National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-12-01
Life In the Indiana State Prison.

A correspondent of the Cincinnati
C0mmere u writes from Indianapolis
Within the last three years Il man hal
been in the State Prison, South, of In
diana, who improved the opportunity
by writing book with the above title
II has just been Published Among tn,
horrible instances quoted in Prison Lif,
! may cite that of n poor, one-leRget
soldier, upward of fifty years of age,
and shaking with the palsy, For some
minor offence he had been sent from
Park County to prison for two years.
Upon his arrival he was assigned to the
collar shop, and required to do the
regular days work. He had hardly re.
covered from the operation on his leg,
and was very feeble In addition to his
other ailments he was subject to severe
attacks OF heart disease.
On the morning of which We write he
was in deplorable condition. The diet
and work had reduced HIM to almost
nothing, and the painful stump of his
wounded leg was raw and bleeding.
Come, move ON" said the brutal
steward, showing him with his foot
The old man hobbled off to his shop
and lay down on n bunch of straw. Soon
the guard came along:
"Well, sir, didn't make it, ell 2"
Meaning that he had failed TO be excused
by the doctor. sect out of that, now,
and go to your work
" am sick, and my leg is sore and
bleeding. ! cant work. ."
" cart you ? Doctor sent you to the
SHOP, and you must work. Get out of
that, now, or I'll take You to the Office
and have you skinned all over" This
was favorte threat among the guards
at that time
The old man crawled out of the straw
and worked for an hour or so, when he
accosted the guard in despair
3" | cannot stand" said he; " for
Gods sake, just let me lie down on the
floor ; perhaps ] will get better"
F." No sir, keep at work. You can't
play off on me ~
He worked for few moments more,
and sank down completely exhausted,
when his shopmates lifted him over on
the straw again. At night he was just
able to get to his cell
g am dying" said the man cant |
you leave my cell door open %
ode and be d-d!" exclaimed the
guard, slamming the door in his face,
and throwing the bolt.
No one knows how he died.
In character with this is the horrible
story of a man who was crazy, and chain
ed, and bagged and starved to death.
This furnishes subject for four of the |
most graphic illustrations: " In the |
Straight Jacket, " Brutal Guards" the |
prisoner felled to the floor Target
Practice, his futile effort to escape and
g Chained to an Anvil in the cell house,
where, because he moved restlessly from
side to side like the poor wild beast he
lad become, he was sewed up in bag
md starved. Sometimes for two days
le would have nothing but water then
'ome bits of corn bread would be thrown
lim as to wild animal, and hho a
amished beast he would grapple up the
fragments and eat them. 1t was strange
low long he lasted There he would
tand at his cell door, his skinny fingers ,
1asping the bars, and his hungry eyes s
like cold steel He grew to s
'e mere skeleton. Nothing but skin
nd bones" the boys would say as they {
assed and glanced at him. ,
One morning, about seven weeks after
hey locked him up, the night guard ,
oticed that Pat lay very still and stiff, {
nd peeping into the cell, he shouted at
i'm. No gr0an came from the still !
reast. His eyes did not grow wild any "a
lore-only a CLASSY stare. Pat Maher S
as dead.