120
Sir,
St. Philip's Parsonage, March 30, 1875. I have the honour to report to you, as Church of England Chaplain of the Georgetown Gaol, that during the months of October, November, and December, 1874, the gaol was visited by myself or my curate thirty-one times. Service was held every Sunday at 2 P.M., and frequently in hospital wards on week-days. The condemned coolies, "Fowdar" and "Abdool" were carefully instructed and baptized at their own request) previous to their execution, and one infant in the hospital was also baptized.
Nothing else of importance remains to be mentioned.
May 1, however, be allowed to say that myself and my colleague have noticed with regret that youths of comparatively tender years are forced in gaol to associate with those much further advanced in crime than themselves, and subjected to the laborious punishment of "shot drill," which seems to overtax their strength.
I beg respectfully to mention these facts as being both morally and physically injurious to the class of prisoners alluded to."
His Honour John Brumell, Esq.,
Sheriff of Demerara.
تم
I have, &c. (Signed) CHAS. PAGE WOOD.
Sir,
Georgetown Gaol, April 6, 1875. With reference to that part of the Rev. Page Wood's Report, directing your attention to the fact that "youths of comparatively tender years are forced in gaol to associate with those much further advanced in crime than themselves, and subjected to the laborious punishment of shot drill," I beg to say the rule usually observed is, to work juvenile prisoners as much by themselves as possible; and none are subjected to shot drill under fifteen years of age, and those have been incor- rigible old offenders. I inspect daily the prisoners at shot drill, and regulate the sized shot the prisoner has to carry according to his physique.
His Honour John Brumell,
Sheriff of Demerara.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
11. HUTSON, Gaol Surgeon.
Report of the Presbyterian Chaplain of the Gaol of Georgetown for the Year 1874.
The usual Sabbath day services have been conducted, and the week day visits to hospitals made with perfect regularity during the year. Visits to individual prisoners, in their cells or other- wise, have been made as occasion seemed to require.
I would strongly urge that a larger number of Bibles and hymn-books be kept in stock for the use of the inmates at public worship; and that the officers receive peremptory orders to see that every person who can read have the offer of these most valuable aids to devotion on such occasions. I have frequently seen a row of six or ten seamen, all of whom could have used books if they had had them, without a single copy of either. In point of fact, I do not recollect ever to have seen that class of prisoners with either the one book or the other."
I would further point out the propriety of the services of a competent person being secured to lead the praise. That the proper performance of that part of worship should be contingent on the accident of there being some criminal in the multitude who can start and carry through a tune, is not according to my notions of the honour which is due to the Divine Being. From the cause specified it has sometimes happened that an effect the opposite of profitable has been produced both on minister, officers, and prisoners. I have a strong opinion that the service of praise in Georgetown Gaol night be made very attractive, and such as to prove a powerful auxiliary to the other religious agencies which the Chaplain employs. The present arrangement is unfair to the Chaplain, and highly indecent in itself. This has been pointed out before.
A rule to the following effect would be also a great improvement on the present condition of things: that no person be allowed to pass close by either side of the chapel-no girl or young woman carrying a parcel for the debtor's quarter or the hospital. In a word, no passage that way, not even from the head turnkey's dwelling, while divine service is going on. The attention of the worshippers-or of those who should be worshipping is distracted. The rule ought to be uni- versal and absolute. Why should it be permitted that the crowing of a cock or the entrance of a dog into the assembly puts the worshippers out? When the thoughts of persons who have not disciplined their minds into obedience to their will by habits of reflection get loose, perhaps the I consider that service is over before they can bring them under rein again. This should not be. the private manner in which executions have lately been conducted is a wise amendment on the former practice, and that though the consequences of the change are of a negative kind, they are important.
