Morning Chronicle Jan. 21, 1875, p. 3, c. 1-2
Sheriff’s Office
Jan. 20th, 1875
To the editor Morning Chronicle

Sir,--

In last Saturday’s number of your Journal appears a letter signed “Humanity,” offering certain strictures of the treatment of the prisoners now confined in the Penitentiary. The principal observations are these: “the two prisoners committed under the Coroner’s Inquisition to stand trial for the manslaughter of Azariah Miller are, and during the past inclement weather have been, confined by H. M.’s Gaol without a fire, either in the corridor, or in the cells, and it has been further represented that one of the men is in a very delicate state of health; arising in a great measure from the treatment he received in the late Cove Road Row, and is suffering severely from the rigours of this sort of Prison discipline.”

Upon first reading these statements I felt no desire to take any notice of them, knowing, as I did, that they had no foundation in fact, and that, therefore, your correspondent’s information was entirely at fault. However it was considered desirable to enquire further into the matter; and with that view a communication was addressed from this office to Captain Coen, Governor of the Penitentiary, calling his attention to the statements of your correspondent, and requesting him to report upon the condition and discipline of the Prison with special reference to the points to which your correspondent had called attention. This report is now before me, from which I take the following extracts as applicable to your correspondent’s statements:

“Ever since the 26th of November, (commencing a week sooner than I had intended, and a month sooner than heretofore) by the recommendation of the Gaol Surgeon, I have had fires in every ward, room, and passage, or corridor where they are allowed; and there are, and have been since that date, daily, no less than 13 stoves and fireplaces lit throughout the building.” Again:--The prisoner, John Butler, one of those referred to, was recommended on the 14th by the Surgeon, to be placed, “if possible,” in a cell with a store in it, and plenty of fuel. I would add that both the prisoners, Butler and Harvey, are on the Sick Report, but it has not proceeded from any lack of warmth, or of any indulgence allowed by the Prison rules as sanctioned by authority. I have been particular in looking after their comfort, by night as well as by day.”

I shall only further refer to the Surgeon’s report, which is also before me, and there the sickness of Butler and Harvey is not attributed to cold, or to any ill-treatment arising from Prison discipline, but to an entirely different cause. I have only to observe, in conclusion, that it is always an object of concern, both with myself and with those immediately in charge of the prisoners, to neglect nothing that would conduce to the preservation of their health, as well as to their comfort, consistently with their position as prisoners.

I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant, T. Talbot, Sheriff