THE CONVICT MICHAEL WALSH.
MR. HAYDEN : I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland will he explain why it was that a
convict mamed Michael Walsh was removed in a dying condition
from Mountjoy Prison to the Mater Miserecordia Hospital,
Dublin, about a month since, receiving 15s. out of three
pounds 10s. earned by him while confined, and that he was
discharged in prison clothes, which he is still wearing;
whether it is usual to give prisoners civil outfit and all
their earnings on discharge; and, if so, why was this man
treated differently; whether he is aware that this man is
anxious to go to his family in America; whether it is usual
to give discharged prisoners means to go to their relatives
on discharge; and will he order that suitable clothes be
supplied to this man at once, and that the balance of his
earnings in prison be given to him, and that he will be
provided with the passage fare to America when sufficiently
recovered to undertake the voyage ?
MR. J. MORLEY : The General Prisons Board inform me that it
is not a fact that the convict Walsh was removed to the
hospital in a dying condition from Mountjoy Prison. The
medical officer of the prison states that on the convict's
removal he was quite fit to be removed, though he was
suffering from pneumonia. The gratuity payable to him was
three pounds, not three pounds 10s. as stated in the
question, and out of the former amount he received 15s. on
his discharge, the custom being to hand to the convicts
portion only of their gratuities on their discharge, and to
remit them the balance when they have returned home. I think
the hon. Member will see that there is some prudence in not
paying the full gratuity until the prisoner has returned to
his home. The object of this arrangement is to prevent men
suffering from reaction on their discharge after long
imprisonment frivolously squandering the whole of their
gratuities. He was not discharged in prison clothes, but in
an outfit of Irish tweed. He did not say to the Governor of
the prison that he intended to emigrate. It is the practice
to defray the expenses of the convicts to the place of their
arrest or conviction, or any other place which they may
select which would not involve greater expense. In the
present case, Walsh has not applied for his travelling
expenses, but as soon as he does so they will be provided in
the ordinary way. The Prisons Board have no funds at their
disposal to defray the cost of his emigration to America, but
I may add, however, that, in addition to the 15s. given to
him on his discharge, the Governor hanced over to him a sum
of five pounds private cash, which, though speaking from
memory, I am inclined to think was sent from America.
