The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-26
CAN 1T BE MARVIN Z?
SOME OF THE SURROUNDINGS OF THE
CARPENTER CRUELTY CHARGE.
An Indignant Letter OF Denial from
the surgeon Of the Virginia
Penftentiary.

An hnulgnout Letter OF Denial from
the surgeon Of the Virginia
Penftentiary.
A Dispatch reporter, who has examined
tlc letter written TO Senator Hurt by J. III.
Carpenter, IN which charges OF cruelty to
conyicts in the penitentiary hospital are
made, has been struck by the similarity be-
tween that writing and that OF " T. A. Mar
rin - on certain check, now famous. 1t ~
nice, precise "backhand." Maryip's usual
hand l. small, smooth, and running. Some
OF his Ms. Is preserved In this office, and
looking at II, It seems that the man who
wrote 1t might, by reversing his hand,
easily have written the letter signed J. II.
Carpenter.
There was at one time Mr. Carpenter
connected with The penitentiary. The
writer Of the Carpenter letter has never ap-
pearcd before the investigating committee,
to whom it was referred. Therefore the
suspicion that the signature ~. ii. Car
penter Is forgery gains ground.
The letter in question was handed to
Mr.. Hurt by the Sergeant-at-Arms, rs
cannot remember from whom he re-
ceived Il.
After the above was written the follow
Ing copy OF letter to Mr.. Hurt was re.
ceived:
COMMONWEALTH OF YIRGINIA,J
OFFICE OF SURGEON OF PENITENTIARY. (
RICHMOND, va, January "a, 1884.
Hon. J. L. Hurt, President pro tem' Of the Sen
ate:
Sir,-When my last communication was for
wardcd 10 you had not read the ful text OF that
remarkable letter Of one j. l.. Carpenter, or j. HI.
Carpenter, revised, corrected, and repnbllshed.
This must be my txcuse for second lrespass
upon your time and that or tie honorable body
over which yod preside. j. Is true that 4 man
named Ford has died In the prison since have
been an officer there. lie came to the prison from
ROckbrdge county, and wis examined by the sur
gcon April 27, 1898. He reported sick at morning
can May 14t5. ana had prescribed for him cOngh
mixture. lie did not re port again till June 18th,
when he WIS given m emctic, and lie had but one
thereafter. lie died July Sd at 9:i5 J.. NJ He
had been under treatment at the hospital for davs
before his death, and succumhed 10 an Overwhelin-
ingly severe and fatal attack OF fever
, The convict Albert Fortune was received at the
peniten,lary July 81. 1877, from King William
comfy for the term of thirty years. lie died of
anlsarca (drOpsyl July 9 1853; aged hfty-twO
years lie was excused from labor for eighteen
days In the month Of June, and was reported for
work only one day In the month Of July. On the
9th Of Julylt became apparent that lie would not
be able 10 return 10 labor az cooper. and at the
suggestion OF the surgeon he was taken from the
cOOper-shop contract and excused from all duty
in thGt shop. lie took bnt one emet!c during his
illness, which was Juno l5th-over a month before
he died. 1t Is true that the present SUI geon be-
llcyes In the use OF cmetlcs, nnd prescriDeS
them I'm his practice for officers. guards,
employees. and prisoners of this institution
indiscnminately, and he points with pride to the
favorable results therefrOm.
Ii Is also true that the present surgeon has been
In charge here nearly year. during which lime
ten men have died within the rison wallis out Of a
everywhere, and that suddenly, too, In AL ranks
and stations Of life; for Death advances win
huts of the poor. We reiicrate that the rate Of
mortality Is one third less within the prison walls
than outside In the city Of Richmond.
No man by the name of Daniels has died N this
prison during the term of the present surgeon.
ADrODOs of The cheese which that mythical PER
son Daniels Is said TO have eaten, have To remark
that il never constituted part OF the prison ra-
ton un,il ordered by the present gton FOR lie
sake of variety and its beneficial influence upon
the health Of the men during warm weather
Several times Gurliig last summer the surgeon
ordered melons 10 be Issued % the men. believing
them to be beneficial tU their health. The men are
also supplied with pickles by direclbonof the sur.
geOn. After consultation with that honest and
efficient eN-SupcrintenCent, Captain :. {. vii
iiaus, and upOn concurrence of the Board % d.
recters, an extra dinner was ordered Tor lie men
on ChrtstulDs-day, consisting In part or over 100
pounds roast pork, with sweet potatoes. 100 gal
Ous OF oysters, two barrels Oyster-crackers f.3OO
apples. 81 pounds rasins, bread, etc.. III abund-
anCe. In addition To thai. the surgeon repairCdtO
the prison early on the morning of that day, re-
manning there until nearly noon. and snperintent-
ed and ASS isted with his own hands In preparing
for the prisoners about ninety gallons OF apple
t0ddy. since the present surgeon has been in
charge thirteen yenlllators have been PLACED upon
the workshops at his suggestloI Tor the healh ana
comfort Of the men, and he has continually had a
care for The sanitary condition Of the premises.
For the beneht of The men who may not be eN-
cused AT surgeons call he Of his own volitOn Is ut
the prison nj \. ~, which is several hours earlier
than has been done by former surgeons. As re-
CARDS the charges about the hospital steward. the
right to do ovcrTorL and receive remuneration
granted II prieOnprg
(ride Code Of NirginiaD, and In this instance also
by "a special order OF the Superintendent. The
stttcmenf OF the daily routine or duty Of the hos
plt1l steward is herewith presented. marked A.
Heretofore the sick In the hospital have been
compelled 80 eat their meals out OF the common
tin pans held on their knees or any way con-
venient. Upon the present surgeon taking charge
a large table was provided, with cr0ckery etc, ,and
all sick able TO sit up called 70 the table
when their regular food las been properly pre-
pared, and special dishes cooked by an extra
cook are served. We have only two cOlored
men detailed IN the Hospital, one for the
white and one for The cOlOrcd ward, which Is
one less than formerly. One of these servants IL
boy and the other n man disabled for muscular
work long ago by nip-j0int disease. The boy does
the same work AS to keeping the apartments clean
and IN order as II servant would 90 m private
house. He assists In cooking for all the men In
the hospital, and the hospital steward eats his
meals with the patti ms who are able to sit at The
In view of all these facts and circumstances, the
attack upon me Is uncalled for, unjust, and out
rageous, md Shoeyer j. l.. Carpenter, or j. n.
Carpenter may be, or whosOeyer may he hiding
behind that pseudonym, has wilfally and mali.
ciOusly ed Respectfully, j. II. JONES,
surgeon Virginia Penitentary.
4 representative Of this paper, talking
cautiously about the suspicious cTcum-
stances connected with the Carpenter let
ter. Yesterday aScertained from one who is
connected with the Investigation that be
had reasons. from what he was told, to be-
lieve that Marvin had forged the name OF
j. II. Carpenter. The question was, how
ever, How could Marvin get letter out Of
the prison, and how did he know that Mr..
Hart was President pro tenn. OF the Senate