§ MR. RUSTONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the efficiency of the arrangements for the execution of criminals in Her Majesty's Prison at Lincoln; whether the floor of the scaffold is upon the same level as is the floor of the condemned cell; whether the centre of the drop is at a distance not greater than 10 or 12 yards from the condemned cell; and, will he, if satisfied that the position and mode of construction adopted in the said gallows do prevent long processions of convicts to the scaffold, and the painful scenes sometimes occurring when steps have to be ascended, order similar humane provisions to be carried out in other prisons of the Country when capital punishments have to be executed?
§ MR. H. H. FOWLER(who replied) said: I am informed by the Prison Commissioners that the arrangements for executions at Lincoln are as described by the hon. Member. The responsibility of carrying out the extreme sentence of the law rests with the Sheriff; but I understand from the Prison Commissioners that the arrangements made at other prisons do generally provide for the special points to which the hon. Member refers.