§ MR. DALZIEL (Kirkcaldy, &c.)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the circumstances attending the death of William Wood in Dundee Prison on the 13th November; whether he is aware that the doctor in attendance declared that the deceased was a poor, weak creature, quite an imbecile, and that his was not a case for prison at all; and can he state whether, during the period of imprisonment previous to the 11th, Wood received any other than the ordinary prison treatment?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANOn inquiring into the circumstances attending the death of William Wood in Dundee Prison, I find that the cause of death was chronic bronchitis, and that while in prison he received every requisite attention from the medical officer and other officers. For the first few days he was put to shred tow, which was a mere occupation for his hands, and not work; but no task was exacted, as he was considered an imbecile as well as a habitual drunkard, having been six times previously in prison. I may mention that there was a public inquiry into the circumstances of the death by the Procurator Fiscal, who took full evidence on the subject, and was satisfied with the cause of death.