St. Paul daily globe., 1891-07-19
His Treatment Of Convicts
Declared to Be Humane in
the Extreme.
George M. Seymour Says That
Ex-Deputy Langum Should
Lay Low.
He Has Chained UP Prisoners
for Two Days Without
Relief.

The board of correction and harities
have almost completed their invest
igation into the charges of cruel treat
ment against the present management
of the state penitentiarv. Specifically
the charges compromised Deputy War
den Lemon quite seriously. 1t was
claimed that he visited the most in
human treatment upon the prisoners
in his charge. A GLOBE reporter saw
Mr.. Lemon in Saltwater Friday after
noon, but Mr.. Lemon refuse d. to talk.
II have perfect confidence he said,
sin the honesty OF the board of correc-
tion and charities. am content to rest
my case in their hands,"
The investigation was made at the
instance of committee of the last
house of repre- sen tatives of which J. A.
Keyes of Win Ona was the chairman.
These facts have been repeatedly lald
before the eyes of the public in the
columns of the GLOBE.
George NJ. Seymour, of Saltwater. is
the tatheT-in-law of Deputy Warden
Lemon. A GLOBE reporter met him
yesterday. When asked for an express
sion he said he was willing to voice his
opinion.
My son-in-law," said he, twas gross
ly assailed by the house committee. l
am glad the GLOBE will publish just
what | want to saw in condemnation of
the outrage. The charges against Lem
on are fragrant lies. They say he is
cruel and inhuman. forsOothe is he?
No: quite the reverse. He was never
known to visit harsh treatment upon the
prisoners at the penitentiary. On the
other hand his humanity and kind
ness have always been proVerbial.
Ever since Mr.. Lemons appointment
there has been a set of SOreheads and
disappointed aSpirantS and envious peO-
pie, as we'll as a number of worthless,
drunken employees who have spent
their time and exhausted their energies
in defaming Mr.. Lemons character, and
the whole pack OF lies are traceable to
these people, and especially to one
certain incompetent and drunken en-
plOye who was discharged by Mr.. Lemon,
and, when one of these worthless ours
shoots off his mouth, lean put my finger
upon his sore spot.
''Mr. Lemon IS the sort of a man that
will execute his duty without fear or
favor so long as he occupies a respOu-
Sible position, and no worthless and
drunken emplOye will be permitted to
hazard life and property so long as Mr..
Lemon is in charge. had nothing what
ever to do with his appointment. never
asked any oue's influence for him, and,
moreover, | advised him against accept
ing the position. | did this because |
knew the discipline was bad in the
enitentiary-amOng both the convicts
and the guards.
LAS to the star chamber sessions that
were held, | want to say that the COM
,ad n think n fat I,
better than an honest man. They pre-
ferred to credit outrageous cock and
bull stories to fair and impartial re-
cital of facts.
Another point" he pursued. Gas
to the claim that had a large interest
in the thresher company, | want to say
it is an abominable lie. [ have not. nor
have | ever had, cent in the reorgan-
lied concern. | lost my money in the
failure of the insOlvent car cumpany,and
have met my loss without grumbling.
There has been a monStrOuS howl by
some of those great and good statesmen
of the last legislature about the out
rageOuS and cruel treatment of priS-
Oners. | want to ask if there is any
thing more cruel than to falsely charge
man with crime of which he is innO-
cent and then deny him the privilege OF
testifying in his own behalf. Surely
the most depraved wretch in the prison
has had that right accorded him, and
also the right to employ an attOr
ney to appear for him. Why.
would rather take my chances for justice
among rank barbarianS than with these
eminent statesmen with small minds
and large ambitions to get their hands
into the state treasury. Now, these
noble philanthrOpistS might have found
an excellent field of operation had they
extended their investigations into the
regime of the old management, the pre-
ceeding administration. They would
then have found that Deputy Warden
Langum, who has been SO free to criti-
else his successor, kept one prisoner
ironed to the cell door for forty eight
consecutive hours, and another forty
two hours, without letting them down
for any purpose whatever. l can prove
this by good witnesses, other than con-
VlctS. Perhaps this is not cruel? Oh,
nOi 1t was also common occurrence
for prisoners to be taken into the gate
drunk, and the prison physician will
state that he treated one of the trusted
c0nvictS for alcoholism, and that he was
on the verge of delirium tremens be-
cause of whisky drunk when allowed to
go where he pleased. | can also prove
by unimpeachable testimony that con-
victs were allowed to have cards, by
deputy wardens, with which they played
poker for money, inside the prison
yard"