The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-05
A FAVORED FRIEND
Of rAE kEEpER Of rAE COUNTY !AIL
Allowed Special PrlrlI.ss-Hou DouslaS, iAs
Grant COuatJ Nail RobS.r aAd Murderer Fares,
and How an UniOrtuuats Woman Is
Trsatsd-P.eulIlr "pI,eIplIn,."

W. H. Davis, the keeper Of the County
Jail, denies in a communication printed in
another place, that any OF the stories
printed In yesterday S ISrELLiGEScER about
his treatment OF the alleged boy iucendiaFies
and other prisoners, was true or even found
ed in fact. Yet the fact remains that when
on the witness stand and testifying under
oath, he acknowledged that he had kept
the boys two days without food, though he
afterwards told 4 reporter that he never kept
any prisoner longer than one day without
anything to eat.
ACAsE OF FAyoRITIsN.
A case OF another kind OF treatment of
prisoner came to the ears Of a representative
OF the IxrELLI0EScER yesterday. William
Douglass was, as readers OF the daily papers
will remember, brought from Moundsyille
| TO this city few weeks ago. and confined In
the county jail here for safe keeping until
\ the authorities OF Grant county were ready
| 10 rive him q new trial ordered by the Su.
| preme Court OF Appeals, on the charge OF
murder. Douglass and Jailer Davis are old
acouaintances, Davis having been employed
by the father OF the prisoner when the latter
was a boy. When Douglass was committed
TO the jail for safe keeping, be was first
allowed TO occupy the old debtors room,"'
in the residence portion OF the building.
Sheriff Brown objected 70 this ana
told Davis II was not safe, but Douglass
was not removed to the jail proper until
the Sheriff had again spoken OF the matter.
Even then he was granted special privileges,
beisg released from his cell about halt.past
Eve in the morning, several hours earlier
than the other prisoners, and allowed to re-
main out considerably later In the evening.
with Douglass well.known love for liberty
and his record as jail.breAker, the conf.
dence reposed in him would seem to disln-
tereSted observer not quite In keeping with
the striciness OF discipline OF which Jailos
Davis Is an advocate aud an exemplar.
PRISONER WHO Is NOT 50 FORTUNATE.
Among the inmates Of the jail at present is
q woman, Maggie Hines, committed. TO Jail
BY Judge LETTERS, Of the City Police Court, in
default OF a triftng fine for drunkenness on
the street. She was sent up for thirty days,
and has served about half OF her term. In
that time, with the exception Of the first two
dayy, she has not been out OF her cell, though
ali other prisoners have the freedom OF the
corridors for at least part OF the day unless
Temporarily deprived Of 1t for some breach Of
the arbitrary rules Of the jailer. Mr.. Davis
was asked about this case yesterday, and said
that the woman Was merely kept in her cell
because she preferred It,. She had committed
no offence at all, nor was her continuous
confinement In the cell compulsory.
Subsequently gentleman who is somewhat
familiar with the management Of the jail de.
MED this. He said that when both male aud
female prisoners are confined 10 one ward 1t
Is customary 10 give the male prisoner the
freedom OF the corridor for halt OF the day
and the females for the other half. This has
nobeen done in the case referred TO, and 1t Is
unjust that It Is not. In the other ward there
are but eight prisoner, yet they are'divided
Into two reliels, but four at time being
allowed to come out into the hall.
\ Said prominent attorney, not connected
with the defense OF the tire-bng boys, yester-
day, 1.-THE INTELLoENeER has struck. the
right lead. Had been conducting news
paper Twonld have exposed Daviss doings
long ago. His admissions on the stand were
shameful stories shamelessly told"
THE M'ApAAs CASE
A man who was among the prisoners at the
time Davis fired AT Morris McAdams, told a
reporter last night that McAdams had set
some straw aRre in his cell. 1t was out OF
his pillow, which was very dirty.
anu ne lnouBut ny ppIhink nc
would get clean. one. The night
Waterman stopped him without any
difficulty. but Davis afterwards entered his
cell and struck at him with short hand.
billy. McAdams threw up his hands to ward
of the blow, and received It on his wrist.
fDaris was about TO strike him again, when
the night watchman demonstrated and inter
fered. McAdams was then handcutted and
shackled, but shortly took the handouts of,
and breaking one leg OF his bunk loose, stood
up In the corner with 1t. Davis threw open
the door and fred his revolver, when the
night Waterman again interiered and told
him shooting would only raise an excite:
ment and do no good.
Davis said at the time that he fired to hit.
It is difficult TO get at the truth OF rumors
about misconduct OF affairs In the Jail, for
obvious reasons But all that has been said
In the ISrELIlGRScER has been from reliable
sources.