§ DR. FITZGERALDI beg to ask the Attorney General for Ireland, with reference to the treatment of Mr. Jasper Tully, editor of the Roscommon Herald, now a prisoner in Tullamore Gaol, if he can state what was the sentence imposed upon Mr. Jasper Tully; is he aware that he is engaged in the labour of sack-making, and that his hands are full of sores; that he has lost two stone in weight during the two months he has been in prison; and that he is now suffering from an attack of diarrhoea; and, if so, why is he not placed under hospital treatment; and if the sentence did not include hard labour, why is the work of sack-making imposed upon the prisoner?
§ MR. MADDENThe General Prisons Board report that Mr. Jasper Tully is in custody under sentences of 14 days and three calendar months' imprisonment, concurrently, without hard labour. During four days after committal to Tullamore Prison this prisoner made sacks, although informed that he could by Statute be exempted from labour by paying for his food. Since that time he has been taking advantage of the exemption; but he asked to be permitted to have a few sacks to pass his time, and the Governor gave them on the clear understanding that it was his own desire. His hands have not suffered in any way as alleged. He lost 81b., not 281b. in weight subsequently to committal, but has since regained] lb. He is not suffering from diarrhoea. He had a slight attack for four days, but it was of such a nature as not to render hospital treatment necessary. The Board are required by Statute to provide employment for prisoners, though not sentenced to hard labour. Sack-making untasked is one of the forms of employment so provided.
§ MR. SEXTONMay I ask whether, according to a statement publicly made, this treatment is in accordance with the sentence? From the instant Mr. Tully entered gaol he has been subjected to the most insulting and degrading treatment; not content with classing him with the 1756 ordinary criminals and setting him to pick oakum, he has been put to sack-making in the prison, in which work his hands and fingers have been torn and lacerated in the most cruel manner; his dietary has been changed, and the class of food kept down in his case, though he has repeatedly asked for a change; he further complains of the constant annoyance and supervision to which he is subjected; that his clothes are taken away from him and rummaged by the warders; and that he is left standing naked on a stone-flagged cell.
§ MR. MADDENCertain of those statements are not met by the information in my possession; but, so far as the statements contained in the question relating to oakum-picking and sack-making are concerned, they are absolutely unfounded. When Mr. Tully was given sacks to make, he was told that he might, under Statute, exempt himself from doing so. Mr. Tully elected to exempt himself by making a payment for food; but subsequently sacks were given to him at his own request, and in order to find him employment.
§ MR. SEXTONI will take the earliest, possible opportunity of bringing this case under the notice of the House.
§ MR. MADDENI can only answer the question according to the information which has been placed before me; but if the hon. Member will put a question on the Paper as to the other points, I will try to find out.
§ MR. SEXTONI will do so tomorrow.
§ DR. FITZGERALDI am compelled to say that not a single particle of the reply of the right hon. and learned Gentleman is true. [Cries of "Order !"], Sack making is hard labour in Tullamore Prison. If the right hon. Gentleman does not know that that is so, I can tell him from my own experience that it is. Why, then, was a person who was not, sentenced to hard labour put to sack-making?
§ [No answer was returned.]