A reference which may have more than usual interest just at present, may be made to the state of education among the prisoners. From repeated experiments mude, buf only on the inmates of the hospitals, I have arrived at the following conclusions: -
1. That, with very few exceptions, all prisoners affirm they can read.
In a subsequent communication the Reverend Chaplain says:-"I have no reason to think that any requisition has ever been made for Bibles or other books required for Divine worship in Georgetown Gaul which hai not received prompt attention."
121
2. That a fifth or sixth of them can actually read; and of these the merest fraction can read well.
4
8. That about forty per cent. have been at school, but not long enough to learn to read. 4. That about the same per centage never were at school at all.
I think that the establishment of an educational apparatus within the gaol, including schoolroom and the essential of a skilled tether, might be attended with palpable advantages in the case of persons committed for nine months and over.
Of the success which has attended the chaplain's labours I cannot speak with gratification. Of course, the putting the claims of religion periodically, even if officially, before the criminal inmates, has a certain effect. The deadest conscience makes some response. The effect may be negative rather than positive. The influence may be restrictive rather than aggressive. But even that is some- thing. It is something if just one instant light flashes within, revealing what is and what ought to be. cannot, however, flatter myself that the result, on the whole, is any other than the usual prison religion. The frequent recommitments would seem to show that the reformatory element, both of gaol life and the chaplain's labours, is not great.
It is much to be deplored that so large a number of persons are sentenced to short terms of imprisonment, and the fact should be made the subject of serious inquiry by the legislators on crime, with a view to the substitution of a penalty which should be less demoralizing.
I do not think it beyond my province to suggest that the incarceration of immigrants who refuse to pay a small fine is the greatest evil of all. These persons, particularly the female portion of them, come into gaol with dollars and dollars, jewels and chains. The creation of a legal machinery for extorting the fine, where the means of paying it are, might be advocated on the grounds of economy, the offenders' moral interests, of the end of punishment, which is the prevention of offences, and of common sense. I believe that the following alteration would meet the case. For imprisonment as the alternative of non-payment of a fine, substitute a few prime blows with a rod over the bare back in presence of the inspector or officer of police only, in cases of males; and in cases of females, substitue shearing of the head. In the latter instances the fine would always be paid.
The presence of a greater number of very young delinquents in gaol during the last two years than I remember to have noticed in previous years, makes growingly apparent the urgent want of a colonial reformatory for the more serious juvenile offences; and of an ordinance legalizing borporal punishment in presence of the parent and of the representative of law only for the minor ones.
THOMAS SLATER, Presbyterian Chaplain. January 21, 1855.
Sir,
(Signed)
St. Andrew's Manse, January 21, 1875.
I am, &c.
I submit the foregoing Report for the year 1874 conformably to your request.
His Honour Sheriff Brumell
Sir,
Superintendent of Georgetown Gaol,
(Signed)
THOMAS SLATER.
Mahaica, January 18, 1875.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 12, relative to the sickness and the state of the prison at Mahaica.
1. I inclose in this Reports for the half year ending June 30, and December 31st, 1874.
3. I have to state that the prison is clean and the drainage about it in good order, and in my opinion the diseases that have been treated during the year 1874, have not been caused by the state of the prison or its discipline, except in two cases, where two coolie men had their wrists much injured by the stocks.
J. Brumell, Esq..
Sheriff of Demerara, &c.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
J. H. FORTE, District Medical Officer.
SYNOPSIS of Disease at the Mabaica Gaol for the six months ending June 30th, 1874.
Gonorrhea
Dysentery
Diarrhea..
Fever, intermittent..
Constipation
Itch and Dysentery
Ulcer
Wounda
Rheumatism Abscess
1
1
4
12
1
1
3
3
1
The
REMARKS.-Colony fever has furnished the greatest number of cases for the half-year, diarrhoea comes next; I am of the opinion that these diseases are caused by exposure to damp and wet. ulcers, gonorrhea, and itch are nearly always brought with the prisoner when he comes to gaol.
District Medical Officer.
2 I
(404)
(Signed) J. H. FORTE, Physician, &c.,
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O
Reference
885
4
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO