The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-08-16

chains nine DAYS and have Deen cutJli
bushes; saw Watson bit 81. Clair on "
hips first, and ten minutes later on u
head and some time later l saw M
sprawled down II think he was hit again
| biting at ths grass; Watson told the Time
reporter that he did not hit st. Clair; h
was unconscious after being hit; hear
some prisoners tell Times reporter tina
they were treated very we'll the all Is u
bad shape; now work In the kitchen.
JOHN TAYLOR.
Been here since the pa OF May as a pris
oner from Dallas; they feed well ant
work moderately here; had on one chali
five or six days; / did not see an!
bruised spots on st. Clair after IN
was dead; Knnin allows every other Sat
urday to scald out and wash up; | hav'
been treated well for a prisoner; watson
was not very harsh to prisoners; Mr., Kin
MINIS rule is to work moderately, but steady
Thomas Moore Is contrary and hard tc
please; Mary Mcdonald is very bad little
girl.
Il. HosBINs.
Been here, in all, six weeks on the pau
per-list; heard Mrs. Kinnin whip Mary
Mcdonald; don't think she got more than
she needed; Mary is bad girl; | saw ST.
Clair when brought up from the field; there
was some excitement; l think he died oil
sun-stroke; / think Mary Mcdonald was
whipped for swinging on the gate, and dis
obeying other orders.
A. J. MCDONALD.
Been here on the pauper-list about
three months; have been
treated very well; swear
curse my daughter Mary because she
frets me; Mr.. Kinnin cursed me for saying
lies would be sworn when this commit ee
came here to investigate; l didn't see Mrs.
Kvnin whip Mary the first time, but saw
her whipped in my room the second time
with an oak limb; this limb was eJhib-
tied to the committee; it was only rather
large, dry dead switch broken in twol; L
didn't hear Mrs. Kinnin call Mary little
DEVIL" have plenty to eat. such as it is;
my wife came to see me and they would
not let her stay want to go away; would
not have come, but thought would be
better treated: can't get ANYTHING except
by applying to Mrs. or Mr.. Kinnin.
mcdonald was very low when the COM
mittee was at the poor farm, and has since
died.
JOHN spRADLING.
Been here on tbepauper list, from Cedar
Hill, since January, 1888; am treated well
enough; fed good, coarse diet; have had one
pair of pants since came here; saw Mrs.
Kinnin whip Mary Mcdonald; she did not
whip her too hard; Mary is a bad girl; l
IL.
Mcdonald is a wicked, petulant man.
WI. KINNIN.
am brother to the superintendent, A.
Kinnin; have been here about eighteen
months as a guard; guards are instructed
to make prisoners work; know the hands
are not overworked it seems that Watson
was cruel to prisoners from what others
saw; he never abused the prisoners when l
was about; found St. Clair, lying on his
II n n
was at work that day; told Watson to
move him to the shade; Watson
said something about dragging him
to the shade, that he was
only ."possumin," but remarked, "You
have gone too far" some of the prisoners
told me st. Clair was struck once, and some
twice; was at the spring about fifty yards
off and heard the difficulty; l heard one
lick and the command, go to work and do
az tell Won to do;nI was out hunting COW
that day and it was very warm; the reason
went to the gang was to see If any, were
too hot; l was doubtful whether Watson
would obey orders or not, was another rea-
son went; Watson was not competent
guard; some of the prisoners said st. Clair
would not have died if he had not been
struck by Watson; would hate to believe
Thomas Moore on oath; prisoners say
Moore is not honest, that he pliers.
,uperintendent: The morning st. Clair
died told Watson not to rush the hands,
and keep plenty of cool water for them
/ was not present when he took sick; DIR,
Potter said when he came that st. Clair
was too far gone to do anything for him.
the question as to holding an inquest came
up: | depended on Potter to have the in
quest held; he said it would cost the
county $40 to hold the inquest, and went to
RI oh no m
ined st. Clair for marks of violence and
found none; there was an old scratch about
the middle of the back of his neck, or even
lower down the back, that somewhat re-
sembled ringworm to me; prepared the
body for burial; Potter came back about III
O. clock the next morning and said the peo'
pie of Hutchins did not knowhow to pro-
ceed the day st. Clair died went out on
the farm IN the morning and then away TO
Wntchens. when | came back and
started to the field l met the prison
ers bringing st. Clair to the house;
he was unconscious; when we got him TO
the house my wife made a mustard plaster
and put it on him; all was done that could
be done; | buried the body about 0 O'Clock
the day after death; Potter came back at
about 10 o'clock; Watson was ne W guard;
Commissioner Orr told me that there was
some complaint about Watson by men al
work on the Jail; told Watson not to be
hard on old man Moore; my brother told
me that Watson was not good, competent
guard; | did not consider Watson compe'
VorF yrard for the reason he knows more
than / do; | did not see St. Clair until he
was being brought to the house; the reason
| went by and gave Watson orders was,
was afraid he would rush the prisoners
the county court does not give mt
instructions about how to run the
| farm; have asked the court to give me
| instructions, but have received none, ano
hence / run the farm my own way 1 have
| on one or two occasions, chained white and
black prisoners together | have to dc
some things that don't like TO do TOLD
the prisoners that when this committed
came they would be put on their oath, an6
tho. .S>Ce would be an investigation
haS5 Aed that the charges against M
be investigated, myself; read the Times
report of affairs TO the prisoners; they de
MED most Of the charges about brutal treat
ment. and being fed on the bottom leave
of cabbage; 4 was very busy the week -
Clair died, being away from home grea
deal:I think some one ought 10 be sppointe'
10 look after the paupers; this is now o.
foot by the court, understand
and myself came up in this way
he gave q prisoner (Arkey) prescription
for 80 cents worth Of whisky for the fee Q
20 cents (the negro having only 50 cents
and the prisoner. who was uusty
came back from HutchiDs drunk; 60
after Potter about il, and / have told kelle
and Orr that since the court bad r.
instated him Potter that he could com
when he pleased; that i w0ul
look after the D isoners; / want their WORK
psupers can do the best they can I'M
whole matter came from Potter's talk an
work against me. but 1 don't know that
could be traced back and connected tbs
way.
Il LEwIs n. TAILOR.
Tstatement Have lived in Hutchin
ten OF twelve years. and have been on IN
poor farm often ever since y was estau
lisbed: 1 think Mr.. kinnin ~
good manager; Z don't think thar n
on the guards mistrest prisoners
the vuards don't allow the prisoners Z