Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-02-13
A LIVING HELL.
Horrible Charges ofcruslty AgaIust
q Prison Warden.
Stories Of Brutal Treatment Told BY
COnyicts - Strung Up By the
Wrists for One Hundred
and Twenty Hours.
TALES or THE UNHAPPY WRETcHEs.


BosroS, February l2-For several weeks
past vague rumors have been afoat at the
State house and in other places 10 the effect
that the management Of Warden Earle Of
the State prison was unsatisfactory In
many important particulars, and that his
removal at any time might be looked for.
On the other hand the friends Of the
warden declared that there was no ground
whatever for the intimations OF removal,
and that Governor Butler would make no
change. some ~ the rumors concerning
the supposed reasons for removal were that
Warden Earle had
show Utter Inconpetsace
by in6icting on the prisoners the most
cruel, inexcusable punishments, amount
ing almost, il not quite, 10 barbarity; that
he strung men up for days ut time, had
kept them confined for hour after hour In
dark cells, under the most abominable con.
ditions, filth being added to darkness, damp.
ness, hunger and thirst So revolving were
these rumors, in fact, that they seemed IN.
credible. No one could allow himself 10
believe them, and the friends OF the war.
Of any intention OF removal the very fact
that il could not be possible for Mr.. Earle
to
steep % saeh CPuslties
as the rumors had charged him with. lie
was known, they have declared, 10 be .
model official, and was exec tionally free
from anything that could be constructed
into cruelty. His relations with ex.Gov.
Long, too, were pointed out as having been
of the most cordial character, which they
could not have been without the warden
had been efficient in every particular.
But those who have believed his removal
was assured have answered the warden's
friends with the cool advice, Wait and
see."
They have had not long TO wait, for Sat
uriay at special meeting Of the Governor
and Council
warden Enrlc's Commissioa Was Re-
voked
or rescinded, the revocation TO take place
at once by the removal OF Mr.. Earle and
the temporary filling OF the place BY tho
deputy warden.
The grounds for the removal were general
snd utter unfitness for tho position. The
evidence upon which the Governor aud
Council reached the conclusion that Mr..
Earle was unfit came from various sources,
the prisoners among others having been
afforded an opportunity to express their
individual opinions. Several weeks ago
His EIcellency Governor Butler. In su
official interview with Warden Earle, or.
dered the latter on returning 10 the prison,
to inform the prisoners that they were
at liberty 10 write letter each to tho Gov
ernor, the letter TO be sealed by themselves
and not 10 be seen by any one except tho
~ - taA
themselves OF the opportunity thus afford.
ed, wrote letters, and In each case receiyed
on acknowledge OF receipt from Gov. But.
Ter. II 10 rumored that
The Joy Of the Prisoners
when informed that they were TO have this
privilege knew no bounds and that they
were quite demonstrativei in making known
their gratitude and approval. Warden
Eorle forwarded the letters as directed.
Not few Of them tell tales which seem be-
yond relief.
One OF the number declared In his mis-
siye that Warden Earle, In the treatment
of the men under him, deserved bitter
complaint, charging that the warden hung
the men up by the wrists and kept them in
solitary confinement for ns long as thirty.
Elk hours, and that he knocked them DO Wn
in numerous cases, put his foot upon their
throats and tainted them cruelty, and not
enly that, bnt he intimidated the men In
various ways, one Of the principle Of which
was TO threaten that their allowance of
time oil for good behavior should be taken
away. According 10 this prisoner, the
trouble which began on tho 4th Of July
last has never had an end. but has been
Going On From Had O. Wsrse
by the wardens cruelty and unjustness.
At about the time OF that trouble, so this
prisoner says, he informed Warden Earle
that he should like 10 send q letter 10 Gov.
ernor Long. but was fercely told by tho
warden that he had no business 30 write 70
the Governor, and that the Governor had
something else to attend 10. But the pris.
oner complained even more severely OF the
prison commission, declaring that the
board was owned by the warden and did
his bidding rs faithfully as . slave would
obey Us master, cringing around and show
ing 'heir desire 10 plsa-e the warden By
they were supposed 20 protect. Tho pris.
oDer cited numerous instances OF cruelty
jtEc by the whrdsn, telling him at tho
.Hme lime h0S be, the Governor, could sf.
feciuolIy prove each and every charge ~
bis own satisfaction. and that Of the public
81 veil.
The details In some Of these cases wcre
entered into with horrible minutnsss and
detail. Another prisoner wrote TINT War.
d. Earle first
Began % show Real UgIissss
about the Both Of May, 1852, whom one or
more Of the prisoners hissed him In chapel.
The prisoner declares ihst the Warden VS.
heard TO remark that he would give 500 "a
know who was the frat man 10 hiss him.
To the prisoners own knowledge, for he
was himself in solitary at the time the
Warden had thrown down and chostsd Q
prisoner-one J. Slattery-until the blood
ran from his nose and mouth, and hsd
served the same treatment 70 John Nsr.
rick. Several Of such cases. the prisoner
tsys, were reported TO the Commissioner.
but they and Warden Earle got together
and vbitewashed them over, and no more
Was done about It.
A Particularly CSssl CsSs
cited by this prisoner IL mentioned by him
as having occurred On the 18th OF last De-
cember, when FIVE officers, including
Deputy Warden Keene, went into the soli.
tsry cell where boy was chained up, and
because the boy ,,sffsd Tor water and 10 b
allowed to attend the calls Of nature, they
Kicked and dragged him about until he had
lost cop,ciousnsss, kicking him IN the
mouth. face and eyes, breaking out six ol
could not speak for three days: also thai
they did rot even wssh the blood from biz
face after thus beating him, but allowed
him TO remain In chains last q
itsy found him. That boys nam,
10 John long. and 20 tho prisoner
writing the letter could prove that tbes.
injuries we're actually inflicted upon him
A riot, the prisoner thought In his letter
was imminent st any time, % the msn hsd
been driven % desperation and cared verJ
little whether they lived or died; in fact
many Of them would prefer death 70 whs
many Of them declare 70 be
A hsisg Hell.
The prisoner had known the warden II
chain the men up, with their arms sbov,
| their heads, for - long ss ninety six houF
at stretch, their toes only beng sllovst
| TO touch the floor. In one case the wssdsl
| bad kept Q man chained up 10 hours. tn
pfisopers fully believed that Warden Essi
| intended to make good the assertion hs I
said 10 have made, that he would make
hot for the pdsops1 - long - he rsmsis
ed in charge OF the prison. No QUE, ~
prisoner thought, would hsvs any coneep
ton Of the cruelty prscticed upon u