sign-in
Home
/
Convict Conditions
/
Image 6
Convict Conditions
Image 6
image 6 of 78
If you need a symbol, fraction or a wider dash please highlight, copy (Ctrl C) and paste (Ctrl V): £ — ¼ ½ ¾ ⅓ ⅔ ⅛ ⅜ ⅝ ⅞ ⊚ 🡹 /|\
No. 2158, examined. 50. SENTENCE—I am one of the three man, including No.2561, charged with the affair in Barrack Street. One of the men was discharged, but eventually came down here on another sentence. I was convicted as a rogue and vagabond. I agreed with No.2561 that we should appeal. Mr. Kelly received certain money from No.2561 for that purpose. Mr. Webster, the Acting Chief Warder, was present when Mr. Kelly told us that the appeal was set down for the July sittings. I am certain MrKelly expressly said "July sittings." Kelly received £2 10s., in addition to £1 which No. 2561 had previously given him, and he said he had to see a friend of No. 2561 at the Criterion Hotel if he wanted more money. 51. LUNATIC PRISONERS.—There is no means provided of dealing with imbeciles or lunatic prisoners who may be source of danger to themselves or others, particularly in the hospital. 52. DIET.—The meat is not generally good. I usually leave it alone. There is no inspection of the meat on arrival except as regards quantity. In Melbourne, the Deputy-Governor himself asks the gaol butcher if anything is wrong with the meat, and, if there is, the matter is dealt with at once. Here we get nearly all flanks of meat. On the other side they take hind-quarters one day and fore-quarters the next. I have never seen a hind-quarter of meat in the kitchen here. The potatoes are like soap. I got one good potato to-day out of five. Some men get more food than others who stand in more need of it. It is a sort of reward for skilled labour, I suppose. It has nothing to do with conduct; for instance, a painter would get more than a man carrying hod all day. 53. MEDICAL INSPECTION.—The Doctor sees no one unless specially sent for to see a man whose name is down for that purpose. In Melbourne Gaol the medical examination of every prisoner is most carefully conducted. I think the Doctor is to much guided by the temperature. If the temperature is all right he will not believe that the prisoner can really be suffering. Personally, I have never complained; it is not policy. I was ordered milk and rice last Saturday; I have not got it yet. That is not the fault of the Doctor or the warders; it is the fault of the regulations. Foreigners and imbeciles cannot get to the Doctor, because they do not understand about having to put their names down. 54. Discharge of prisoners.—Prisoners should be allowed to leave the gaol without being shadowed by detectives. 55. Rules.—The rules should be read to all prisoners on arrival. There are certain regulations posted up, but they do not purport to have been approved in Executive Council, as required, I believe, by the Act. They are signed by the Superintendent. 56. CONDEMNED CLOTHES.—The clothes of prisoners serving over 12 months are condemned, and they receive instead a regulation prison suit of tweed on discharge. (The Commission adjourned.) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19TH,1898. [AT FREMANTLE GAOL.] Present: Dr. ADAM JAMESON, Chairman. Mr. F. Craig. Mr. Horace Stirling. Mr. E. W. Mayhew Mr. J. Gallop. No. 2753, examined. 56A. MEDICAL.—In February last I was charged with insolence to the doctor, and brought before the magistrate. I ask that Commission should call for the depositions taken before the magistrate, and all the correspondence connected with the case. I am far from well now, and I would like to be examined by some independent medical man, as I am not satisfied with the medical treatment i have had in the gaol. 57. LIBRARY.—The gaol library is not sufficiently supplied with books. 57A. CHOIR.—I was in the choir, but in consequence of being reported in February I was turned out. Men join the choir more for the sake of the remission to be earned thereby than because of any vocal qualifications. 58. VISITS OF FRIENDS.—A friend of mine from Adelaide has been over here twice to see me, but has been denied admission both times. I cannot say whether he had an order from the Sheriff. [Prisoner advised that he must instruct his friend to get the usual permit.] 59. SHAVING.—One bucket of water has to serve for everybody at shaving time. Skin diseases are easily communicated in that way. 60. TOWELS.—The towels are not washed with soap after being used. 61. CHARGES OF MALINGERING.