 The Debtors' Prison as a whole was an "honour to the county" of York, with "airy and healthy" rooms, but the felons' wing of the prison attracted some criticism.The felons' wing was "too small" and had "no water" for the inmates; felons were forced to sleep on piles of straw on the floor.Indeed, conditions were so bad in the felons' wing that nine prisoners suffocated in one night during 1739.