Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-03-05
THE UTAH PENITENTIARY.
Enough Evidence TO Prove the
"Herald,, "a wiliful and Defama-
tory Liar.

The recent talk about the treatment
and fare OF the prisoners at the Territor-
ial penitentiary has arrayed large num-
Der of reputable Mormons against the
Herald and its false statements. ii. b.
Clawson, when he was first seen on the
street the day of his liberation, took oc-
casion to speak voluntarily against these
Interpretations and he gave the as
surance that there were others now in the
Pen who would corroborate his reluta-
tons.
James c. Watson, who spent five
months at the penitentiary last summer
and fall, during the most disagreeablc
season Of the year for such confinement,
was asked yesterday by DEMOCRAT re-
porter as to what he thought OF the man
ner in which the institution is conducted,
and also with regard to the prisoners bill
of fare.
al consider that the statements con-
tanned in John Nicholson's letter to the
Herald are correct in every particular.
am sure, so far as my experience is con-
cerned, found the institution far better
in every respect than had expected"
"Did you notice any evidences OF
cruelty, upon the part OF the manage.
ment during your period OF confinement
there ?''
mot any at all. Marshal Ireland was
uniformly kind and courteous. and invari-
ably greeted myself and the brethren
with pleasant shake of the hand. Az
| for Warden Dow-well, should dislike
to see him succeeded by anybody, for he
is the incest kind OF II man, and does his
duty in way that wins the unqualified
esteem OF the decent prisoners.
"What about the food is it a fact that
meat which has become literally tainted
with infection is dished up to the boys"
"No, sir, don't believe any such meat
was ever offered to the prisoners. was
there during the worst OF the hot weather
last summer, and | never saw anything
| but first-class meat come into the institu-
ton. 1t generally came in quantities OF
one hind and two fore-quarters, in the
case OF beef; and never saw prettier
meat anywhere. During the hottest
nights we used to place the beef up in the
top, OF the trees SO as to keep it from
spelling, for you know they have no re-
frigerator out there, and they are obliged
to do the next best. Twice only during
my stay there detected II slight faint in
the meat which was given me to eat, and
then it was not worse than lots of people
have it in town during the hot weather.
| have experienced the same difficulty at
home in keeping meat from becoming
| just the least bit contaminated"
Don't you think that the misstate-
ments appearing from time to time in the
Herald are UNANIMOUSLY unfair, and don't
you consider them wholly the inventions
OF the writers?"
Understand me, am not talking fol
the sake of getting into print; what
have said know to be true and / have
always maintained it; so have VIM
Fotheringham, Angus Cannon anC
others. When some Of my friends read
the letter OF Brother Nicholson the othel
day, they remarked: Those are ole
Jim's (meaning mel sentiments exactly,
and so they are"
Mr.. Watson spoke throughout the con-
versation in Il firm and quiet manner, ap
parently not caring, rs he said, whit
heard him, but, of course, while he i:
generally and highly esteemed rs franz
and honest man everywhere, his testi
mony, in the eyes of the Herald and it
ilk, would count for nothing alongside o
the statement OF the desperate JOIN
Smith, who has been confined in til,
penitentiary alternately for the worst o
crimes for years.