Mr. POINTERasked the Home Secretary if his attention has been drawn to the case of a labourer named Seager, who was sentenced at the Essex Quarter Sessions, in January last, to six months' imprisonment and twelve strokes with the birch for refusing a workhouse task; 1010W whether the flogging was afterwards remitted on the representation of the Humanitarian League; whether Seager, on 18th May, was found insane in his cell and removed to the asylum, where he died; and, if so, whether he will cause inquiry to be made as to the reason why those responsible failed to discover his condition during the period of detention prior to his sentence?
§ Mr. McKENNAWith regard to the first three paragraphs, I beg to refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for North Salford on Monday last. With regard to the last paragraph there was nothing in Seager's behaviour to suggest insanity before 17th May, when he became suddenly demented, and had to be removed immediately to an asylum.