experiment, though only tried with prisoners under sixteen, proved very
successful, and at one time hopes were entertained that the system would
become general in all the gaols of the kingdom. So far as our gaol was
concerned, however, it proved rather unfortunate that Captain
Maconochie, through advancing age and other causes, was obliged to
resign his position (July, 1851), for upon the appointment of his
successor, Lieutenant Austin, a totally opposite course of procedure was
introduced, a perfect reign of terror prevailing in place of kindness
and a humane desire to lead to the reformation of criminals. In lieu of
good marks for industry, the new Governor imposed heavy penal marks if
the tasks set them were not done to time, and what these tasks were may
be gathered from the fact that in sixteen months no less than fifteen
prisoners were driven to make an attempt on their lives, through the
misery and torture to which they were exposed, three unfortunates being
only too successful. Of course such things could not be altogether
hushed up, and after one or two unsatisfactory "inquiries" had been
held, a Royal Commission was sent down to investigate matters. One case
out of many will be sufficient sample of the mercies dealt out by the
governor to the poor creatures placed under his care. Edward Andrews, a
lad of 15, was sent to gaol for three months (March 28, 1853) for
stealing a piece of beef. On the second day he was put to work at "the
crank," every turn of which was equal to lifting a weight of 20lbs., and
he was required to make 2,000 revolutions before he had any breakfast,
4,000 more before dinner, and another 4,000 before supper, the
punishment for not completing either of these tasks being the loss of
the meal following. The lad failed on many occasions, and was fed almost
solely on one daily, or, rather, nightly allowance of bread and water.
For shouting he was braced to a wall for hours at a time, tightly cased
in a horrible jacket and leather collar, his feet being only moveable.
In this position, when exhausted almost to death, he was restored to