Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-25
" AMllvlsllDU / Il lIuul.
The Story Of Convict Who Has Passed
Six Years at Saltwater.
CRUELTY OF THE DARK AGES
Surpassed by the Refined Brutality in
Our State Prison.
PRISONERS TREATED LIKE DOGS,
Being Beaten, Starved and Kept in
Dungeons While in Dying
Condition.
RENDERING A CRUST OF BREAD
And snatching it Away Before Fam.
ished Man, Crawling ON Hands
and Knees, Could Reach 1t.
THE ACME OF FIENDISHNESS
In Applying Croton Gil to the Back Of
Convict and Leaving Him to
Writhe in Agony.
AN INVESTIGATION NEEDED
And snatching it Away Before Fam
ished Man, Crawling on Hands
and Knees, Could Reach 1t.
THE ACME OF FIENDIsHNEss
In Applying Croton Gil to tho Back Of
a Convict and Leaving Him to
Writhe in Agony.
AN INVESTIGATION NEEDED
To Let Daylight Into the Ways of
Warden Reed and Deputy Hall.

Readers OF the GLOBE are familiar with
the cruel practices and murderous barbarities
practiced in the Insane Asylum at st. Peter
as developed some months ago by an investi-
eating committee. There have long been
Of affairs existed at the State prison at
Saltwater, and the GLOBE hopes, in behalf
of humsnity, to lay the ground work for de-
termlning whether these charges are true or
false. 1t is certainly highly import
ant that thorough investigation be
had as early as possible. Heretofore
our legislative inspections have been mere
farce and fraud. The penitentiary officials
have fixed day when they would put the in
stitution on dress parade and invite the
legislature to como and see. AS the investi-
CATION usually terminates with ball and
supper, the report is, of course satisfactory,
the brains of the legislator being reached
through his stomach and feet. Weak human
nature rarely resists social Establishments,
and the ienitentiary management has played
this game with great effect.
We are aware that the word of a convict, is
always looked upon with suspicion, and if
his statements are true, those who are &C.
cused cite the fact that the word of felon
should not have consideration. The GLOBE
does not, however, adhere to the theory that
because a man has been criminal he is en-
titled to no consideration, and that his word
is to be arbitrarily disputed. In reality, the
only way that the every day life IN our public
institutions can be ascertained, is from those
who are practical inmates. A
committee may spend a few hours, or a day,
in inspecting affairs and ascertain nothing,
though cruelty devilish in its character may
be practiced. The tendency among the
class of men VINO seek and obtain positions
in the management OF prisoners and prisons
is to become brutal, if they are not originally
50, and that they need much watching and
restraint is beyond question.
Patrick Coffee was arrested in st. Paul on
or about Jan. 81, 1873, for larceny Of furs
from the Hudson Bay company while in
transport over the Northern Pacific, at Moor
head. Mr.. Coffee laid in the Ramsey county
Jail soG.e five or six months, when he was
tried, convicted of the offense charged, and
sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of
six years and four months, which term, less
MS good time, expired a few days ago.
His story Of prison life reveals horrible
state of affairs and If untrue it can be read
lily disproven. It will not do to put it aside
with the statement that it comes from a
convict who required discipline.
Deputy Warden Hall, who is credited
by Coffee with superior barbarity, was,
we believe, removed from a similar
position in the Wisconsin prison at Waupur
for cruelty to the inmates. The GLOBE
believes that the State prison manage
ment will not bear inspection, and that hui
mainly may be served and justice secured by
o full and thorough Investigation. We give
Patrick Coffee's story Of barbarity, merely
promising that, if true, the warden and his
deputy should lose no time in becoming in
mates Of the institution of which they ar
now guardians.