The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-03-04
STATEN ENT

STATEMENT
OF prisoners confined in the Jail of Vanderburgh
county, Indiana. concerning their treatment
Louis Britton, being Of lawful age and duly
sworn, deposes and says--l was confined In the
Jail OF Vanderburgh county about the hrst OF De-
cember. A.. ID. 1856, and was delivered into the
custody OF John ). Gavitt, Sheriff and Jallor OF
Vanderburgh county at that time, by Joseph Kirk
man, Sheriff Of Gibson county, Indiana. Cavitt
took from me all Of my clothing but my pants and
shirt. tie also took away my shoes. from the loss
Of which suffered very much. was chained 10
the wall OF my cell by chain which only allowed
me TO take three short steps. was chained and
kept without any clothes but my shirt and pants
from the date OF my first confinement until about
lhe eighth OF January, 1851. There was only one
stove in the Jail; and may say there was no tlre
in il more than about one-ten.h part ct he time.
For four days we were without any water, either to
drink or wash with. This happened twice. We
had only two meals day from the time OF our first
confinement until the time Mr.. Hall moved into the
Jail and took charge o. us. l am sure thatl get
more tor my dinners now than got tor a whole
day before then. did not ask G;yitt for more
food, but my partner did; and the answer he got
was, that he got all the law allowed him, and said
that il he grumbled at thar, damn him, he would
give him something TO grumbie iof, ana IL he did
not keep his mouth shut he would gag him have
frequently asked during my confinement TO see
per Tor the purpose OF writing, but never had the
slightest attention paid 10 my requests. Our linen
was only given 10 c,ean I'm two weeks.
Since Mr.. iiall has had charge oil the jail we have
been carefully attended 10 aud all our wants as
far We could expect in our situation-were cared
tor. Our clothes, which had previously been taken
away by Gayiit, were restored TO Us, and We get
plenty 10 eat AID drink and our linen is given 10
US clean every week. We hive three good meals
day, ana as much al each as we can eat. lhave
not eaten much w as given me at any one time,
that recoliect OF, since Mr.. Hail has had charge
OF Us. lsisnedl LOUIS bRlrTON.
john Nolani, being oflawfu age and duly sworn
deposes ana says-l was one oil several prisoners
brought down from Gibson county 10 the Vunder-
burgh county Jail. Ii was about the first week OF
December, 1856, that we were brough down. The
weather very inclement at the time. We were
delivered over by Joseph krkman, Sheriff OF Glib
son county. into the hands OF John 81 Gaviti, She
riff and jailor oil Vanderburgh county. Gayi;t an
medlately took from me, US well Us from the rest
OF US, all Our clothes, except our shirts and pants,
AMI chained US 10 the walls OF cells by short
chains. here was at the time only one stove in
the Jail, and that was down at tue lurihest end OF
the Jail from my cell. he cell was paved with
fag stones and my feet were without shoes or stock
ings, in consequence ut which-the weather being
bitterly colj--they were frozen. was in tho room
with Britton when his icet were exar.ned by tie
doctors, and they said they were very badly frost.
bitten. was taken sick in about Two days after
my arrival and ccnsig iment into the custody OF
Gayi,t. Remained i'll about ten days. 4 he ply
stefan, who came 10 see me twice during my i'll
ness, has since tod me that IL owing To my
exposure. lie lett medicine tor me, which was
only given 20 me nj irregular times and mperit CT
quantities. l got but two smlli meals a day: only
a morSel o. meat M each one OF them This ire
mcnt continued unti Gaylit gave up the Jail to MIR.
Hall. which took place about the 9Th al January,
1857. Since that time we have HAD good and stuff.
cient food and drink, and our clothes which had
been taken way from us by Gavilt were restored
to Us by MIR. Hall The jail has also been suifi-
GENTLY warmed since Mr. tail has had charge Of IT,
tSgnedl JOHN w. holland.
Samuel Thompson, being of lawful age and duly
sworn, ..deposes and says--I was first imprisoned
in the Jail oi vanderburgh county about the middle
| OF December. 1855. My clothing was taken from
hne by Gaviit, who was jnlior At that time, except
my pants and shirt. | was lot chained. was
confined in cell in hch the water pipe had leak.
Ell, and IL was damp and n'idewed. NV ieet were
slightly frozen; they would have been worse frozen
II had not made socks for them by tearing off the
ends OF my blanket and wrapping them around my
| lect. The weather was very cold during the time
There was only one small stove in the whole Jail
aud that was at the further end OF the Jail from my
/ CELL Twas confined in the same cell that Jones
had been in. | only got two small meals dav
and they were insufficient to keep off the attacks o
hunger. The water in my cell gave once on
Monday, and IL was Thursday before GOT any
either 10 drink wash in. | suffered Tor water
several times. often heard the other prisoners cal
out aloud for water, and used 10 do the same my.
self, but 1t seemed to do no good. This treatmen,
continued from the time OF my first imprisonment
lunti Mr. Hall took charge OF the Jail. One OF bis
first acts was to bring water, for which we were
suffering. with his own hands Since that time we
have had clothes restored, food aud water plen
titulIy supplied 10 and comfort looked after
and have been treated generally better than We hac
reason expect. We had been told that the rea-
son had water supplied us was bcca use
something was wrong with the reservoir; imned
aiely on my release from my cell by Mr.. Hall he
told me 20 and look what the matter with
the reservoir. went, and found thar oil that wa,
needed was TO turn the cock OF the pipe leading
from II to ensure full supply Of water for US.
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