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Convict Conditions
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286. PETITION.—I want to petition; not on the ground of innocence, but to get the sentence reduced. I have served two years. I intend to leave the colony on discharge if my ticket-of-leave will permit it. This is my first conviction. 287. REMISSION.—Having been charged with malingering in the prison, and discharged with a caution, I am not sure what the effect will be on my remissions. I am working in the drive and entitled to special remission for that. No. 3469, examined. 288. AGE.—23. 289. DIET.—The potatoes are very bad. Some say they are better since the Commission came here, but they are not fit to eat now. It would be better for the prisoners if the gruel were served at night instead of at dinner time. 290. DISCHARGE.—I have no money and no friends, what am I to do when I am discharged? I have still two years to serve. 291. RULES AND REGULATIONS.—If a prisoner wants to write a letter he must do it in his hour's exercise time, which is thereby much shortened. I think time should be allowed specially for the purpose. 292. LABOUR.—I am in the pump yard. The actual work done by each prisoner at the pump is only a few minutes turn in each hour. 293. REMISSIONS.—A man with two years' imprisonment and a penal servitude man with four years, if both equally well conducted, may, under the regulations, both get out about the same time. No. 3168, examined. 294. AGE.—22. 295. BEDDING.—The bed clothes are not properly washed. 296. DIET.—The food has improved since the appointment of the Commission. 297. CONDEMNED CLOTHING.— I confirm the evidence of the previous witness. 298. PERSONAL.— I am a draper by trade. I come from New South Wales. The offence I am here for was the larceny of a tin box, containing money, at Boorabbin. I took it when I was drunk; but returned the whole of the money, next day. 299. REMISSIONS.—I have lost all my remissions owing to being so worried and tormented by warders that I was goaded into conduct which led to my being reported. No. 3455, examined. 300. OFFENCE AND SENTENCE.—Larceny; 10 months. 301. PERSONAL.— I was arrested and charged with stealing a watch for which I had a pawn ticket which I had bought. I had been to get the watch out at the pawnbroker's. It was not likely that I should do that if I had stolen the watch and pledged it. Even my boots, which I had bought and paid for in Sydney, were taken from me and claimed as being stolen. They said also that I had stolen a chain which never came into my possession at all. 302. TRADE.—I am learning a trade here, which I hope will be of use to me when I get out. I am in the blacksmith's shop. 303. DISCHARGE OF PENNILESS PRISONERS.—Confirms previous evidence. No. 3029, examined. 304. DIET.—The food is altogether bad. 305. CONDEMNED CLOTHING.—Confirms previous evidence. 306. DISCHARGE OF PRISONERS.—Ditto. 307. REMISSIONS.—No one understands what is the rule governing remissions. 308. BEDDING.— As a general rule the blankets are dirty; but I have taken particular care of mine, and there is not much to find fault with them. 309. DARK CELLS.—I would like the Commission to see for themselves one particular cell, and see what they think of it. It is dark cell No. 7. [ A member of the Commission inspected the cell. The blankets were found to be old, worn, and thin. The cell was ventilated from below, draughty, and yet foul smelling. The inmate slept on the kerosened floor, no mattress being provided. The nightsoil bucket had no top.] No. 3445, examined. 310. OFFENCE AND SENTENCE.—Larceny; three months. 311. DIET.—The potatoes and meat are both bad. The oatmeal for the gruel is good, but not always properly prepared. The gruel is sometimes very thin. 312. PERSONAL.—I want to be returned to the place where I was committed, Kalgoorlie, when I am discharged. I have no money and no friends here. No. 10538, examined. 313. OFFENCE AND SENTENCE.—Breaking and entering; five years penal servitude and 18 months hard labour. 314. PERSONAL.—I got the 18 months for breaking out of custody. 315. COMPLAINTS OF SEVERE SENTENCE.—£100 worth of jewellery was stolen. With my assistance the detectives recovered the whole of it from the various places to which I took them, where it was planted. I was given to understand that that fact would be taken into account at my trial, but the police overlooked it, and it was not brought forward. Part of the property was in the care of a prisoner (No. 3195) now in the gaol, who was innocent of anything about the robbery, and had no knowledge that the goods were stolen, to the best of my belief. This is my first sentence. [At this stage, being the gaol dinner hour, two prisoners were called in who refused to eat their food on the ground that the meat and potatoes were bad. The Commission examined the rations and found the meat sound and wholesome. The potatoes were dark in colour, but quite as good as the average potatoes obtainable in private houses. Prisoners informed accordingly.] No. 3022, examined. 316. OFFENCE AND SENTENCE.—Unlawfully on premises; 12 months. 317. DIET.—The potatoes are always bad. 318. MEDICAL.—There is no medical inspection of newly-arrived prisoners. I have caught a scaly skin disease since I have been in the gaol, and have been treated for it. 319. SHAVING.—Confirms previous evidence. One man always cuts himself when he is shaving; but the authorities insist upon his shaving himself. 320. WARDERS.—I saw Warder Hodges, when Warder McLaren was present, give a galvanic battery to some prisoners, and tell them to apply it to an imbecile called Zepner, who was brutally ill-treated by the prisoners, whilst the warders looked on and laughed. This occurred on September 25th. Isaacs, a coloured lunatic, was driven crazy with flogging. He is now in the asylum. Warder Pond struck Isaacs with a bunch of keys and cut his head open. The same Warder Pond got some skeleton keys made in the blacksmith's shop; the same as burglars use. The blacksmith is not now in the gaol, but he could be communicated with. [ Name and address given.] 321. SANITARY.—In the pump yard the stench is at times horrible, owing to bad drainage and the throwing of refuse into the drains. 322. CONDEMNED CLOTHING AND DISCHARGE.—Confirms the evidence of previous witnesses. Personally I am penniless, and I am to be discharged on Tuesday. I was, on one occasion, in Pentridge. On discharge I asked the authorities for 5s. or 6s. They gave me 6s. (The Commission adjourned.) THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, 1898. [AT FREMANTLE GAOL,] Present: Dr. ADAM JAMESON,Chairman. Mr. F. Craig, Mr. Horace Stirling, Mr. E. W. Mayhew, Mr. Jas. Gallop, Mr. M. L. Moss, Dr. Lotz, and the Secretary. No. 3475, examined. 324. OFFENCE AND SENTENCE.—Loose, idle, and disorderly; three months. 325. DIET.—The food is not good; the gruel is thin as water. 326. PERSONAL.—This is my third conviction. Once before, in New South Wales, and once here, on similar charges. The present is my longest sentence. I am, when not drinking, a hard-working man, and I have taken it a good deal to heart that the police should say in court that I was never known to work.
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