Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-11-17
THE LAST RESORT
Of 4 Desperate Prisoner 10 Always
Perjury.
INTERVIEW WITH JAIl0R DAVIS
How Testimony IS "Set Up on the Outside
for q Defense se-Case in Point
Necessity for Prison
Uniform.

Jaiior Davis is Q philosopher. Since he
has had.charse Of the Jail he has undergone
some queer experience with prisoners and
this, with the natural duties OF his posi-.
ton, has led him TO make Q study Of al.
legged criminals in Jail. When any OF his
"pets" come up for trial, he Is always IN
interested auditor and generally has his
own theory OF prosecution. Often he 10
wrong and occasionally prejudiced, but his
the oriss are generally very shrewd. les-
terday afternoon, while this Cerberus Of
the county prison was engaged IN deep
thought. REGISTER envoy dropped in on
him ard began q conversation on the APP
preaching term OF court and its probtbie
results touching several OF the most promi-
nent prisoners awaiting trial. la the
course OF his remarks, he said that no ono
could ever know
The Amount ot Perjury
Brought into court 10 clear prisoners.
said he:
The more successful as an expert and
adept in crime The prisoner has been, the
more desperate will be his efforts 20 escape
from the justice his crime deserves. Their
first effort or thought is 10 escape from all
and il iai!ei in This, Their next is perjury.
and il is through such means OF escape
that most criminals are saved from the
gsllows and Stale prison.
"liow about remedy
80 severe are the rules aud discipline
OF European prisons, that prisoners baye
no opportunity 10 set up Jobs through
OUTSIDE friends, or parties. Ii Is rare
thing indeed, that any one, even attorneys,
can sec prisoner in an European prison.
No rri,o on can be safely kept without such
rules and i discipline. In European prisons.
all prisoners are stripped ot their clothing
whtu they enter the prison office and .
prison uniform is substituted.
The Necessity for Ihi. Uaiform
is so appar eut, tha, il is, or can't be ques
ton by anyone In the first place, the
change OF garments removes whairver OF
disease that they might contain, aud then.
IL thcy should have burglars tools, or any
thing sscreted in their clio hing thst they
intended 10 use in the prison 10 aid them
in escaping by changing OF their clothing,
this danger is also removed. The uniform
is also a means OF immediate r,oo ton
Wherever the keeper or anyone else would
see q man with prison uniform on. he
wou d be known as q a iminal aud prisoner.
Every prison should have prison uniforms,
such as We have in our penitentiAries.
"Ilow do prisoners commit perjury In
our jsls and COURTS
a prisoner who knows that the State
pnson or gallows Is to be his doom, aud
Gao only be- saved from that doom by
falsehc oil. either on his part or that OF his
outside friends, Is always willing 10 perjurc
his soul and the souls of his pals, II per
Jury VI i'll give him his liberty again. Mon
can be found who are willing 10 swear to
| anything that may be- required Of them by
| a prisoner, II he Is one Of their former
| comrades. A list OF witnesses OF this
=. = 10. .Il In has
| them summoned, aud they will oil swear
| to one fact without the slightest devils.
| ton"
"Do yon know of any Gch cases
| There ~ prisoner In our jail now who
Ju,, ns certainty entity
| OF the crime with Iicb he stands charged
| ns Il IL possible for anything TO be true. aud
| get he IN trying 10 procure a lon. list Of
| witnesses 10 prove his Innocence. lie in.
tends 20 try the perjury game, ike Morris
| McAtams did, aud mrny others in our
| courts, ard with ID" perjury OF his outsids
| friends and himself he expects TO become
free burglar and io5b'r ngaIn.'
What arc the p o'pectsy'
"Ie has no chance TO set up his job him.
self IN Jail. but be Is trying his outside
| friends through his immediate relatives.
lie hasn't witness in the world, who can
| or will swear the truth. but what will say
| tha, he Is guilty Of tie charge for which he
| Is now in jsil. A man who will commit .
crime voluntarily and maiiciously
VIII Not Hcsitatr 60 sWcav Falsely
and men who associate with him will do
| the same. Jures should scan very cloIely
| and critically the testimony Oi prisoners
on the witness stand. because IL 10 always
given IN the interest OF himself. and
should be- received only for what II 10
| srrtr. when the character OF the prisoner
must slwsys br considered. The Law says
| hhr evidence of this kind 10 given with
mufc, r,s Of bias by the defendant, and
JuI. ..s houId give II this weight only"