—Prisoners who are really ill are sometimes treated as though they were malingering. A prisoner named McCall died in the hospital some time ago. He had been complaining of pains in the back, and said the Doctor gave him to understand he was malingering. Eventually he became so bad that he was taken to the hospital, and the case was mentioned by Dr. Hope to Dr. Lotz, who examined the patient. McCall died. No inquest was held. In such cases there is a post mortem examination, but no inquest, so far as i know. 62. DISCHARGE OF PRISONERS.—Prisoners should not be turned out penniless, and should be discharged at an early hour in the day. 63. LUNATICS.—There are several lunatic prisoners now in the gaol. No. 2934, examined. 64. SENTENCE.—I am in for two years for forgery. I have still 12 months to serve. I did not get a fair trial. The magistrate who committed me presided at my trial at Bunbury. I was undefended. The cheques which i was charged with uttering did not comply with any of the conditions of the cheques of the person whose name I was supposed to have forged. An expert was called, who declared the cheques to be in my hand-writing, and that he could pick out my writing from that of a hundred others, although he said my hand-writing on the cheques was disguised; I presented the cheques at the store; I was not able to account for how I became possessed of those cheques; I was in a condition bordering on the horrors from drink. The Judge directed the jury that the forgery was difficult of proof necessarily, because no one would be likely to see me commit the forgery; but the question was—did I present the cheques for payment? The jury brought in a verdict of guilty. I got two years without hard labour. 65. DIET.—The food was generally very bad, but has much improved since the appointment of the Commission. 66. DISCIPLINE.—I don't think there is any discipline in gaol. I do not think the Superintendent is capable of holding the position he occupies. I say this because it is obvious that the relations between the Superintendent and the warders are not altogether harmonious. Warder Patterson cannot give any orders without their being rescinded by the Acting Chief Warder, Mr.Webster; and on one occasion, when Warder Hodges was reading out a paper on parade, the Superintendent came up, snatched it out of the warder's hands, and read it himself. The prisoners suffer from the friction between the officers. The warders are recruited from an undesirable class of men. 67. MEDICAL.—When a prisoner is examined by the Doctor two warders are present. This should be done privately, as it is on the other side. The hospital is badly placed, being, in fact, a public thoroughfare. 68. SANITATION.—The sanitation generally of the gaol is defective. The closet pans are bad and not properly and regularly looked after, as they should be, by prisoners told off for the purpose. Disinfectants are not employed. Soil and sand are used, but not systematically. In summer the stench in the division is unbearable. 69. BEDDING.—Prisoners coming in take over bedding used by the last occupant of the cell. I don't think a blanket has been washed since i have been in gaol. The sheets are washed, but at long intervals. 70. RULES AND REGULATIONS.—Prisoners are continually punished for some breach of the rules and regulations, but we do not know what the rules are. I believe there are special rules relating to prisoners, like myself, undergoing imprisonment without hard labour, but I don't know what they are. 71. GROWTH OF BEARD.—Three months should be allowed for this purpose before discharge. 72. SOAP.—We are not allowed sufficient. 73. CLOTHING.—We are not allowed our own special suits of prison clothing. 74. LABOUR OF PRISONERS.—I have never grumbled at any work to which I have been put, except sawing wood, which seemed to me too severe, considering I was not sentenced to hard labour. No. 3306, examined. 75. AGE.—23 76. SENTENCE.—14 months, for assault and robbery. 77. MEDICAL.—I complain that I have not been properly examined by the Doctor, who, when I felt very weak and ill, tested my temperature, and suggested that I was malingering. Afterwards I fainted, and had to have two stitches put in my chin, which was injured in the fall. 78. AS TO DISCHARGES.—I indorse the suggestions of the other prisoners. 79. DIET.—The food has improved since the appointment of the Commission. 80. LABOUR.—I am working in the quarries, I am boiler-maker by trade, and am not used to pick and shovel work.
Save edits
prev
|
next
|
all images
|
history