, 1874-01-19

1dE'fENlIENllAA1 lNVES4lGATluN.
Wo print thia morning tho report submitted to
the Legislature by tho Senate Committee on Pc
nal Institutions giving the results Of their Id
vostigation into tho management Of the Joliet
Ponitentiary, Though tho resolution authorizing
tiainvostig1tion waa Of general character, waa
suggested by tho doath Of the convict Williams,
who had boon ordered to tho cold bath as punish
mont, aud this wRs the Chief subieot under con-
sidoration. Yet tho report ia so framed that tho
death Of Wi1ams would seem to bo an incl
deu:al aud comparatively unimportant matter,
1t is devoted mainly to an Endorsement Of the
general management OF the prison in terms
that ate almost enthusiastic, aud which,
in connection with tho convict's death, will i'm
press most people rs an ill-timod, il not unwar~
ranted, mess Of whitowaah. The general con-
clusions OF this report arc so incousistont with
it's own statement Of tho Williams case TINT 1t is
likelyto do tho present infringement OF tho Pent-
tentary more harm than good We are willing
to telieyo that the management is entitled to
much credit for certain conditions of tho prsou,
but this should not relieve thoBo who arc re-
sponsible from tile censure TINT Justly attaches
to the treatment OF Williams which resulted in
Ills death, nor from the punishment with which
such treatment should be properly visited.
{. TIE report admits that the bath was orderad
in violation Of the rales; that the man was in-
nersea four t,mes; and that "whon taAon out
tho last time Ae sat on tho edge OF tho bath.tub
blew tile water out OF bis mouth and nose,
broathed heavily few times. then loaned ovor
on tho floor, was Carried and laid on the table,
and then expired almost immediately" And
yet it Is maintained that the man was u sulIen
| and defiant" In refusing to put on hia clothes.
| though he must have been in the agony Of death
[ at this very moment. In almost tho next Gon-
tenco it ia added: "Tho opinion Of tho Commit
toe is, that tho convict Williams bud disease
| of tho heart. not discoyorable without care-
| ful examination Of an experienced physician,
while ho WAS living" Was this uudiscov-
eral becauRc tho physician vas incompetent or
because ho bad fai1od to make careful exumi-
ustiop2 Tue Committee do not soy, thoug gu thoro
was criminal negligence in either caBe whore
luman life was ut stake. Then tho Committee
hayo tho ef1ronterY to soy that 1t was tho physc'
al effort which Williams mado III resisting the
officers that caused hs death, IN tho }nco ol
their admission that tho man had beon "ducked'
four timea, and camo out the last time breath.
ing heavily, mud, with water gushing from hif
mouth aud noae, died immediately. II tho mat
tor were not 80 serious, it would bo absurd fol
tho Committee to aay, as tAoy do, TINT, "techhsic
ally, Olllcer Hall may hava gone step too far.
What docs technically" mean in q case whore
3 n,au haa been douaod to deatA7 Tho Com
mltteo ought to explain. The seyerost com
.ueut made upon tue whole transaction ia thu
Dr.. Mason was "indiscreet in ordering th
bash, and that tho Commissioners made
''grayo mistake" IN not ordering Coroner
inquest. Tho death OF the convict soemeft
llnye boen regarded as Of not much consoQgonc
in tho motlor. Those who hayo road the teati
mony before the Corouor's inquest viii loo
upon tue report nj shnu and those who rea
evau tho Co1nmitteo's own statement will yot
: 1t inconsistent and meaningloRB."
Our Springfield correspondent statea thu
some members Of tue Committee who aigue
|
tAis report waro not at joliet at all, and tla
tho testimony before tho Oou,1n!ttoe waa nctthe
under oath nor submitted 10 writing. II thes
t!Iuga arc truo, tho report Is entitled to no cor
sideratlon whatoger, and It should bo prompt
. rejected by the Senate when 1t comes up II
morrow. There Ia resolution boforo III
- House authorizing joint committee with fn
H.
= be- adopted II there Ia any real disposition
- probe tho Williams case to tho bottom. II no
it would ho nitro farce to accept tho report I
- tho aonate Committee. It will DO !esB dlsyrac
- tul to allow tho while matter to 60 by default.
u =..c=[@--%---
IL The failure Of tue demego8ues Who tncits
:. thu regent riot in Now York 10 meet their dup
|. IN Tia dax al tha t1aht. 1hpNa what stn6 th