The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-03

the promptings of heartless men il
: whom he stands in mortal fear, tn
humanity had oozed away ant
vanished, and he had become tn
plant tool of wicked wretches VIII
know not the meaning of the wore
justice. We asserted that when ht
took charge of the Pen there were M
Mormon inmates, and the convicts were
treated with reasonable degree of con
sideration; that they we're allowed the
privileges that are accorded prisoner:
In all well ordered penal institutions;
that they were permitted to purchase
such little luxuries and necessi-
ties as they might be able to
pay for, were not restricted in
! their reading matter, and the discipline
was no more severe than was necessary
for good order and safety. Mr.. Nichol-
son nor the Marshal will attempt to de
ny any of this, for they know that it is
all true. Nor will either of them say
that when the Mormons began to be
forced into the place the rules were not
made more rigorous and that greater sc.
verify was not pract;ced. That such wss
the case was the cause for much grumb
ling on the part of the inmates. Was it
in any respect suggestive of humanity.
to intensity the rigor in order to punish
the Mormons, when these are admitted
by the Marshal, the Warden and the
guards to be the most peaceful, quiet,
orderly and well-disposed OF all their
wards? Mr.. Nicholson admits that the
rules have been more strict and there
has been a tightening of the reins of
discipline, but he docs not say, al
though he knows it to be fact, that the
increased rigor and the tighten
ing of the reins was ordered
solely for the purpose of being
more cruel to the Mormons.' Our
friend says the disciplineis not "unen-
durable. OF course it is not. Ireland has
not yet advanced so far in the scale OF
brutality as to absolutely starye people |
or punish them to death. Mr.. Nichol-
son says nobody has been punished |
unless his conduct merited il. We |
cannot help thinking our friend has
not heard all that has gone on in that
infamous den, for if he were familiar
with the facts he would not make the
statement that he does. THE HERALD
has in its possession the affidavits of
men whose simple word would be ac-
cepted without question by Mr.. Nichol-
son and all others who know them, to
acts of the grossest brutality in punish
that no conduct could
merit. We will quote briefly from one
Iffidavit:
Affiant AYERS that Mr.. John Smith,
me of the prisoners told him, and his
estimony was affirmed blythe ;
lame is withheld at present. for obvious
easons) another of the prisoners, that !
he said Smith was kept In the sweat {
,ox" fifty.eight days without coat !
" blankets-no bed but the floor,
md on one meal day of bread and
water. The first night of his coniine- {
nent he was drenched with cold well
water five consecutive times, through
he night, seven bucketfuis being poured I
IN him each time; that the offense for
which this punishment was inflicted
vas refusing to sleep in the same bed I
With a very dirty negro.
We know our friend will not claim ;
hat Smiths conduct merited any
UGH treatment, and we know
lso that Mr.. Nicholson, with all
lght-minded, right-thinking men,
aust regard the punishment as inhu-
nan and brutal. We have more of this {
to record when it shall become
and the awful stories of Of
cial cruelty are supported by proof
hat will not be disputed.
the food, Mr.. Nicholson says, is
oarse but wholesome. We do not know !
that the food is to-day, but we do know
hat last summer it was simply vie. 4
nan who would set such stuff
efore his fellow creatures as was /
pread for the prisoners many times !
ast summer, should be given a term OF ,,
ears in the badly managed Utah Peni- !
entiary. We have a dozen or more
ffidavits as to the foulness of the food.
me of them says: The food was :
cry unpalatable and unsavory. The c
leat was conveyed in filthy tubs from 7
he COOK room to the dining hall. On !
everal occasions the meat was so badlvll i
,inted that it stunk, and had maggots $
! it." Another says, 1.-The soup had 9
cen made from meat that was :
live with maggots." Another. C
The bread on several occasions \
as sour, so it could not :,
E eaten, hence the sour bread, the D
ncooked potatoes and the tainted q
leat we're thrown back into the tubs
nd conveyed to the piggery attached c
, the Penitentiary, the swine having a I
asst at the expense of the hungry con Il
icts." We are glad to know from Mr.. :,
icholson that the food is now whole 81
,nIe, and hope it viii continue SO. but o