Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 11.pdf/134

This page needs to be proofread.

Demolition of Newgate Prison.

113

THE DEMOLITION OF NEWGATE. IN order to make way for a new Sessions visited the prison in order to ascertain how House, Newgate Prison, with all its far fact and rumor in regard to it were in weird associations, has been decreed to accord. At last the authorities intervened, demolition. The occasion may be a suit the regime was reformed, and the prison was able one for reviewing the history and de taken over by the government in 1862 and scribing the interior of this venerable pile. used as a convict establishment for women. Before entering upon this inquiry, how Recently it has been devoted to the pur ever, we may state poses of a military prison. For the fu briefly the changes which the abolition ture there are to be ofNewgate will prob sent to it all male ably make in prison prisoners under "re administration in mand " from the England. The firstremetropolitan police courts, and prisoners sult will be to revive sent for trial at the Brixton Prison as a central criminal penal establishment. courts from outside Nothing could well districts. There is be more unsatisfac further to be pro tory than the early I vided, in a specially records of this place. constructed wing, It was erected orig accommodations for inally as a house of juvenile prisoners. correction for Surrey prisoners, and in this Not only Brixton capacity it soon ob Prison, but Hollotained a bad preem way Gaol, will be inence among the affected by the pend prisoners of the day ing changes. The for maladministra civil debtors and chambkrla1n's gate, tion and severity. first-class misde most m1serable dungeon, rebu1lt by r1chard WHITTINGTON AND CALLED BY HIM NEW GATE. The cells were over meanants who have (from an olti Engravtng.) crowded, the pris hitherto been incaroners were treated more like beasts than cerated there are being sent to Worm men, riots followed, disease was rife; so wood Scrubbs, while the female prisoners scandalous did the state of affairs become who have heretofore found a local habita that reform was indignantly demanded. The tion in Wormwood Scrubbs are being trans justices of the day, however, like the gov ferred to Holloway. In Holloway, also, ernors of Bedlam a quarter of a century special accommodation is to be provided earlier, not only refused to introduce any for female juvenile offenders. (See valu changes, but resisted all attempts to inves able notes in " Yorkshire Post," December, tigate the condition of the prison. On one 1898.) Now, to return to Newgate and its occasion admission was refused, it is said, history. to the Duke of Wellington himself, who had Newgate — the New Gate of the city