The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-18

half silly. have seen old men pulled and
pushed about in shameful way in the ci-
gar shop.
The convict whose name is not given,
spoke highly Of Gen. Balm, one OF the com.
missio,.ers, as being a humane man, and
also of DR.. Mason, who attended him while
in the hospital.
ANOTHER CONVICT
named j. f. Wilcox also gives the follow
| ing testimony on the question OF the pun
ishments inflicted on cOnvicts. lie says
| have no doubt but that Foutz told the
reporter of the Times the truth about the
way in which the convict Williams was
murdered from what have seen in the
bath house myself. Iserved eleven months
in the penitentiary, and during the whole
time I had charge of the bath-house.
They have one tub which stands by itself
for the purpose of ducling. | never took
part in the operation of ducking, for the
reason, | suppose, that | had to get the
other "a tubs ready for the gangs to battle
after the punishment was over. Deputy
Sleeper kept three stout able bodied men
employed for the purpose of holding the
man who was TO be punished. The "sodus
ODeFUnUt OI the puIllS1IucuI ID thA0 ehS
) bath is filed almost full of artesian water,
which is very cold; the victim is made to
strin and get in with his back toward the
foot of the tub. He then is told to sit
down and the fellows with big muscles
fake their position one on each side, and
one mt the head. Then, at a signal from
Capt Hall, or Deputy Sleeper, whoever
: may be present, the victim is suddenly
i n hnI ntt hn hot oft he
tub. the third seizes the feet, and there
!, they hold him until he is strangled.
have seen them duck men whose only fault
!, was complaining of being unwell, and any
! person that could see at all, could see
= plainly that they were not well. have
: seen several men so affected that they had
. to be laid on large table which stood il
= the middle of the bathroom, and rubbed
% % for quarter of an hour before they eoult
move.
= There was one poor fellow cannot re
). collect his name. but | do recollect of helping
!. RUB HIM FOR FULLY A HALF HOUR
- before we brought him to life. The docto
d was sent for in big hurry that day, and
VI close observer could see few very pale ia
lt ces, aud not little trembling until tn
D. poor fellow was brought to. That stopped
DC the ducking business for about five weeks
They then commenced it again, but di
not keep them under the water so long Il
they had done before.
Dy Another luxury which was dealt out oc
iy casionally was ice-water baths. hav
On seen them bring 200 pounds of ice and sti
he it in the tub until the water was as cold a
he ice, and then bring a man, and hold him
er. it until he was nearly frozen. Deput
if Sleeper, during the time l had charge
'or the bath house, used to have charge {
ay most of the ducking business, and he seen
he ed to enjoy poor devils struggles, whe
INT under the water, as a hungry man enjoy
is good meal Of yictuals.
ty. During my eleven months in what is cal
he ed ''reformatory institution, | had a
a opportunity of seeing how they retorme
lrv men in the solitary as well as in ii
ing bath house The way / came to get an il
bic sight into the workings Of that place Wi
he this: The steam gauge, carrying Il
steam from the boiler house to the batl
house, was out of order for some time
and Skinner, the puglist, who is mentio
ed as
HAVING HELPED TO DROWN WILLIAMS,
was sick and could not attend to it, Ski
and is worse on his fellOw-convicts TIL
p" any guard in the place. On that accour
Int. | suppose he was placed there to help
The torment the poor fellows in it for punis
ich ment Whilst he was sick, many the wi
,rly heard that he might never get we'll
cpt will tell you little of what | saw, viii
Skinner was sick, and | was 10 his place
ere have seen as strong, hearty men as y
would see in days travel, placed in Il
Tort solitary and handcuiied to ring BOLT,
e | inches above their heads, from otiock
ms the morning until o'clock in the eveniI
OPP for IA days. Their only food each day "
on piece of bread 4 inches long and ! inch
square, with drink OF water every day
+, noon their bed was cold fag-stone
of have seen the same men when they We
taken out, and could scarcely recogn
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