Adams and Burns were entitled to tickets back to Preston county, but did not want to go there. Adams wanted to go to Bellaire, Washington, Pa., West Alexander, or Wheeling. For some reason, he says, as Harry Lacy said when he came out, Superintendent Van Pelt and the other officials discourage released convicts from coming to Wheeling. Tickets were given Adams and Burns for Pittsburgh, but they stopped here. Adams makes a general charge against the prison management of incompetence, carelessness and general looseness.
Inhuman punishment is declared to be still in vogue.
Visiting committees of the legislature are said to be deceived. Of the inhuman punishments, bucking and gagging seems to be the worst. Adams says he has seen prisoners' mouths split open at the coners by the stick which is tied in their lips as a gag. The state, Adams said, provided a place to be used as a hospital. This was over the dining room.