The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-01-01
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MANS INHUMAN1rY.
Treatment OF Inmates Of the Milwaukee, Hon,
Of Correction,

Treatment OF Inmates Of the Milwaukee HouSA
Of Correction,
Milwaukee, Dec. 26.-The report Of
the State Board Of Charities and Reform
on the management of the Milwaukee,
House of Correction has been submitted
10 Governor Smith. One hundred and
forty five witnesses were examined, for.
ty'eight being called by the Board, eigh.
ty at the request of ex Inspector Kenne-
dy, and seventeen at the request of In.
spector Hazee. The latter resigned a
week ago, The Board say large ma.
lorlty OF witnesses examined we're ex.
convicts, who had been sent to the
House of Correction for violation of CITY
ordinances. The report is as follows:
In forming our judgment of the credi.
bility of witnesses, we have considered
all the corroboratiDg circumstances. Men
of character and responsibility testified
to seeing brutal treatment on the part of
some of the officers. The Rev. E, r,
Ward clergyman, Felthonson, con-
tractor, Fromel and Fisher, ex guards,
as we'll as many others, both men and
women, whose word would be consider
ed good in the community where known,
told us they saw, and the officers of the
prison admitted, the use Of cog and dun.
geon, not as correctives merely, but to
punish, and the former was used with
out any authority of law.
The ex.conVicts testified to the abuse
and torture inflicted in their administra-
ton. But if we eliminate all the testi.
mony given by the criminal class of wit.
nesses, there remains ample proof Of
cruel, even brutal treatment by McGarry,
Kennedy and Hazee, and some of their
subordinates. 1t is shown in their own
testimony, in that of some who were
their subordinate officers, and in that Of
many reputable witnesses who were
never convicts. Nor has this evidence
been refuted.
There have been cases of kind treat.
ment shown, it is true, and much eyi.
dence g iven to show the good quality of
the food provided, and the good order
that prevailed in the institution, but the
evidence of the cases of brutality and
bad food stands unimpeached.
DR.. Solon Marks, member of the State
Board OF Health, testified in regard to
the dark cells or dungeons, that the size
OF one of them was FIVE feet six inches
long by four feet three inches wide and
six feet ten inches high, and that anoth-
er was of a similar size. Both DR.. Marks,
and DR.. E. B Walcott, Surgeon General
of the State, testify as experts, that no
person could be confined in these cells
any length Of time without having his
health impaired, and that without fire,
bedding, ventilation, with the slop-buck-
ct unemptied, confnementtherein would
tend to develop any latent disease, or in
the case OF we'll person, long con6ne.
ment would contract disease that might
end in death.
In conclusion, the Board is decidedly
of the opinion that the character of the
House of Correction should be 80 radio.
ally changed, that it shall be made what
its name indiCates-a place for the COR
rection and reformation of persons gull
ty OF minor offenses, and that all pres
ent inmates who have been convicted of
graver crimes should be sent TO Waupon
to serve out their unexpired terms. The
prisoners should be divided and then
classified, and the female inmates cared
for exclusively by women attendants,
the young taught the rudimentary BRAN
Ches of education, and all made to un.
derstand that they are still regarded as
human beings, though erring ones.
The report is signed by all the mem.
bers of the Board.