The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-08-04

was released at about : o'clock on the
evenlngof the 9th, after hanging con-
\ tinuously for thirty-one hours; that
while hanging he had been dubbed ON
4 the bead -by keeper HaEgeFtyi that lac
was hfty-seven years OF age, and had
been punished Tor failing 70 perform
his task, which at his advanced aye was
q physical impossibility.
a PRISONER DRIVEN MAD.
The next notable horror Of which
your correspondent WAS an eyewitness
was the punishment of A. Green, Of
Cell IA, Company 8, whose terrible
suffering drove him mad. On Thurs
day afternoon, February 10, at about
80 O'Clock, Green succeeded, John
McCarty, of Cell 80, Company .. Nc.
Carthy lad been hanging on the tree
for twenty-four hours. According to
the statements OF his keeper, Edward
Lewis, Green had been undergoing pun
ishment every day for nearly eight
weeks. The form OF torture TO which
he had been subjected during that time
consisted of standing on soap box con-
tinually from morning until night in
the laundry ironing room-a po-
sition which gained for him the
rather inappropriate title OF The
Statue OF Liberty. When this
Grazing treatment began Green
WINS just recovering from long and
serious illness-the result Of protract-
ed confinement in dungeon on an
ounce OF bread and gill Of water day.
On February 10, the tifty-fifth day OF
Green's torture on "the block" Keeper
Lewis moved the soap box close to the
laundry furnace and nailed 1t to the
floor. ito give Green q roastin'." The
outside OF the fnrnace-on which the
laundry irons are heated-is kept nearly
red.hot. Green endured the scorching
heat until it became unbearable. Then
he got down and tried to move the box
back. The keeper ordered him up
again. Green obeyed and submitted to
the bllstering torture until his clothes
began to smoke. lilo then stepped from
the box, wrenched 1t loose and moved
it back. The keeper Immediately ran
him in, and Deputy Moon ordered him
to be hung on the tree" for refusing to
be roasted alive.
At noon on Friday, February 20, after
hanging for twenty-three hours, Green
was in fainting condition. His long
illness, following the horrible punish
ment OF the dungeon, and succeeded by
eight weeks OF constant torturei ending
with day and night OF excrutiating
agony on the tree, had been too much
for outraged human nature. Ills end
seemed near. The scene Mt the tree"
presented IN awful spectacle. The vic
tim hung to one side, his right arm
high above his head, his left arm and
shoulder dropping low, the weight OF
his body straining heavily on his olan-
cled wrist, his face perfectly colorless:
his under jaw hanging, his eyes hall
closed, and the whites rolled upward.
His limbs, unable to support him
longer, had bent beneath him. Ills
only support was his shackled wrist,
and the swollen hand above 1t was as
black us the hand OF q negro. He was
still conscious; his livid face, distorted
with agony, was an Undesirable pict-
IRE OF hopeless suffering, and his whole
attitude betokened the despair that well
comes death.
ATE DINNER USCoSCERSED.
Twelve officers, clothed with authority
by the great State OF New York, were
scented near the "tree." eating their din
ners with the unconcerned air OF men
who saw nothing unusual. A guard to
whom such scenes were new entered the
hall to join tile mess, and, casting a
startled glance at Green, uttered a cry
OF horror. "What do you think OF that,
youngfeller ~ jeeringly inquired Green's
keeper, Edward Lewis, who is the bully
OF the town and the terror OF the prison.
~ don't like it, and don't think much
OF any man that does" replied the
guard. Here your correspondent, the
guard, fell under suspicion, which, how
ever, did not take root Immediately.
Green was taken down during the after
noon and carried to his cell. On the
next day it was rumored that he had
gone mad.
Moon celebrated Washington's birth
day in novel manner. The morning
was intensely cold. The keepers APP
peared Mt the prison in their bearskin
overcoats. When the convicts were
rung out to perform the sanitary work,
Green, in half-demented condition,
was dragged out OF his cell and march
ed over ice and snow through the prison
yard, clad only in light cotton under
clothes and stocking. The march OF
300 yards was performed in the slow
lockstep and in the face Of piercing
northern blasts, which cut to the mar
row. Green encountered general obser-
walton on re-entering the prison hall,
and murmur Of horror and pity arose
from galleries filled with marching con-
victs. 1t was a never-to-be-forgotten
spectacle-a tall, splendidly built young
man OF thirty years marching in out OF
that freezing atmosphere, robbed Of
reason, and in his insane condition ex'
posed TO death by the officials of civil
tied State.
Green passed within three feet Of
your correspondent, and looked as i
he had performed that terrible march
without SILVER. His shirt was open
in front, exposing his bare breast. He
seemed utterly oblivious of his sur
roundings, and his air and manner ex'
pressed all OF the careless abandonment
OF insanity. A visi; to his cell after
ward resulted only in hearing a sob.
bling voice murnur Mother and
Lucy" Officers and convicts, upon
being questioned regarding Green
agreed generally that che was very
quiet fellow, and never made q fuss"
During twenty-siS duys which fol
lowed the torture OF young Smith q
| lnr0a number of cases OF inhuman pun.