STORY OF PENTONVILLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1930, Page 11

STORY OF PENTONVILLE.

THE "MODEL PRISON.". WITH PRISONERS FAR PROM MODEL. (By HORACE WYNDHAM.) In the prison world, as elsewhere, the law of supply and demand holds good. Accordingly the suggestion now under official ' consideration that Pentonville Prison shall, within the near future, be sold for housing purposes is a sign of the times. What the suggestion means is that the numbers of the criminal classes have fallen to such a figure that the two other metropolitan prisons, at Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubbs, are big enough to accommodate all London's bad characters who have not qualified for penal servitude. This theory may sound optimistic. Still, it is borne out by the facts, since Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubbs are seldom more than half full. The "Bad Old Days." Pentonville Prison has been called many things. An odd name once given it by Whitehall was that of "The Convict Academy." Most of those in durance there now refer to it as "the Jug." Covering seven and a-half acres in the Caledonian Road, Pentonville Prison owes its inception to the advocates of the "separate system." The building cost £85,000 (considerably less than a modern cinema), and the foundation stone was laid in 1840. The original plan, drawn up by Col. Jebb, R.E., resembled that of a five-pointed star, and the massive gateway was designed by Sir Charles Barry, the architect of half the Pall Mall clubs. During its earlier years Pentonville was known as the "Model Prison"; and the first commissioners (in Avhose work, great interest was taken by the Prince Consort) were appointed by the Queen. High hopes and lofty endeavours animated this body. "It is in the Model Prison at Pentonville," declared Sir James Graham, the Home Secretary, "that we must expect to see carried out the views of the most enlightened authorities oil criminal reform. Pentonville exists as a place of instruction and probation." Notwithstanding all this, it was thought necessary to build fifty punishment cells. They seem to have been wanted, for the "Model Prison" did not have model prisoners. Very much the opposite; and one of the first to find himself there was a baronet, with such loose ideas of finance that lie >was convicted of forgery. Mutinies, too, were far from being unknown. But Pentonville has always had something of a reputation for being "difficult" to manage; and there have been several outbreaks among the occupants. One such occurred shortly after the last governor arrived. There have also, despite the elaborate system of "lockingup," and the watchfulness of the warders, been a number of successful attempts to escape. Few of the attempts, however, have been successful for very-long; and nearly all of them have ended in prompt and ignominious recapture. As a part of the vaunted "reformatory process," the early inmates of Pentonville had to wear a cloth mask whenever they left their cells for exercise. About the year 18G5, however, it dawned on the | commissioners that "it would be desirable to discontinue this practice, since it does not secure any advantage." But many more years elapsed before the iron screens were removed from the windows. Just as the masks have gone, so also has the distinctive convict dress. Even the broad arrows are said to be on their last legs, as well as on their last "lags." Nor is there any oakum-picking, crankturning, or treadmill in the present-day regime. Governor Who "Did Time." All the bad characters within the walls of Pentonville have not been among the occupants of the cells. Even the ranks of the officials there have numbered some black sheep. A remarkable instance occurred during the late sixties," when no less a personage than the governor himself was convicted of the same crime as many of his charges. This was one Captain Ninian Craig, a soldier, who had been appointed to his responsible position as a reward for good service in the Crimea. His salary was £400 a year. It does not, however, seem to have been enough for him. At any rate, when his books were audited it was discovered that he had embezzled a sum of £700 due to the commissioners. Thereupon lie absconded to America. Returning to England, he was arrested on a warrant, and, after being tried at the Old Bailey, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment in the gaol where he had once ruled. Much more recently an acting-gover-nor's conduct in another London prison formed the subject of an official inquiry. The charge against him was that he had used "strong language" in dealing with disorderly mutineers. The committee, however, found the charge so little supported that the subject of it was promoted to be governor of Pentonville. During its long history of ninety years, Pentonville has housed many notorious characters, among them being Charles Peace and Oscar Wilde. Foreign criminals have also found themselves behind its bolts and bars. Thus, at one period it held three Chinamen (convicted of drug-trafficking), two Frenchmen, four Germans, two Italians, and a Spaniard. The Spaniard had somewhat odd views on prison administration, foi he wrote to the Home Secretary complaining that he was not allowed to buy his own food. Among the more notorious prisoners who have expiated their crimes in the grim execution slied at Pentonville are Frederick Bywaters, Sir Roger Casement, and Dr. Crippen; and in August, 1909, an Indian medical student, Madlio Lai Dhingra, was hanged there for the murder of Sir Curzon AVyllie at the Imperial Institute. It is to be hoped that under its new regime Pentonville will contrive to live down its unhappy "past." ,