The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-02-09
the prisoners; / was never treated any better
than any of the other prisoners
EVENING SESSION.


EVENING SESSION.
WAS al the ReformatOry six years and eight
months: went there when | was ten years old
The inmates were fed with common food, but il
was good and plenty Of IL. The sick were All
treated well. / went TO school ana learned
great deal When went there did not know
nv A B C's. was also taught 10 do all kinds OF
house work and needle work. L was taught out
there all that know, The inmates were never
punished very severely. All the hard punish
ment that ever knew of was sometimes MrS.
smith would slap them and that was about All
never saw the slippers used while Was there
Thomas Barnett:
Am the night Waterman at the Reformatory
have been there about six years; ! live about Two
squares from the Reformatory: never in my life
had sexual intercourse with any OF the inmates OF
the Institution; / never used any unbecomlng
language TO any OF the inmates Wnlle IN the
water closet or elsewhere; 1 never had the keys
10 the water closets: Mrs Johnson always had the
KEYS: | have heard vulgar language used by the
inmates to the lady officers, but none OF IT was
directed 10 me; was once called to assist in
subduing Ida Harris, the colored girl; heard a
great screaming III the hall, ana hTst
thought il was fire; l was then in the
engine room: after came out in the hall ! dis
covered what il was; 1 saw the girl with a long
knife In her hand as If going 10 Kill Minnie
Hurley: Mrs Smith called 10 me to assist in
taking the knife from her; did so; got piece
/ of n broom handle and struck her over the hand
as if to knock the knife from her hand, which /
did: never saw any one ducked there; II is my
professional opinion that there is wanted at the
Institution two new bOilers-not because those
that are there now are worn, but because they are
too small.
/ Sarah Hubbard:
/ Have been in Prison twenty-five years; was at
/ Jacksonville before was brought here; i am a
life prisoner; one Of the first prisoners that
prisoners is good; when any of the prisoners get
sick they are treated very well; they are generally
/ fed from the officers table when sick; / do not
/ think some OF them are half punished in accord
/ ance with the treatment they give the officers
\ have often told them that ] wished they were
down in Jacksonville where they could get the cat
The principle of running the Institution by Mrs.
Smith and Mrs. johnson has been by prayer and
/ kindness / have had twenty-five years of prison
/ life, and think that Mrs. Smith and Mrs. John
son are good officers; they are too good sometimes
/ Mrs Sweitzer was very bad woman: they turned
/ the small hose on her once; do not think there
is worse woman in indianapolis than Mrs
/ Sweitzer.
/ Kate Lewis (colored):
! l am at the Reformatory: have been there
! eleven mOaths; feed us very we'll: if we want
anything from the officers side when we are sick
| they always bring it TO us; they treat US very
! kindly, and try to get along without Furnishing
anyOne they use kindness with us; there are
| some very bad prisoners opt there, and should re-
eeive severe punishment for their con
duct: saw Jane Williams hit Aunty Smith
with bucket: thought she had killed
Aunty; Aunty had done nothing at all to
cause her to hit her.. Jennie Williams was not
/ punished severely for hitting Mrs. Smith; she
was locked in the cell; that was all the punish
ment she received: they teach us everything that
] is to the benefit of the prisoners there.
Miss Elizabeth Shaw:
/ livein Louisville Ky: / am connected with
/ the Home OF the FriendleSs of Louisville; / was
! the hOuSekeepcr at the RefOrmatOTy in this city
nearly three years; during the time was there
| il always customary for an officer
4 to go to the dining room during the hour for
meals; the food was always good and amply suf-
| fcient In quality; the Common school branches
! were taught coupled with house work and needle
work; for s:call offenSes committed they would
make the offenders stand in their rooms, perhaps
/ behind the door, until they would ask forgive
ness of the officers: for greater offenses they were
often locked up: / seen Mrs Smith turn the hose
on some of them; il was turned on in a mild man
ner: the small hose was always used: after they
had finished the water punishment the inmate
would always be furnished with clean
! and dry clothing: / never thought that
punishment sufficient for the character
/ of the ohense. | have often thought that some OF
/ them were not punished half much they
/ should have been. The management of the In
stitution was conducted on the best of moral and
religious principles
Louisa Smith (cOlored):
Have been in prison twice. The first time was
/ there the prisoners were treated good "a any
| body could bes Saw the hose turned on Willie
Sloan il was the small hose. Had all the food
could eat; ii was good too. was never much
| sick while was there; always had medicine
could have gone to bed if had wanted to.
never seen Jane Williams whipped in my life
/ never seen a girl in my three years of prison
| life punished when she did not deserve it. Lots
of them did not get all they should have had.
The examination was in session at a late
hour when our reporter retired. 1t will re-
quire one more session of the Committee to
! .1.F, e~a-T .,1.s