be induced to do that which is wrong, in order to keep their poor relations who are in prison.  It is an unfair tax on such people; in addition to which, it keeps up an evil communication, and, what is more, I believe they often really encourage the crime by it for which they are put into prison; for these very people, and especially the coiners and passers of bank-notes, are supported by their associates in crime, so that it really tends to keep up their bad practices.”

“Do you know whether there is any clothing allowed by the city?”

“Not any.  Whenever we have applied or mentioned anything about clothing, we have always found that there was no other resource but our own, excepting that the sheriffs used to clothe the prisoners occasionally.  Lately, nobody has clothed them but ourselves; except that the late sheriffs sent us the other day a present of a few things to make up for them.”

“There is no regular clothing allowed?”

“It appears to me that there is none of any kind.”

“Have you never had prisoners there who have suffered materially for want of clothing?”

“I could describe such scenes as I should hardly think it delicate to mention.  We had a woman the other day, on the point of lying-in, brought to bed not many hours after she came in.  She had hardly a covering; no stockings, and only a thin gown.  Whilst we are there, we can never see a woman in that state without immediately applying to our fund.”

“When they come in they come naked, almost?”

“Yes, this woman came in, and we had to send her up almost every article of clothing, and to clothe her baby.  She could not be tried the next sessions, but after she had been tried, and when she was discharged, she went out comfortably clothed; and there are many such instances.”

“Has it not happened that when gentlemen have come in to see the prison, you have been obliged to stand before the women who were in the prison in a condition not fit to be seen?”

“Yes, I remember one instance in which I was obliged to stand before one of the women to prevent her being seen.  We sent down to the matron immediately to get her clothes.”

“How long had the woman been in jail?”

“Not long; for we do not, since we have been there, suffer them to be a day without being clothed?”

“What is the average space allowed to each woman to lie upon, taking the average number in the prison?”

“I cannot be accurate, not having measured; from eighteen inches to two feet, I should think.”

“By six feet?”