THE CLAIMANT IN PRISON.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2090, 3 December 1879, Page 2

THE CLAIMANT IN PRISON.

A correspondent writes : —-The Claimant is still in her Majesty’s convict prison in Portsmouth, and is employed on the dockyard extension removing and stacking timber. He lias just completed one out of the two terms of seven years penal servitude to which he was sentenced, although iu reality he has served out five years and six months a remission of the remaining eighteen months having been earned by him as a “reward for good conduct, willing industry, and full performance of his allotted task.” The Claimant has now commenced the second term of sentence which, like the first term, is seven years of penal servitude, but to which'are attached the like privilege of earning eighteen months remission. During the last few weeks his health and spirits have wonderfully improved, and (Ids result is attributable to the good tidings that have reached him from outside (not olllieially) that the unwearied efforts of his friends to obtain bis release arc to be crowned witb •access, and at the next general election he will not only be a free man, but will be standing on tbe hustings surrounded by friends and admirers, solieiting the suffrages of the Nottingham electors. Those tidings have nearly turned the poor man’s brain with joy. The sad thought that they may not bo realised does apparently sometimes Hash across his mind, for he speaks to bis fellowprisoners of the lime (last: March) when ho petitioned 1 ho Home Secretary that bis sentences of seven years might run concurrently, and of the decided answer

that was given to that petition. ‘ The governor vas instructed to inform Arthur Orton, alias Thompas Castro, alias Eoger Tichbcrne, that his petition had been carefully considered, and that her Majesty’s principal Secretary of State could not see sufficient grounds to justify him in advising her Majesty to comply with the prayer thereof.” This answer took from the Claimant the last remnant of hope, and he resigned himself to the stern fact that he must serve out both sentences with- ' out remission, except what might Ire earned by good conduct and industry. Therefore he resolved to work with a will, never dreaming of release until the last mark had been earned. How such a change has been made in his circumstances the Claimant cannot understand, but he believes and trusts in his friends, who, he says, would ncverelatehim with such hopes if there was the remotest chance of their not being realised. He tells his fellow-prisoners all that he will do for them should he be returned for Nottingham. He will, he says, take up their cause and do all lie can to ameliorate their condition. He will try to get for them more bread, greater remission, and a better system of discipline. Tn anticipation of his Parliamentry duties, the Claimant is reading and “cramming” himself with the best works on political economy that he can obtain from the prison library; he is improving himself in his knowledge of the English language, and sometimes studies elocution; At the exercises on Sunday when the prisoners are allowed to converse together, he picks out the best-educated men'in'the yard to talk with them and diet information with a view to his Parliamentary career. Although the Claimant is confident of a speedy release,yet no official communication on the subject has been made to bun. He is not even “in orders.” Some short time before a prisoner’s discharge ho is put into what is called “orders,” that is, he is allowed to grow his hair and beard and whiskers to any length and in any fashion he pleases. The Claimant, we are informed, has not yet been placed in . these “orders.” And altogether, taking one thing with another, the Claimant’s speedy release may bo deemed to be somewhat apocryphal.— . “ Manchester News.”