The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-08

preCiR,ed by the conVtctH. lie has given
each mon two towels q week instead Of
ons. AT his suggestion the Board Of D-
rectoyg permitted the purchase Of 1901
ponnds Of turkey for Thanksgiving din
ney. These things are told ut tho prison
ss indicating the disposition Of the Super
intendent toward the ConVICts.
| had every opportunity 10 talk with
ConviCls, at their work and in their cells.
asRured them that not one Of them
would be named, 90 that In no case would
they run tho risk Of being punished for
anything thOy might say. Men in their
situation are suspicious, but think these
mon we're without exception reNssured,
for come Of them did not hesitate to say
that the discipline IL TOO severe, and they
pointed to rules which they thought uu-
reasonable. The objectionable rules are
not named, because the objection might
indicate the obieCtOr, and this am under
promiee not To do. This much will say,
that go lar as | have any knowledge Of
prIson government, the thing to DO &C.
coDplished and the available means, the
rules are not unreasonable. Tho aim Of
the management 10 ii1t Of all control, and
this control must operate on the
individual man. II tac man can
be held down, that holds them
all down. Every Eisn Of insubord.
llnation must DO dealt With prompt
ijy, Colonel PeCks idea Ia TO pun
| lSh for q light oIEense that the convict
may not have to be punished more
! severely for q graver oaenSe. AZ to pun.
ishments there is a wide difference Of
opiuion, and perhaps there never will be
general agreement.
Col, Peck abolished the bull-rings. Call
| Ing up colored man whose right band
has been permanently disabled, no said
"that mans hand found running sore
when | came hero. ! soon did away with
! the rings." HepreleIsth the strap, which he
maintains has never been used to excess,
and the statement the prison physician,
DR.. Bruce, Gays Ia true 60 far 90 he knows.
saw the alIep that was used up to the
time the Board abolished 1t. Everybody
said that Wilkineon, late Assistant Super
IinLsndent, and present prosecutor, madO
hi, / saw the abandoned clicking jenny"
An Unlocking thing but really not 20
horrible as II has been described by Nr.
Wilkineon, who, by common testimony
! in the prison, Is both the architect and
builder OF the machine. A lees modest
man might have had 1t patented as "Wil-
| kinson's Aid to Better Lille" saw the
"shoo lly"-stocks in which the convict
| Is PLACED while water is played In his face
Through an inch hose. Everything
would depend on the force Of
the water, nut to my mind the
"shoo fly" Is very Objectionable. II the
Directors ordered its use, az they are said
| 10 have done, they ought to order It's
Adjustment,
l could learn Of but ono man who had
had the blood brought from him by the
strap and that, he told me, was brought
with one blow. This man 10 not far re-
moved from the brute, hiss besn In an
other penitentiary and was brought to
Moundsyille with great difficulty and
heavily mGnaClOd, He has given no
trouble since he was logged, ia obsdlent,
does his work willingly and well. / looked
Into the cOse OF man who, Wilkinson
said, WaB logged Tor not doing his task.
The cont actors book shogs that he has
not only been doing his task, but over
work as we'll. saw Gu intercepted letter
Of his in which,hG said: ~ am spelling
broom corr, tryingin my humble way to
keep down the profits Of the contractors"
This man had been punished Tor spoil
| ing broom corn" by cutting it, not I'm.
common form oil malicious mischief,
ConviCts agree with Ru9rdE, contractors
and their employees In saying that Col.
Peck has kept the prison cleaner, looked
moro to the comfort oil the convlCts, In.
lcted lees punishment and maintained
better discipline than his predecessors.
A convict Of more than ordinary intelll.
genCo said: "ADy man can get along
bore II he behaves himself. II he mis-.
behaves he knows that punishment is
certain, / believe Colonel Peck 10 be
| lust and kind man, but II he gave an inch
no couldn't rulO here 8 day." II the
government were not rigid The conyISts
would not be safe from each other. Tho
man from whom the blood was
drawn got his punshment for knocking
down another convict. Then, too, there
are conyicta who will seize the slightest
opportunity 10 steal from fellow convict
the little that he has. It must be borne
in mind that q penitsntiary 10 not a com.
muuity Of angels. Tao men imprisoned
are shut up from society because In each
case twelve men found them unfit 10 be Of
large. The governor oil prison cannot
inauiro into the Justice OF the verdict and
the sentence. He must treat Rll conYlGts
alike and on the theory that every one Of
them must DO watched every minute.
AHidAvits that would be very interest.
iSR To Mr.. wilkinson, the prosecutor,
were shown 10 me. They are tho nflda.
Vita Of guards and contractors employees,
In no case Of ConVlCts. They relate 10
the moral character Of Wilkinson and are
bssed, In part, Oh Ills own boAs.iul Rdmis.
slonS Of bis g.llantiy. The pltidayits re.
late particularly u what's alleged 70 have
happened In the prison, a guard from
Wilkinson's own county Of Wayne
says that his Immoral life Of
home has long been known.
One affidavit tells Of the visit Of a woman
10 zoe Wilkinson. She asked tho guard
II Peck did not have considerable money.
Being told that hO had not phe said,
"WOIl, ly0 got the hall rolling, and, by
-, IN keep Il moving" Another
guard makes affidavit that he lent money
10 Wilkinson, who said lie wanted 10 give
II TO this woman. II the Legislature
undertakes an investigation, II will hear
from the TitnVBsCe details which would
better DO given there than hare. Wllkin.
son will not ask for an lHEeoligaton, TN.
LEES ell the atlantis are liars,
Wilkinson wanted 10 DO supeflntend.
ont. Failing In that, Colonel Peck, who