The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-30
MoUNpsyILLE,
bad State OF Analrs at the PenIteatIary,
AIIstaken Arrest, etc,

Mistaken Arrest, etc,
The examination Of teachers was held
Saturday and about ssventy.five teacher
were present and examined. Prof. Writ,
County Superintendent, assisted by Pro
lessors May aud Bonar, conducted the ex
animation, The certificates will not bI
ready for distribution until some tint
next week,
Thursday evening message was re-
ceived here by the Town Sergeant from
Cambridge, Ohio, To arrest Charles Bow
ers, Of this place, as being implicated III
he attempted burglary there and the rob-
berry OF Joe Alexander's residence lasl
Sunday. Upon receipt OF the message
officer Connor went to the train and ar.
rested the young man just as he stepped
on the platform. He was taken before
Esquire Edwards and gave bond in tht
sum oil 500 for his appearance Friday
morning, On Friday morning 1t was dis
covered that Bowers was not the man
they were after, and he was released
Bowers IL a respectable young man and
has always borne good reputation in this
community, and 1t is a shame that such
mistake should have occurred, 1t should
bs a warning to officers to 20 little slow
about making arrests on suspicion. The
affair may yet result in suit against
somebody for false imprisonment.
The oil we'll on the Hicks place Is being
pumped, and 1t Is reported that it is a
twenty.barrel we'll While the excite.
ment has almost entirely died out, there
Ia yet every evidence that there must be
something in this oil field as many oil
men are staying about the town waiting
Tor something, II Is runored that i'm.
portRnt results will be Eeen during the
next ten days.
The Board Of Directors OF the Psniten.
tiary held meeting Thursday and Friday
Of this week, Up 10 this writing they
have not transacted any business OF much
Importance that has been madepubliC. For
come time there has been trouble between
the Directors and the Superintendent.
Just what the prime cause Of the trouble
Is Is not generally understood, but that
there is q serious difference between them
Is evident, When Mr.. Peck came here
there was no discipline to speak Of In the
the penitentiary, and he Immediately
went to work to reform the institution In
every way, Under former Superlntend.
ents the punishments inflicted was come.
times inhuman, and Superintendent
PeCk's first move was to abolish them.
He next turned his attention TO the SAM.
tary condition OF the prison and has
worked wonders In that line, and In
TACT The had had the earnest support and
cooperation Of the Board OF Directors the
West Virginia penitentlary would haye In
time ranked with the best prisons OF the
United States. But his friends say that for
some cause the Board has worked against
Mr.. Peck in nearly every way they could,
They passed an order prohibiting any pun.
ishment except the dark cell. This was
direct hit against Mr.. Peck on account OF
his having institued whipping In the pen.
itentiary. This whipping is done with a
broad strap and Is so arranged that 1t will
not laCerat9 the flesh and at the same time
Is a very effective persuader. That pun.
ishment ia necessary for discipline In the
prison no well informed person will deny,
and the punishment that Is most humane
and at the same time just as good in It's
effects is no doubt the best. Before whip.
ping was introduced 1t was the common
punishment 10 place the prisoners in
stocks and then turn hose on him until
he was nearly drowned and then release
him. 1t was also fashionable to tie man
up by the wrists for ten or fifteen minutes
at time. The Directors at first aCqui.
esced In all that Mr.. Peck did, but latterly,
1t Is claimed, they seem 10 try 10 find
fault, and In consequence the penitentiary
will probably loss the superintendent
Some say that Governor Wilson is trying
to smooth matters up, but no one knows
whether he will be successful or not. An.
other very singular break on the part OF
the Board was the prohibiting Of the pris'
oners from taking the air In the yard on
Sunday. To Mr.. Peck this seems nothing
more than an attempt to annoy him, as he
gave the convicts this liberty. This state
Of affairs is bad for all parties concerned,
and 1t Is time there should be harmony In
the management OF the prison,