Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-25
issued the convicts, and poorer material was

issued the convicts, and poorer material wa
used.
Next be shut down on the fresh water sun
ply of the convicts inside the BUILDINGS. VI,
see, then, the water in the buildings Womb
get warm before it was used-and heretofor,
prisoners coming in from the yard had beer
allowed to bring water with them for drink
ing and other purposes While Jackma1
was In charge he had, where convict wa,
unable to write, allowed another convict tt
90 1t for him. Reed stopped this. In fact
from the day he took charge, he commenced
topping OFT the little privileges one by one
until they were all gone, while drills aHc
severe punishment for little offenses were
substituted. Of course this caused great
dissatisfaction among the convicts, some Of
whom became quite insubordinate.
COMPLAINTS OF THE INMATES.
TWAS practice Of Reed to go through
the prison once week to hear such
Complaints as the convicts might
pluck up their courage ia
make, but as his prosecutions grew, these
complaints became 80 numerous and the
oonvicts 80 persistent in calling them to his
attention that these visits were entirely stop
ped about eighteen months ago. Reed was
great IN his Sunday chapel talks. At these,
strangers were often in attendance, and
Reed just spread himself in smooth words
and far promises, but all the time he was
treating his charges like brutes. r. con-
Wet IS 80 fortunate as to have powerful
trends outside, Reed will give him special
and II 30
able as possible, but God pity the
poor fellow who falls into his hands without
such friends. There are quite number of
the favored class in the prison now. the
Younger boys being especial favorites.
NO LET UP FOR TIE CONVICT.
heed never eases up on & convict he has
taken dislike to for real or fancied Of
tense. Such person is constantly watched.
All 1t is necessary for Reed to do when he
wants to get man punfsnSer,'a 70 t~-s the
guard to keep watch on that man, and in
nine cases out of ten the man will be in the
dungeon before night on some trumped up
charge.
Reed has been especially down on me of
late, for the reason that, driven to despera-
ton by his prosecutions, took prominent
part in organizing the big break about four
years ago, and which created quite a sensa-
ton. At the time Farrell, ifer, was
charged with being the prime mover, but I
was the one. Being in the house could OPP
crate with greater freedom than the shop
men. I studied out the project and took
few of the most reliable men into my conf
dence, including Farrell. To get Farrell out
of his cell put false hinge on his door,
made out of Fine and painted black, so as
to look like iron. This is a very
difficult piece of work, but I succeeded
splendidly, SO that the cell door would swing
back and forth with perfect freedom, and
without any indication of having been tam
pered with. Finally, the plans having all
been consummated, the night for the break
was decided upon. The signal was to be the
appearance of Farrell and man named Cliff
ton outside their cells, who were to attack
and overpower guard named Archer, per-
feet brute, and who I wanted to
get even with for some of his
prosecutions. At the time agreed upon,
about midnight, Clifton got out of his cell,
and going to Farrell's, called him to come
out, but for some reason, what never knew,
his nerve failed him just at the critical mo-
ment, and though his doctored door pre-
sented no obstacle in his way, he would not
make the effort. Seeing this Clifton went
ahead, got out of the prison through the win
dow bars, scaled the wall and was free man,
his absence not being discovered until the
convicts were called to breakfast next morn
ing. Through Farrell's failure to act
my own plan mlscarried, and when
Clifton's escape was discovered I
was not suspicioned. Clifton's escape
discovered, Reed instituted thorough search
of the premises, one result being the dscov-
cry of the false hinge on Farralls door. Far
rail- was brought up and questioned, but he
refused to peach. He was then sent to the
dungeon, where he was kept five or six days
on bread and water, Reed supposed, but I
kept him with plenty of good food.
PUNISHMENT FOR ATTEMPTED ESCAPE.
After a time Reed and Williams found out
my connection with the break, how do not
know, and was turned out of the house
and put into the paint shop, where I was
treated more brutally. AS you will notice,
my eye-sight is very poor. In fact I am
almost blind in my left eye. Notwithstand-
i.:g this, and that am physically strong and
capable of doing any amount of heavy work,
l was put at fine work, such as outlying
pals, requiring good ana strong ayes, and
because I could not do the work
as fast and good as others,
I was punished outrageously. SktoId Reed
could not do such work with my poor eyes,
and begged him to give me some heavy out
door work, which I would do cheerfully, and
thus save the little sight left. My requests
were refused in the most brutal manner.
The fact is, Reed was at this time constantly
seeking an opportunity to punish me, and so
he kept me at this kind of work, knowing it
was a physical impossibility for me to do it,
and then when I failed he would send me
into solitary confinement on bread and water
or punish me in some other way. Once
when begged him to change my work, he
blurted out: 'srhere's your task, Cd d-n
you, and you'll do it or I'll kill you.'
SEEING THE INSPECTORS.
When this course of brutal treatment had
been going on about year, and Ibegan to
fear really should die if it was continued
much longer, asked Reed if he would not
let me see the inspectors. He refused. Then
I asked him if he would listen to my
story himself. He said, oh, yes. I then told
him that did the work for Farrell, but that
I had become satisfied it was useless to at
tempt an escape, and that had determined,
if ne would put me at something I could do,
he should have nofurther cause to find fanlt
with me. You see thought if I told him
the truth he would give me chance to live.
Well, I told him the whole story from begin
ming to end, taking all the blame for the part
[ took in thai affair. This seemed to please
Reed, and hb sent me into the house again,
and for little time my work was light such
as was used to, and my condition was
greatly improved. But knew Reed did not
like NE, and that his tool guards were watch.
ing my every movement in order to find
something upon which to base complaint