, 1862-07-09
MARSHAL Lannon's SLAVE PEN.
Atrocious Conduct Of Ward II. La
Inon.s-KepOrt Of the Senate Commit

AtrOc1ouE G0nuQcI VI ward II. La. /
tees
WASHINGTON, D. C.. June s. 1852.
TO the Editors Of the Independent:
In this letter, before sayiog one word res,
pecting anything else, must "yentilate"
THAT IS the word) some of the attrocities
connected with the jul in the District Of Co.
1u1nbfa.
The Senate Committee Of the District has
Just made report upon the subject, and some
OF the facts developed are SO startling and
atrocious that they should be brought before
the re PIE o1 the / ee s ate. The Committee
first examined Anon Duyall, one Of the late
officers Of the jail in question. He testified
that the Marshal of the District, Ward H. La |
NOR, has the general superintendent OF the
Jail, but that be appoints asuperintenGent, who
hasrarticular charge Of the jail. This mans
notorious sl2ye-catcher for many years in this |
vicinity The pay OF the superintendent is |
IS per day. Dayall's testimony Mas that the
prisoners ore fed twice a day-in the morning
with corn bread, Potomac herring, Or q
small InackereI, aud 3 little coffee 8eetened
with nlolas6es. The corn loaf is cut into |
eight pieces, and one pieces is given to each
prisoner. At the second meal, half pound |
Of bacon is Usually given, and no vegetables.
Duyan thinks the entire cost per diem Of the /
cents. The lsH allows the marshal twenty |
orc cents, and this would leave him I profit |
Of ten cents per day On the board OF each
prisoner. DuTall te=tites that large mum.
ber Of the prisoners, when be Vas connected
with the Jail, were fugitive slaves; at oae
time "nearly sixty" He also tcstitlss respect
ing the horrible punishment called "cob- |
bing." And here let me quote efrom the sworn
evidence:
"QGestion: Tpon whom have such runishncnts
been inflicted. and for what ofense:
"AnswsE Do not sngw nc, r, that shal DC ab1st0
11ff 7.HT m
u1itCr sentence 10 tie penl eH1a!y to 90 that d1j
and irdc.a az GO ct that day. The offen=e vas
Il tie psi:un Hlere it ou.ht not have been left,
and tLt prisoner got hold Of it md threw i. into
ni5ht-tnh, for whsch he vas severely 'eobeed,' /
cid not witness ,hs,; IT happened IN the month Of
| January. Oae A1thunE Sinlncs. free negro. w3s
| severely cobbed. His otenec- was, he lad been
stTpet ss thoss employed IN tie Kitchen aTe S.
lowed to 90, ard refused OF neglected to come back
unc Bill aaam=, fkce negro, under sentence fos
| 1,ttit larceny. or something Of that kind was
| severity 'eonbe1. I counted about tAi1ty-thr:e
very lastlcs. He employed in the kitch-
1T returning There were three slaves whipped
vc7r ecyc7c1y in The early par. Of this ,nyntl. U1c
was Abraham Taylor, slave, who vas asiArwasd5
carried 10 Baltimore By aIr. Nise lie hslo1g= 70
il Tho county CT Charles, Maryland Ills M a.Ie':
n2me vas Chapman: though bis master never came
o tap.;sT or the Irst CT February, to avoid his re-
lease under SECRETARY Sewards osuei, AID vas re-
committed for thirty days more to enapie his
master to CONC forward, identity him, and pzoTa
y isc WAS ;!strur!cd ly Deputy Marshal Phillips
t. take hin ont Of jail and ml; r;seomnit him liz
mas eunttea .t u ,, 9n,19 1 ~; Msr He attensptsa
aud afl.rTards ss1lt to Baltinure. after being
.eoahe Thers are otheF cases, which do not
MY psrrhc usz T. o ,eo., +,,
VuSsS.lo1: Dcsclioes 1oa p1taSas ta1s process
- SnsWsl. THE sabi5ct ia taken md st-;,,.5
naked: h,r arms are sometimes. nut airays, pit IN
ltons OF ttaeEes: ~ Is itlen lala aertss barrel
ols his slGlnaca. anu lAc nlon= are STICK with
I'D bniloek a1lG hams have known IS nay iat "a a.
th1tty o9d blows administered At one ting, with
e wose sfTeaEth o. the psFson lnnlettlng tis pun
/ thc PUNISHMENT Or some one Of h1s deputies who
are 15t cosnci1c1 M to art 9e'3 'os"" ~ IT, e'es
uara ~ ~, .a,.,ertn,s+ ~
nele - III tipo'ton. 4oes'lon a1u aus"el
"Question. How arc the prisoners classified a
. u co!o1' oiienscs aleGea aGalnst 1het1' age gu
.ns,ror Tn +,a dch+rr ro-t5on of tho ;a;,
is M f1is inctirn a. IN colnr In tbis nnr1ion a.
