The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-04
-DAVIS'S DISCIPLINE.
SOME OF THE MILO puNlsHMENTs
p..ort.d to by til. Keeper of the County na..I. to
Keep Ia subJ,etiOn Bis unnly charsss-A
Boy Who Says he Was Kaoektd ssnsslen
with CIab-Jsllsr DarIsI story.


Yesterday during the hearing Of evidence
In the case of the four boys charged with
setting fire 10 the North Wheeling Glass
Works rather sensational episode occurred,
and some facts were made public which
caused hum OF indignation to 60 round the
crowded court room.
W. H. Davis, keeper Of the county jail, was
on the stand, as q witness for the prosecution,
and narrated the confessions Of the boys to
him at various times. When the State rested,
Captain Doyener, OF counsel for the defense,
began cross examination directed toward
showing malice, or at least prejudice, on the
part OF the witness against the boys
In the questions proponnded q state OF
affairs before unsupported BY the general
public was limited at as existing OF the jail.
For instance, Mr.. Days was asked II he bad
not knocked one OF the boys, McCleary,
down with policeman's mace while he was
bandcufIed. He admitted that be bad struck
McCleary on the head with mace, knocking
him down, but be depied that he was hand.
cuffed. He had also, be confessed, struck the
other boys With the same mace. 1t was
weapon he used 10 discipline unruly prison.
ers, and under the same circumstances he
would punish the boys In the same manner
again. The club, which Capt Dovener refer
red 10 as that mallet," was produced in
Court and introduced as evidence. II tsa
mace OF raw hide, about two feet long and an
Inch and half in diameter, ana weighs prob
ably six pounds. In the centre Is an iron
rod about one quarter inch thick. Davis
was further asked II the boys had not one
time been deprived OF food for four days. He
denied that they had, but admitted that they
had once been without nythingt to eat for two
days.
Being asked II he had charged the county
board Tor the boys for these two days, he ad.
mitted that he had.
Mr.. Fitzsimmons, night guard at the Jail,
was then put on the stand. but
when the defense undertook to show by
him Dsyis's practices, the prosecution OBJ.
jected, and. the testimony was ruled out.
THE BOYS STORY.
When a favorable opportunity offered, an IN
rELLiGENcER reporter approached McCleary,
who was seated near his counsel, and asked
him the particulars Of the occurrences al.
luded to In the testimony The boy said
that somebody had yelled out OF the window
at Dayis's son.in.law, and the jailer came In
aud asked the boys who 1t was. They all
said they did not know, and for this they
were confined In their cells. Some OF them
ratified the inside door, making a racket,
which brought Davis In again, and entering
McCleary's cell he struck him with the mace
with the result stated. The first lick missed
It's mark, and the club striking the
sharp corner OF the iron door,. the leather
cover was cut. This was the boy'sstory, and
the club shows q cut on the end Of It.
which seems 10 Snbstantiate the state
ment,
On another occasion the boys declare the
taller struck Abe Boston, the smallest OF the
live BOYS, with his mace, with such force as
to knock him insensible, and they say he has
struck all Of them more or loss frequently
with big club.
The bows also state that for four days
they were without food as Il punishment for
some trivial oflense, and that on several oc-
casions they were kept on bread and water
for several days at time.
MORRIS M'ADAMs CASE.
A gentleman who heard the reporter
catechfsing the boys said: THAT Is matter
which should have received attention at the
hands OF the press long ago. The jailor has
been allowed TO abuse the prisoners In his
charge under the guise OF maintaining disci-
pline long enough. The prisoners are no
doubt generally hard set, and sometimes no
doubt one would have to be rather severe to
preserve order, but still they are human be-
ings, and because they have been charged
with wrong doing is no reason that they
should be treated like brutes."
"Did you ever know OF any occurrence
similar 10 thisF p the reporter asked.
ayes; or at least I was told OF an incident
| in Morris McAdams' cell some time ago, OF
! which different account, furnished, l sup
pose, by Davis, was printed at the time. Nor
ris was handcufed, and standing in his cell,
when Davis entered and undertook to punish
him for some intraction OF prison discipline
He struck at McAdams with his club, but
missed him, and McAdams spraug into cor
ner. Davis. stepped to the door and fired two
shots from his revolver back into the cell. :"
Numerous stories OF this and similar kinds
were heard, but none OF them very definite.
This Is not sign that they are not true.
From the nature OF the ease Specifications OF
any such occurrences are not readily obtain
able.
WHAT THE SHERIFF fAYs.
Sheriff Brown was called upon by the re-
porter. He said he believed Davis had been
somewhat tyrannical with the prisoners, but
Il was necessary to be firm. He had charged
the taller that he must preserve order and
lecency In the Jail, but had also cautioned
him against undue severity. He said that
the prisoners were inclined TO be saucy, and
the jsiler was not inclined 10 permit them TO
indulge. this disposition. The result
was often trouble. He had never heard any
complaint of.Daviss abusing prisoners He
had heard Of his using a mace, but not un::
less necessary, he believed. He bad heard
fof prisoners being locked up when they com.
planned that It was uncalled for, He had
anI ~ tha
The incident In which McAdams was con-
cerned he knew OF. McAdams had In some
way obtained possession OF an iron bar, and
the iailor fired into his cell TO scare him.
Where McAdams got the iron bar, and how
be could get It without gross negligence on
the part OF the jailor, was not explained.
DAvIs's DENIAL
Mr.. Davis was interviewed by a reporter
last night. He denies having knocked
AIcCleary down or struck Boston senseless.
He said he had struck the former with his
open hand, and two others Of the five had
stepped to The two sides Of the door OF their
cell, intending, be supposed, TO attack him II
he entered. He reached in and struck. TO
both sides with bis mace, driving the boys
out That was the only time he had struck
any OF them. They frequently insulted
members Of his family, and he sometimes
locked them up or punished them otherwise:
When asked about the charge that he had
kept the boys four days withqqt anything 10
eat, he said It was ridiculous lie. He had
kept them without food for one day-three
meals-and that was the most he ever did
deprive them Of their regular rations He
sometimes kept them on bread and water
TO punish them for otfenses,
in regard to the McAdams story, be gave
the same version about as the Sheriff., He
said at that time he stood 50 that the shots
could not possibly have struck the prisoner,
and be did not Intend Or desire that they
should.
: The testimony OF Davis was heard by a
large number OF North Wheeling people,
friends OF the families OF the boys on trial,
and general mitigation was expressed at the