Child of Richard and Rachel Treadwell

OLIVER TREADWELL . I am assistant medical officer of Her Majesty's' Gaol at Clerkenwell—I saw the prisoner the morning after her admission, the 30th August—I have seen her since from time to time, and spoken to her with a view to ascertain the present state of her mind—I spoke to her on the subject of the charge—she told me that she had put the child in this pail of water, and that she believed it was dead—I asked her why she had put it there, but she could not give me any reason—she said she loved the baby very much—I may add that she attempted suicide in the prison on the evening of the 29th—in my opinion at the time she did this act she was suffering from melancholia—I do not think she knew that she was committing the crime of murder—she appeared to remember that she did the particular act, but was not conscious of the nature and quality of it—she has since told me that she had been in a lunatic asylum before—that fact would confirm my opinion.

Cross-examined. My opinion is that at the time she put the child in the pan she did not, from the state of her mind, know the nature and quality of the act that she was doing—it is not only from her own statement that I learnt she had been in a lunatic asylum, I have had corroborative evidence of her being there.

Dr. Oliver Treadwell, 17, Myddelton-square, assistant surgeon in charge of Clerkenwell Prison, said he saw deceased soon after the attack, Dr. Morgan, witness's colleague, having previously seen him. The report the latter gave of the case was that deceased was conscious, but paralysed on the left side, and appeared to be getting better. Soon after this, however, deceased lapsed into an unconscious condition, this being probably due to the apoplexy. Witness ordered the usual remedies in such cases, and considering he was not fit to be removed, ordered that he was not to be removed. Death took place at three o'clock. There was no doubt, from the symptoms, that death was due to apoplexy.

TREADWELL—EAMES.—At St. Paul's, Upper Norwood, Mr. Oliver F.N. Treadwell, M.R.C.S., of Durham, son of Mr. Richard Treadwell, of the Home Office, to Ellen E., daughter of Mr. Alfred Eames, of The Knoll, Anerley-hill, Upper Norwood, Aug. 6.

WEDDING BREAKFAST AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.—On Thursday, the 30th ult., the marriage of the youngest daughter of Mr. Alfred Eames, who was so long and honourably connected with the Royal Naval School, New Cross, to Mr. Oliver Treadwell, of Durham, took place at St. Paul's, Hamlet-road, Upper Norwood. The Rev. J.C. Wetherall, vicar of St. Peter's, Brockley, officiated at the ceremony, Mr. Batley presiding at the organ. The relatives and friends of the two families afterwards proceeded to a private suite of apartments at the Crystal Palace, which had been engaged from Messrs. Bertram and Roberts, the carriages passing through the grounds—by special permission of the Directors of the Crystal Palace Company—by the private entrance at Rockhills. Upwards of thirty guests were entertained in the principal room, which commands a beautiful view of the surrounding country.

First honours fell to Dr Treadwell, a young player who has just played some six or eight months. He returned a gross score of 102. His three rounds of 18 homes consisted of a 34, 34, and 33. This is the best amateur record for the green, and Dr Treadwell is to be congratulated on his success. The same player, being the best score on handicap, took the cup as well as the medal.

OLIVER NAYLOR TREADWELL, M.D . I am Medical Officer of Borstall Prison, two miles from Rochester, Kent—I had the prisoner under my care from April, 1895, to the end of October, 1896—I saw him whenever he complained of being sick, which was about fifteen to eighteen times every month, at the general inspection, and every week on parade—he was a very well—conducted man—I never saw any signs of melancholia—I should not call him cheerful—he complained of pains and slight ailments, but never of anything that had no foundation—I never detected any sign of delusion—I never had any ground for supposing he was not perfectly sane.

Cross-examined. He complained during the earlier portion of his imprisonment of pains in his right ear—I saw nothing in his conduct during his imprisonment to lead me to suppose he would commit a crime of violence.

Dr. George Herbert Lilley, who has been for the past 16 years Medical-officer of Her Majesty's Convict Prison at Portland, is retiring, and will be succeeded by Dr. O.F.N. Treadwell, Medical-officer of Her Majesty's Convict Prison, Borstal, Kent.

At the close of the service two sacred solos, "Nazareth" and "The holy city," were splendidly sung by Dr. O.F.N. Treadwell" . . .

Dr. Oliver Treadwell, medical officer at his Majesty's Convict Prison, Parkhurst, and medical superintendent of the criminal lunatic asylum there, expressed the opinion that a criminal offence, resulting in a term of imprisonment, long or short, should not by itself form a ground for divorce for the following reasons: In a large number of instances the convict was attached to his wife and children by ties of affection, and he knew from reading many letters passing between them that the ties of affection were kept up during the incarceration of the convict, and that both looked forward to the reunion after his release. He thought that the marriage tie was powerful as a deterrent of infidelity, and the perils to the wife would seem to him to be increased by the possibility of divorce. Where there were children the difficulties of the situation would be still further increased; the father, after release, might find his wife married to another, his children, out of his custody, neglected or ill-treated, and a situation produced tending to crimes of violence.

As regarded the convict himself, he was of opinion that the severance of the marriage tie would in very many instances removed a powerful incentive towards good behaviour in prison, to possible endeavour towards a better life when free, and might produce in some prisoners considerable depression and despondency possibly leading to suicidal impulse. It would in some, no doubt, engender bitter feelings of revenge to be brooded over and festered during imprisonment and acted upon after release. It appeared to him that the question of repeated acts of crime, leading to repeated terms of imprisonment, might well come within the scope of consideration as a ground for divorce under the heading of desertion, but that otherwise contributory evidence should be necessary to give it effect.

[article continues with Treadwell's replies to questions]

NEW ENGLISH PRISON COMMISSIONER.

THE King, on the recommendation of the Home Secretary, has appointed Dr Sidney Reginald Dyer, Medical Inspector of Prisons, to be a Prison Commissioner, in place of Mr. Oliver Fereira Naylor Treadwell, who will shortly retire.