Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-09
PRISON BARBARlSM,
more Daylight Let In On the State
Prison at Saltwater.
ANOTHER EX-CONVICT's STORY
He Testifies to Halls Brutal Treat
ment Of the Prisoner Coffey.
AND TELLS HIS OWN sUFFERINGs
Broken IN Health and Strength He Sees
NO Chance or Hope of Leading
a Reformed Life.
SETTLING UP WITH CONVICTs.
An1 Getting a Handsome "Knock-
Down" From the "Good Tine
Money Allowed Them.
LETTER FROM A PROMINENT MAN |
Which Ventilates the Ring and Af1irms
Deputy Warden Halls
Cruelty.
COMMENTS OF THE NEWSPAPERS,
ana Getting a Handsome KNOCK
Down" From the s:Good Tine
Money Allowed Them.
LETTER FROM A PROMINENTMAN
Which Ventilates the Ring and AfIirms
Deputy Warden Halls
Cruelty.
COMMENTS OF THE NEWSPAPERS
Both Sides Quoted, But a General
Demand For an Investi-
cation.

When some three weeks ago TIE G1opE
published the story of relef .sed convict
from the Minnesota State prie. son at SELL
water it expected to receive q full share of
abuse and censure, In this expectation we
are happy to say we naye not been disan-
pointed. First came the notoriously cor
rupt ring organ in this city with it's Walls of
wrath and abuse. Scratch the back of q
rascal ana you are sure to penetrate
tine erldermis of Bill Kings newspa-
pei Then the two penitentiary organs
at Saltwater vent their rage with epithets
and bad grammar. A fellow feeling made
the especial champions of the Insane Asy-
lum feel wondrous kind, and not few
thought they were in duty bound to defend
prison brutality and rascality on political
grounds or because they hated the GLOBE
The prison officials talked libel suits, and al
together the GLOBE has had abundant rea-
son to feel satisfied that it was on the RIGHT
track.
There was a similar cutlery when the In
sane asylum was first exposed, but the inyes-
tlgatlon developed murder and criminal
carelessness in the care of patients, and alb
solute dishonesty in the financial manage
meat. There are difficulties in the way of
developing the inner workings of an insane
asylum or State prison, as in the former
case the inmates are absolutely incapacitated
from testifying, and in the latter they are
dlscredlted because they are convicts. A
former guard in the penitentiary has init
mated that he could make some developments
before proper tribunal, and the ring papers
Immediately declare that he is insane. This
IS pretty good evidence that he will be a
strong witness to prove the prison cruelty
and iniquity.
We do not know what an Investigation
such as will probably be ordered will develop
but we have no doubt relative to what thor
ough and honest inquiry will demonstrate.
The charges WILL in such an event, be more
fully established than in the case of the In
sane Asylum. Investigations during the past
year have developed most horrid brutality in
Illinois, Ohio and New York prisons. There is
a general tendency to brutality in prisons
because the power is SO absolute and the
testimony of the victim is discredited, because
he is convict. We shall be glad if it can
be demonstrated that the Minnesota State
prison is an exception to the general rule.
One of the communications from an ex-
convict published in the GLOBE was signed
by the nom de plume ''Iubal Cain,'' the real
name of the author being furnished to the
editor, according to the invariable rule. Mr..
Bill Kings paper and the Saltwater Gu
aette announce that they have searched
the prison records and find no snch
prisoner as "Tubal Cain.'' They gravely an
nounce, therefore, that the letter was bogus
If they had searched the scriptures instead
of the prison records, perhaps they might
have heard of "Tubal Cain.'' We presume
if letter should appear in the GLOBE from
an ex convict signed 'Joshua," "Moses,''
Solomon" ETC., these learned critics would
declare that no such man had ever been in
the Minnesota penitentiary.
We give this morning another letter from
an ex-convict, (his real name being given)
as we'll as letter from citizen who is in a
position to know what he is saying. The
comments of the papers are also given
with impartiaEty. both praise and
censure being included. 1t will be noticed,
however, that there is general demand for
an investigation, demand which cannot be
refused,