The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-09-18
CONVICTs KILLED.
lnhuman Treatment by Guards at the
Kentucky Penitentiary.
Prisoners Beaten To Death for Being Too
III 20 Work-The Verdict OF the Cor
oner's Jury at Lexington.

LEXINGTON, KY, September lathe Cor
oner's jury this afternoon finished its in
quest into the death of John O'Brien and
James Smith, two convicts alleged to have
been killed at the convict camp at the waters
works reservoir near this city last Tuesday.
The testimony revealed terrible state Of
affairs at the camp, and most inhuman
treatment of the convicts by their keepers.
Drs.Buckner and Scott, who held post
mortem on the bodies, testified THAT
O'Brien's body showed bruises upon both
sides of the chest and upon
the back and scrotum. The bruises
were not sufficient to have killed well
man, but woul certainly be serious to q
sick one and hasten his death. The negro
Smiths body showed no signs of mistreat-
ment except confusion upon the head,
which was not considered fatal. The doc
tors thought that Smith had pleurisy, and
that neither O'Brien nor Smith was in con-
dition to work. The bodies of both men
were in an advanced stage of decomposi>
taon; therefore, the autopsy was not as sat-
isfactory as it might otherwise have been.
Green G. Park, convict whose time ex-
pired Friday, testified that W. B. Conner
whipped O'Brien severely three or four
times Tuesday with a leather strap because
he would not work, O'Brien protesting all
the time that he was sick and could not
work. Half an hour after the last whip
ping Conner went to where O'Brien was
sitting in = the sun and felt his
pulse. he then said, "There is nothing
the matter with you," and knocked him
over and kicked him in the side several
times. j. j. Quinn, a guard, also kicked
O'Brien several times. O'Brien got on his
knees and begged for mercy, saying he
would work if he could, but was too sick.
IF you have no pity for me-" ne pleaded,
have pity on my poor wife and little chill
dren." Conner cursed him and said: .'I'n
kill you, instead of thinking about hell"
About this time Quinn knocked the
negro Smith down and tried to
get some of the convict carriers to
run their carts over both Smith
and O'Brien. who lay senseless upon the
ground. Smith rose and in dazed man
ner attempted to stagger away, and Quinn
called upon the other guards to shoot him.
O'Brien and Smith were then taken to
their quarters, and died within an hour.
OBrien never spoke after be was knocked
thirty convicts were examined, and
they all told the same story, and
substantiated Parks statements. Accord
ing to. their testimony the convicts are
treated very brutally, and are not allowed
TO sit down from a. m. to p. M, being
compelled to stand while eating their meals
of corn bread and fat bacon. Several of
the convicts made proffers of their bodies,
showing where they had been
dashed mercilessly, as the still
fostering wounds evidenced. They
testified that the guards have habit of
Handwriting prisoners and whipping them
with q lash through which tacks are stuck.
The Coroner's jury found verdict that
John O'Brien came to his death at the
hands of W. B. Conner and J. j. Quinn, and
James Smith at the hands of j. }. Quinn.
Conner is in Jail under charge of murder,
buf, 0uinn left the country last Thursdav