , regulation auto the stramat of strength required In performing the revolutiom or the handle. 'I tie system at 'the Ilionlog!lant prison wee sofa Ow revolutions at Iri3OWI l• day. ul se bleh -2,000 were to be performed before breakI fast, four more Wore ditrier, and we remainder l Mae 1 mapper. On the 31s1 of March Ar. raw. woe unable to : do his work; his ordinary food was stopped in consequence. audits was placed on bread arid water diet. The boy was rsmatedly punished in a similar manner afterwards. Ile was put on brea.l and water on three Sundays by the warder ; the punishusent on one of thews days Monz afterwards remitted by the governor. On the 16th of April, having lirokch the gloss of the Melina:it', he was put in the puni-humut jacket, which consisted of an ordinary strait waistooat whit straps ; a collar was placed round Otto week, and the primmer mo strapped to the wall. This illegal mode of puhahment was continued on various days iu We mouth of Apr, On mute than one occasion Andrews um found hi a Minting state: whilst atrappeil to die wMI told meter was thrown upon Lim, uu ths romansoil tlmt he was stiammin,r laming. On the 20itt April he woe ilepti‘ed ut his bed utt6l hit o'clock at night ; car lb.: .27th, he perfortmd 12,001 revolutions Si the crank, and at teu o'olook that bight be was found dead In him Cell, having Lung himself with his pocket-bandkerchief and a swap from a bur in the is ladle. This occurrence led to the appointment ol toe corainission of inquiry. Ile (the hutted counsel) Lad noW goon through it. oathira of this vow as shortly as he could; he Lad bees aim lilt to do to wo bout some degree of ...Amu from the peculiarly painful uature of the ease, and the circumstances under which this unfortunate boy came by his demo. The eve , ileum he had toi auhuat waald, he 5,,u3 sure, receive their hest Jtßagiol., akaa that, however dims:mum it might be, they would on thr duty rs .... ..cd of tiler. 3 by tire evidence. A large number ot wititemes were called to prove the , Mets of the ease, and the jury, atteronnoting up, rctuiteed a verdict of Guiliy In the find charge. Tit. coo OP Too Itir.lr.a