The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-08-07
NO. 81

~, for which he was taken to the guard.
house aud tied up TO the window-frame
by his thumbs for two hours. Gen. Hill
then ordered him to be taken down and
be made to carry thirty two pound ball
but as the hanging had deprived him oI
the use OF his thumbs, he was unable TO
obey. The officers, however, put two
twenty four pound balls in a knapsack
and compelled 10 carry them until the
sack gave away from The weight Of the
iron. As was then tied up BY the wrists
aud gagged in the mouth by bayonei
FROM r. N. till the next morning. He
was then taken down and thrown into the
guard house, but was so exhausted that
he had TO be removed to the hospital. II
was decided to amputaie three of his fin
gers. but this was reconsidered. He lost.
however, the use Of his thumb and two
fingers. This punishment was inflicted
by Major Mcdonnell, officer Of the day.
aud was carried out by Sergeant Edward
Donnelly.
Another poor prisoner named Brown.
was once excused by the doctor from work
GU The plea Of illness. bat the Provost
Marshal insisted and finding him too III
aud lacking strength, made him carry q
thirty-two pound ball lie staggered un
der the weight aud was compelled from
weakness TO put it down. He was then
taken to the wharf aud with his legs tied
together and his hands tied behind him.
a rope was placed around him and he was
thrown into the water and then dragged
out. This was done three or four times.
he begged for mercy most piteousIy. He
was finally jerked out Of the water and
ordered tc return 10 his ordinary work
! he poor wre ch crept of apparently
thankful for any escape from such tor
mcnts. Captain Jos. Rittenhouse was
officer Of the day. and his orders were
carried out by Corporal Spear.
During the latter part of last October
| was placed in irons and compelled TO
work win an armed sentinel over me. /
did not no the reason for this, for | was
unconscious Of having given offense, aud
had conlormed to every regulation. /
vas then coDfusd and allowed to commu
nicate with no one for four months. The
prcience for this, / afterwards learned.
sprung from an attempt Of DR.. Mudd to
escape.
Col. ST. George Lcger GrenfsI, aged
81 years, was taken sick and went to The
Doctor 10 get excused from work. The
Doctor declined 10 excuse him He then
applied to the Provost Marshal. who said
that he could not excuse him if the Doe.
tor couldn't. Grenfel then tried to work
but failed. They then took him 70 the
guard house, tied him up for half u day.
and then took him TO the wharf, tied bis
legs together, and put a rope around his
waist. There were three officers. heavily
armed, who drove spectators from the
wharf: could see aud hear from my
window. The Colonel asked them if
they were going to throw him into the
water. aud they answered I" Yes" He
then jumped in aud because he could not
sink, they drew him ont and tied about
forty pounds Of iron to his legs. and
threw him into the water again, and after
he had sank twice, they pulled him out
again, aud then compelled him to go to
work. The officers who had him in hand
were Lieutenants Robinson and Pike.
aud Capt. q. w Crabb, assisted by Ser
geant VI. Gleason, and assistant military
storekceeper, G. 4. Jackson, who tied the
iron to his legs. Capt Sam PEBBLES tied
up Grenful for saying that "he was capa
Bile of doing anything" Col. GrenfeI
was forced to scrub aud do other meuiaI
work when he proved he was so i'll as TO
have refused TO eat his rations for week
All of the officers hated Grenfel on &C
cuunt Of letter which appeared in a
New York paper, which they said Gren.
fel wrote. about tying up the prisoner
Duun-which letter was truthful, as 9th
ers and myself were witnesses to the de-
tails il related. One very stormy night
Grcnfel, with four others, escaped In a
small boat. fnd was evidently drowned
near the fort. His escape Was discovered
but the storm was so severe that it was
deemed too dangerous to pursue them, al.
though a steamer was at the wharf
Grenfcl frequently declared his intention
of running any risk to escape. rather
than. to use his own words, Ito be tortur
ed to death at the fort" These are only
two or three instances of the many act.
of cruelty practiced at Il e fort During
my imprisonment at Fort Jefferson
worked very hard at carpentering anc
wood ornamental work, making a grea
many fancy boxes, &C., out of the pecul
lar wood found on the adjacent islands
the greater portion of this work was made
for officers. By my industry in that di
rection, won some favor in their eyes
| was released in March of the prescn
year by executive clemency.
| (Signed.) EDMAN SPANGLER.