OCR Text |
Show 86 smaller than those he remembered in the Clink Prison in Southwark. Many were overcrowded. There was no furniture in the cells; moreover, there was not even an allowance of straw to make prison conditions more bearable. Any who were fortunate enough to have bedding, provided it themselves. The more dangerous prisoners wore iron fetters which he knew made sleep difficult and painful. Lathrop wondered if his fetters would be removed. One of the more notarious conditions of cell life was the presence of lunatics who would torment fellow • prisoners. Now and then he saw a wild eyed creature so incarcerated. The looks on the faces were gaunt and haunting. It took no expert to realize that food was scarce and lacking in nutrition. The standard diet was water soup, bread boiled in water, served once a day. To have more than that, was because of some merciful donor. Lathrop saw at least one cell that had standing water on the floor. How could a man sleep or live in such conditions? Surely a merciful delirium would overtake him soon. When Lathrop was pushed inside his cell, his three cellmates observed through glances to one another that Lathrop's fetters had remained in tact. The two meanest |