HC Deb 04 June 1875 vol 224 cc1401-2
MR. O'CONNOR POWER

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his attention has been called to the verdict of the jury at an inquest recently held on the death of a convict, which was that "the deceased died from consumption accelerated by the unkind treatment of the assistant surgeon," and to the declaration of the jury as published in the "Southern Times" of May 8th, and the "Irishman" of May 29th— The jury have given the case a long and at the same time the fullest investigation, and regret that the evidence is not explicit or clear as to what was done with the deceased between the 31st of March and the 2nd of April. The jury also consider that the deceased did not receive the treatment he was entitled to from the assistant medical officer, the deceased being a convict, and therefore not a free agent, and that his death was thereby accelerated. The jury are unanimously of opinion that the Home Secretary should cause an official inquiry to be made at once into the circumstances of this case, and also the general treatment of invalid convicts in the Portland establishment by the assistant surgeon, and that he be suspended from the service; and, if so, whether inquiry has been made "into the circumstances of this case, and also the general treatment of invalid convicts in the Portland establishment by the assistant surgeon," and whether he has been "suspended from the service," in accordance with the recommendation of the jury?

MR. ASSHETON CROSS

, in reply, said, that his attention had been called to that unfortunate case, and in cones- quence of the verdict of the jury he had on the 12th of May ordered that a special inquiry should be made into the facte. An inquiry was accordingly conducted by Captain Stopford, Dr. Guy, and Dr. Briscoe, the Inspector of Prisons; but their Report had been presented to him at the Home Office only that morning. Until he had time to look carefully into the Report, he could not state what action should be taken upon it; but the matter would have his serious consideration.