INFLUENCE OF FLOGGING ON REFRACTORY PRISONERS.

West Coast Times, Issue 2509, 16 April 1877, Page 3

INFLUENCE OF FLOGGING ON REFRACTORY PRISONERS.

Ihe Daily News, referring to a recent conference on prison discipline* says :— In a conversation on flogging Dr Mousitt told a story of his experience in Indian prisoHS; in bhe gabl there wfcfti a hundrtd rhiliiary' prisoners, tiie'h who hiiti resisted all meatis of discipline iti the ijit&y ,as soon as flogging, was abolished. They took possession 'of the prison as it iverij by force, and being strong men the Goveriibr said it was impossible for him and his small staff to manage them unless their physical natures were appealed td. SoDr Mouatt went down, paraded them, find read out their character roils. The first was timothy M'bdrthy, described as, " without exception, tiie greatest J? Jacl^" guard in the British army." Dr M°H a « read hiiii the description, and wired It it was correct. "It's my portrait* ne replied; "but not pajntfed by myself. "You cannot deny that ybu are a great blackguard; If you resist the authorities irt tbsVisobj there is oilly brie argument, and that I must apply t« your Back-" "Have you the power?" he asked. " Why do you doubt, it ?" replied Dr Mouatt. " BScabSe iii the articles of war, fldggirig iS ab'dltfhea'i and I aft a sßldier;" saitf the priSoner: xi No; ydli ■af g h"d longer u'haer fhilitiiry rule." The la# was then feid to' Kirh, arid five rairiutes w.ef£ §iven b'iin For reflection., At the end of trie, time the .fellow went up, saluted, andiaicJ, " S\r, I give in.*' The threat of .flogging had. been enough, Mnjbr Fulford, who had to deal for three-and-Uyentf fi&ri with p'H'sbhefs from the Stafibrdshire iron mihfeij saia thkt such men could not be fnah'aKfcd without corporal punishment, though he resoned trt it ds rarely as possible, and had it adriiifiisfered in pfesebce of fill the pHsbriefs atld its reaSdn explained; R'oriie years sgß Ke Had a fbiing itian iti prison for two yeiirs' fof fobbing a fell'dw wbrkrhati aiid nearly killing him with a pickaxe. UHe ifidf&irig the mart Seenied perfectly iiiSd, broke everything in his cell, tore up his clothes, and threatened to kill the first iHSfI ,wHo ehtfered. Majof Ftij.fbfd went to the rhan, j;ol(l hini he wblilH be flbggbd, and ordered him to pick iip tiie things tie ha^ y scattered . about. Hp refused, arid nbthing would ,move him. He ,was qdietly told that he would have nothing to eat or drink till he obeyed, and was then locked upj with an injunction froth the" Major; •' Seild for me if you want aiijtHirig." At the end of 48 hours he f&Ht for Major Pnlford, arid said, "I'm 1 that clemmed, I cahi't st^iid it.'V "Pick up the ihings," was the, reply, and the fellow obeyed at dice. The fjoggihg was inflicted, and the convict remained two years in the prison without having another bad mark against him. Pour or five years aftej 1 . his release Major Fulford met him, working as a navvy. in another part of the country ; and he at once' offered bis hatid td shake hands; " Then y->u don't owfe trie driy &rtidg"e for thdt flogving?" aSked Jhe Major. "Not I," said the navvy ; . " I was a d d fool;" Mr Frederic Hljl, nbw Secretary to the Foat-office, who was formerly ah inspector of pfisdns; that on (jo'ing to Elgin niars years dgbj he was told by the keeper of a ptisdn thdt a pbweiful mdn had Barricaded liimSelf in Hife ceil. THe keepef'S tibtibii wag to sen'H fbi- a nutiibfeir of ttitii and fdffc-e it ; .but Mr Hill adViskt tha.t he .should be left without food iill He h'injself asked the warder to. enter. Ft is Ueedless to say that no long time elapsed before the man was glad to take dbwn his barricades, and ask the warder to go in.