The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-09-08
a CONvaUT's TALE.
AheSed Brutality on the Part
81 the Keepers OF the ReB-
IuChy E'eDiseGGiaEy.


complained severely about the harsh
treatment which be alleged was re-.
ceived by The prisoners from the
keepers, aud wrote out the following
Tor publication:
FRANKFORT, Aug. Isl take the
opportunity this morning of writing
lew Ines in regard TO this place OF
punishment and reform. This i. the
name they give it, but | have another
maine Tor 1t, aud it is Il truthful one
II Is hemp and brutal slaughter pen
| viii give you "a statement of a young
man from Covington, that was very
ambitious and industrious man. lie
would make his task every day 10
Keep clear OF the lash and punish
mcnt. This happened in April. lie
went to the hospital for medical treat
ment, but they would knock him of
lie came back to work aud would
work until he was almost gone, 50 he
would have to lay down in his hemp
pen until he would recover, then 90
to work again, aud 10y so doing, by
help OF the other prisoners, he would
get his task done by giving tobacco
to keep from the strap. lie went Tor
assistance Of medical treatment for
TWO OF three days, but 10 kindness
was shown him until he was dead Oh
his feet Then they put him 70 bed
and the doctor said he was too FIR
goge, that he could not get we'll. lie
only Ived two days, aud they called
1t hay fever, but it was the brutal
treatment aud his being worked TO
death. His name was VIM. lays
lie was an obedjent pers' IA and well
liked by his fellow prisoners, aud all
spoke well of him. lie would do a
favor wherever he could to help his
fellow mau, but we hope that he now
rests IN the arms of better keeper
Now this statement Is not only true,
but great deal worse than Is written,
tor the prisoner can write lu.i de
tail Of a life here or even tell it. This
case was what we call kinder than
others, for the strap was not used in
death. | will give you a statement oil
a sad death Of poor prisoner that
happened a few days ago. His name
was Skinner. lie was a faithful man
to work, but was put on high task
for a long time until be got broken
down, took sick and had pains in his
breast and sides, so that he could not
get his task. The strap WAS applied
three and four times a day. and he was
kept from his meals and put on the
short line, as they call 1t, with nothing
on his back but his pants, with
keeper over him with the strap, strap
ping him every ten minutes, aud strip
ping him every now AMI then, aud
bueked and gagged aud whipped to
death As his last breath lett him,
Mr. Glauton, the old whisky bioat OF
keeper, kicked him two or three
times, aud said, Die, you d-n s-n
of b-h You all ought to be in
hell Wei, this is the kind OF treat
ment the prisoners get here This
man was carried to tie hospital dead
by the treatment Of the strap. This Is
he cause OF most of the deaths here
We'll, hide quarrel between the
doctor and Glant0n, the other day,
about knocking of sick men aud low
ering the tasks. They had quite
time, and the doctor toid him that the
cause OF most of the deaths was the
strap aud the high tasks, and that be
could prove it BY his books. SO the /
quarrel went on. This happens every
few days with the doctor and the .
keepers. We wou d like to see IN
your paper statement Of what a
United States prisoner Is allowed here
Ia regard to clothing and soap and .
towels, as they don't get either one.
} ohDsou, who was an able bodied
man. lie was whipped by Sam South
for three mornings, receiving rom 275
to 300 licks, until he Tell 0 # his loom.
aud is now lying in the grave yard
There is man here by the name OF
Maxey, who was badly whipped lie
was colored man He told the
whipping master not to hit him on the
back. as he was hurt on the back, bu,
the keeper told him that he would hit
him where he pleased; that he didn't
.hlnk any more Of prisoner than
log, and whipped bin uuiil he cut
him all to pieces If man has
riend on the outside, be can get what
little Injuries that he wants, such as
tobacco aud eatables, which come cou
;enient. Yours truly,
Thomas FIELD
Field also wrote The following adj
litional letter on the 30th of August
n addition to the above
take this opportunity of writing
hort letter TO your paper. will now
make more correct statement OF our
Prison. In regard to the brutal treat
nent and starvation: The first thing
ge were introduced to was striped
uit; the next was the hemp house;
hen followed the strap Now my first
experience commenced in II, and
,iuce that time no one can tell what
prisoners lite Is; what severe rdships
We have to endure; what hard tasks
We have to perform, and what the
whipping post is At the last place
If torture, the poor, miserable offend
RS received from seventy five to two
hundred, and are refused food on that
lay, unless fed This inhumau con
luct sent many to the hospital, aud
rom there to the graveyard
Before closing my letter | will re-
ate some OF the bad treatment at the
present time which is caused by the
strap. There was man by the name
IF j. Wilson who died last week. He
asked to be released from a piece OF
work, but the keepers cursed him
md told him to proceed with the job
IT they would burn him up alive lie
vas afterwards sent to his cell, and
vas taken from there TO the hospital.
Shere he died before morning. His
attending physician stated that Wilson
lied from pneumonia Thomas, an
)ther prisoner, was treated badly Que
morning, aud on being taken to the
hospital died in eight minutes. An
,ther wretched case was that of man
lamed Cane. He was badly beaten
md then taken TO the hospital There
ne was kept concealed by the prison
from the State doctor for
several days There was large hole
eaten 10 his back by the strap. when
he proper authorities discovered him,