confired tbieves, witnesses, persons charged wit
small oTenses. fugitivc5 from service OF laaor an
gentlemen WHO have been guilty Of some illdis
t IN viii persoas ] I e6ar@ed WITH ITS grsye e. osnse 1
There is no distinction as to age iu :uv portion
the prison Small bows arc confined with person
! charged with n:51ydcr In the fcma1c part Of til
prison there Is 70 distinction a. to crime colin
Or aoc.;' WV
, ! rto .rt,--1 = n . H.,
! Inc leel1ng c1 the jail officers to ward the ph
!anthfepsts Who l,ase yiS,Ie1 inc lali 1 ouTln u
j the past year Is Indicated by the suhJOlleu b
5 Of oftestimony:
l. "Question bv Senator Grimes: Were you rr
r SGT wh.u Visited tie jail at the ea1ly pal
4 | this session in company with Or, CLauniuu, an
II ! some ladies:
= ANSWER. waa present.
| ftpufslicn. Did Yon hear any remarks made h
T. the Deputy 3ilrelial Plilpa, IN regard 70 q
. visit; and if so, r'hen; and what were the r
IS lhafss IaGcf n,,, ,o~nt.. -,o1 ,.a~ ~ .,a :,
:. e,tlcr that afternoon or the next aaT. lie an
y Niee were together, and he seemed cross aho.
! the visitors. lie and Wise, both denounced Ii
visitors as damned crazy abolitsoniEts' Ths
u talkcd great deal about prraons msddling vii
8 tAc jail and giving Information.
much Interesting testimony The TODD Of tt
,e 1risoners. he thinks. nav ayerage f;ye]ye
lc teven fifteen cents PEI DAY, and tie number
~ Rilsonels hss sone u; - ~, IL ri Ie1eIence
II Tue punishmsnts intllctcd u the lall, ne So
es acobtiu." are practicrd-this being mere
y | iaiI for the confinement Of persons 6cft
h, trial o'td sea<t','ce, it must be remenlbcre
ID r. f. ree,tea particular ease Of punishment
IT.; toll9ws; H.. ,o.,. H., ou,o - ,,m u:-,
III ~ tled ms nanGs by oFeer OF Mr; ,7, WEE: g.
III w? Isien 1:S 70 la o'e. DIT uatlGl. .o, Inr rae
Meh hls tan ands we5 ~ iea waI drTn & aaaf9 f
Isl | barrsi h.Incd do this uTdcr the di;cction
no E:r, Wise lie was then struck some eight OF t
= blows by paddle about three fee1 lo1g, an il
~ THICK and. and six inches wide The blows "
20 laid ~ "lih the strength Of the man: Mr.. Jo
r. r. nise srmGk aue piows, auu .nes HEie A se;ef M
ID tion 1 Thera wiT, iu IhraH othnr! ,vhinncd At
n saG.c time' "~Ae >A'ee 0'-SN7 "@-pF~A "'
la .toueetion Uoon whom and for what offel
| Wae ills pnnisbment infctedy
''AnswGr., do not remember the NAME
!: NaS ~gid fo De q '"sar0y si1re oHa 7s0s 1'Hn1S
y PerIairs a: important testimony as any gl7
is that Of William ?. Wood, superintendent
the military prison at the old capitol:
: "Queztio Have any persons, dcnominated
trabapds. or claimed TO be fng1tiyea from seEyic
labor. been taken from Washington jail and
T. T. nnaes Soa1 cnaEge aiao control; anu Il Sos
ny Answer ,rbrro bos 9ccn f,on fifteen to+vf
- nerenns sn 1akc1l.
US "tu,cstion. State. if you pleaee. the conui
ds Of 1hese colorcd persons when taken from
'od county Jail to your p,i on.
lat "AnsWcr.-.-.The details can 6e tound Ut the
md rcst marshals oi11cc. OHe q YER aisa ,'fo
ent G,erW"?as {jpm "a5e1 ~ ,1 z1ceseTn es y; a.
It's tvung 4 Juf' th.,, et had ieen cydrntIv sn
or iin" fron f}isr.se md Thurman treatment
the r. eLos,E In ~o,,ar,harod +ho+ 4h;a
ler- ;+od st"t.s ~ io;I n1d thst thn nann,
ion Ceu Ji1' u t.r ;+r As s,,rro!t
low tas:;st'' et erorr Il Ec9hno,' that tpEes =
de- v;th;n ;ts h;deors waits :
"ee',n Ernu1S ,,I NJ this horrible su1,icct The
lia~ -haI E;5'1c1f admifta5 to thn con,mittas
rue 49, ~ ..at;t. ->ara eiv oanfs doT m nacb
ny? n-s 4or n,,t ~ +hn;r n,;soraf'e fn65i yhat w
ASK -. -. ~ : e11... IL -. - W 49, NT,r