The New York herald., 1878-02-22
PRISON TORTURES.
LEGISLATIVE VISIT TO TRENTON PRISON
THE INVESTIGATIONS REsuMED-wAs sNooKs'
DEATH FASTENED BY PUNISHMENT?

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TIE INVESTIGATIONS REsuMED-wAs sNooKs
DEATH FASTENED BY PUNISHMENT?
[BY TELEGRAPH TO TIE HERALD.
TRENTON, N. j., Feb. 81, 1878.
The Committee State Prison, with several 70.
porters visited that institution to-day. They ex-
a,nined the gags 'ns binders The cells dungeons.
the srccher and the general condition OF the prison.
Keeper Mott and DR.. Philips received them and gave
all fAcilities desired. The books OF the prison
first examined In relation to the statement OF the In
spectors that they were not informed that the
keeper infected any other punishment than that
allowed by law The books showed the number of
times prisoner gagged tho time each prisoner
stretched anu all the other punishments indicted
DEATH IN THE sTRErcHER
This record was shown to the inspectors every
month. The record in the case OF SnooKs showed that
he had been punished tour times, tho time dying
In the stroncr. AS shown by the record was In tho
stretcher at one tilno forty three Through
out tho prison everything was In ceanly condition.
tho OF each dungeon cell beam
ten fect from the floor. From the beam is sus-
pended q pulley, through whioh chain,
one end hanging down the centre OF tho
cell and the other fastened to the wall On tho floor
was another chain boted down, In END OF which
was an anklet, intended Tor fastening to the leg
thsreby preventing the prisoner from hauling himself
up and getting astride Of the crossbesm. The
stretcher was tried by two Keepers Ono hand
cucd, the end OF the chain was fastened 10 tho cuns
and he hauled up tnat his toes and the bail of
his loot touched the floor. he tried 10 get astrde
the crossbsr. and, failing In this was released.
ing been In the stretchsr iOur minutes. He appeared
mucn exhausCd aud his wrists were bruised. Another
keeper tried II for TWO minutes. When no was taken
down q reporter made a thorough exam nation
OF IT, He was nandcuned and then subjected TO tho
test He Stood II SIX minutes when he ''squealcd,
having suffered considerably When Iet down his
I'm hs we n fx I'm
hands were numb and without sensation. The wrists
were blue with the marks OF tho handcuIs. The
effect OF the whole II he had been engaging in
the most violent exercise.
rnE INVESTIGATION RKsuMEn
The Investigation was resumed tonight In the Sen.
ate Chamber before crowded galleries.
Mr. Henry L. Butler PRISON Inspector, was recalled.
developments.
Mr.. i. Kingman. lawyer of Trenton. proceeded to
examine the witnesses Tor The defence DR. w. L.
Phillips WAS sworn. Previous " his examination Mr. |
Malone said that tho committee had declined 10 EN-
ploy lawyer because Il would bc unjust 10 Mr. Mott,
and he didn't think II Was fair 10 allow him TO employ
Dr. Philips said he had boon physician at tho State
Prison; had seen tho gag punis,ient solitary dun.
geou, men IN the centre with pucards their backs
marked 'thief' Tor stealing itom each other; has
seen men put up, but watched the timo 10 SEQ
how long they could stand IL called Tn years ago,
under Mr. Wilson, under whom precisely the Same
punishment was used; saw snOoks shortly alter
n.or; ' asa not A know that Ee Sed me u es,, ess
strelcheri told DIR. Mackenze that the peculiarly
going punshmenti IT was DR.. MckcnzIe's place to
make the investigation IN Gases oi death the
County Physician makes the post mortcm; had Wit
ness known shocks died III tue stre,cner he would
have told the County Physician: 1t might have been
tho duty OF tho prison oficals 70 notify ID. McKcnzo.
PKRuArs IT DID
The punishment to which Suooks subjected
may have FASTENED his death; hrs diseased CONDITION
showed that he was liable to sudden death; The
stretcher Is severe punishment; II may bo
maze cruel; witnoss not aware that Snooks
com pianed Of being sick on the night OF his pun,,-
lett word 10 that effect that he SHOULD
not be sent for; witness has used alcohol; no
medical journal whatever has reco dcd lis Use as
q test; he does not know OF any other institution
where II is employed; never used Il In his private
pracce he had no reason to believe that Snooks was
insane until alter hts death he has no knowledge OF
wrongs and crucliies Inflicted; can recall no such
complaints; had such been pracisca he presumed he
would have known II Is possible but probable
that they could have takcn place without his know
edge; he made 10 Dr. Corson only psr,iuI state
mcnt oi what he has published; witness led that
he had made eertAin statements winch Dr. Corson
Inscribed 10 him he does not consider the gag cruel
u does not Interfere with mans breathing; II IS
about mn inch or little over IN depth; wac used
In Robinson's tmc Ho use gag covered with rags;
the present gag Is not SO severe aud necessarily
painful IL is not 50 severe as confinement In the
dungeon
THREE WEEKS THE DUNGEON
He has known under former Keepers u man 10 bo
kept la the dungeon three iour weeks; tho gag
when General Mott came 10 the prison hc
has never been asked 70 excuse prisoner from work
on account OF punishment under General Mott; he |
has been 30 applied TO by prisoners under othcr keep
crs; the punishment oi hanging up by The wrists
punishment because " does not Affect tho health
injariousIy; the majority Of prisoners never
punished; when the hose turhed into the cell |
~ 10 clean tho cell and the prisoner; tho dcspcr
ate convcts often leigh sick and and disable
tnems Olives TO avoid work.
Robert II. Howell, iorner keeper OF the prison, tes
tined that no did not know anything about the pun
ishmcnts inflicted there now; sometimes during his
term he put prisoners In the stretchcr but used
II only on two or three prisoners; II might bo made
a severe mode oi puhshmont; he WAS very careful |
how he raised tho aud always let him stand right
square on his ieet; witness never gag; he
put stick IN npIsy mans mouth to keep him Quiet
but II was miserable failure; ho saw tbc slretcler
apparatus In tho Albany State Prison; witness cou-
siders Dr. Phillips humane man; considered tnat
sbarp, even severe punishment. Is humane than
lingering In a cell IN dith.
Frank Taylor. an cx-inspoctor. testified that while
he was employed us Inspector during Keeper Wilson'S
tsrm The strctcher and dungeon were the modes Vf
punishment whom wilson put q up he s0od 10 |
watch I'm. and wben the least sign OF gviug way was
visible The man was taken down; he rcmsmDered tho
cases oi two men. OF whom wus kept IA dungeon
ior about year aud another about SIX months; no
knew man named Williams tv have been put up |
In the afternoon ana chained, then tnkon aud
put up next morning; he was up several cont puous
hours; tho nose was used 10 clean the and MS |
coll. and not as u punishment
julius }. Johnston, carpenter and builder, testified
that he saw the gag used ~ the PRISON. he heard prs
oners crv out In Two instances.
Ths committee then adjourned until Tucsdav even-