Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-13
Edtoriut in Daily Globe, Feb is, 1921
Deputy Warden Hail. Judged by his own testimony,
should be removed.
The SeVNel.

should be removed.
The SeGNel.
At half-past ten o'clock yesterday NOR ming
Coroner Pratt and jury, consisting of John
Goodrich Samuel Matthews, George o. Has
kell, Foster Cutter, A. L. Gillespie and E. w.
Durant assembled at the prison hospital to hold
an inquest the body of John CLARK. the con
vict shot by Deputy Warden Hall, Thursday
afternoon, for disobedience.
After swearing in the jury Coroner Pratt
read section 81, chapter Sc, statutes at large of
the State of Minnesota. entitled: Convict re-
sisting authority of officers killed in conse-
quence, officers held guiltless.
IF any convict ressts the authority of any
officer, keeper or guard of prison, or refuses to
obey any lawful command, such officer, keeper
or guard shall Immediately enforce obedience
by the use of such weapons or other aid as may
be necessary for the purpose, and if in 80
doing any convict thus resisting
shall be necessarily wounded
or killed by such officer or his assistants, they
are justified, and shall be held gulltless."
County Attorney Thompson arrived about
this time, and conducted the examination of
witnesses.
WARDEN j. REED
was the first witness called, and was duly sworn
and examined. AN warden of the penitentiary;
knew the dead prisoner John Clark; he was a
convict in tue Minnesota State prison; his
death occurred at 4:15 Thursday afternoon;
Benjamin Cayon has charge of the shop in
which he was killed; Abe Hall was deputy
warden at the time; Clark was represented as q
man of bad character by those in charge of
him; few days ago he attacked and cut fell
low convict with putty knife for which Of
Tense he was committed to the dark cell for two
days; had q conversation with him after he was
released but it proved very unsatisfactory; ap-
pretended that he did not intend
the consequences would fall on himself;
was not pleased with his answer, but sent him
to work Monday; nothing wrong about him
reported to me after; he was sent here May
rs, 1879, for two years and five months for lar
ceny; his age was "a years; born in State of
New York; five feet five inches in height hazel
eyes; was employed as a brakeman before being
sent here had female figure on left forearm.
In answer t, Mr.. Durant's inquiries Oayon
was guard in the shop at the time of Clark
death; shop guard has supervision during
working 'llrs; there are set rules governing
the management of convcts posted up in every
cell, and they are read to every convict when
he enters the prison.
BENJAMIN CAYON SWORN.
Business is guard, in which employment had
been engaged five years; in the cell room thir-
teen MONTHS On the wall one year; and over
the Younger boys since their incarceration;
knew John Clark; was shot for disobedience;
no one present ut the time except himself,
Hall and the couvicts. l ordered Clark ut
4:O5 to go to his cell and report to cell-room
guard for punishment He refused to obey
orders; said, cd d-n if will go for you or
any man living | then dropped the conversa-
ton and sent for Hall; told him that Clark re-
fused to obey my orders. Hall asked him in a
polite way to 60 to the cell with him. Clark
jumped up, faced Hall, saying, cd d-n if
viii. so with YOU BE had the putty knife in
his right hand and stood ready for action.
Hall told him to lay down the knife. Clark
replied, Il will be Cd id if l will do it
for you or any other man. will not go with
you, Abe Hail. or any other man, by Cd"
Hall then pulled out his watch, saying, II will
give you two minutes to make up your mind
to co. Clark replied, II won't 60, never"
Hall held his watch until four minutes had ex-
pircd.
The knife was brought in and identified as
the Same kind of knife used by Clark on Rams
den. 1t has blade three inches long and one
and one-quarter inches wide, and is very
dangerous weapon.
Hall then drew his revolver, saying, II will
give You one more chance to obey orders; your
life is in your own hands; will you obey 2"
Clark replied, mo, never Hall then fred
the shot taking effect in the breast; Clark stood
about two seconds and fell. Hall ordered two
oonvicts, Wilson and Bennett to carry the
body to the cell room; the other prisoners made
no demonstration; there were six convicts in
the shop Mt the time; no officers present except
Hall and myself; ordered Clark to cell room
for refusing to obey orders; talked to him
quietly; asked him to do his work; said he did
not care d; would not unless it suited him
Lemon. the foreman, told me to report him for
punishment if he had not his work done at 4
O'Clock; had this conversation with Lemon
hat n,I ~ H. l.
Clark was a bad character; was in the third
shop when he had the fight with Ramsden;
heard a YELL ran there and saw CLARK, knife in
hand. and convict trying to separate them
Clark said he would show the s. of b.; if
he had little more time, he would fix that
fellow so that he would tell no more tales. He
was placed in cell room two days; came back to
work Monday; acted as though everybody was
afraid of him; told me Thursday that the fore
man was down on him, but it made no differ
ence, as he had not great ways to go.
Mr. Durant then inquired if there were
weapons about the shop that convicts could
get hold of.
Cayon replied that-therc are putty knives,
hammers and the like; had Ramsden been to
work since. No.
Clark was standing, knife in hand, when
Hall fired; he did not advance towards Hall,
but stood with his back against the partition;
did not hear Clark make threats of what he
Ramsden was brought before the jury and
examined three cuts were found on the back
of his neck and head, and one deep one back
of the left shoulder.
FIJI. LEMON
foreman Of the paint shop, was then called and
sworn. Examined: Have been foreman OF
painting department four years; knew de-
ceased; he worked in threshing machine de.
partment three months and fought with every
convict that worked with him; reported him
in September to the deputy; told him that be
had better remove him up stairs and he was
sent there; was there only three or four DAYS
when he had fight with a convict named
Wakefield, knocking him down with piece of
AKA; Wakefield was stopped over drinking
when he struck him; he aimed for his head
but slipping, the blow took effect on Wake.
fields arm. Clarke said, Cd d-n him, if
got my work in would have paralyzed him,
He refused to do a days work
and do it we'll; not uncommon to make him 90
over his work; told Cayon to send him in for
punishment if. he did not do his work; he al.
ways made a practice of having putty knife
with him; told the deputy that was satisfied
that there was plotting going on from the &C,
tions of some of the men, and told him who
thought they were; all at work in that shop
Clark told me he would not do the work, but