The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-27
TALE TO CHILL THE BLOOD
Terrible Treatment of Ex-Convict Eag-
lin That Marked Him for Life.
Narrowing Recital Brought Ont at the Prison
South Investigation Yesterdsy-lnquiry
Goes Over Until Next Tuesday.
spec,al to the Indianapolis Journal.

warden fatten was DEOugnt OUT
in the examination of witnesses
to-day -one that will stamp the
chief Official OF the Prison South, not
withdrawing all of his assumed urbanity.
as a fit compani ion. of the old inquisItorial
fiends who racked and hacked the Ch:is-
tans in days of old. Thomas Eag-
lin. an ex.convict, who had served
four years inside the walls of
Patterns dungeon Keep was the wit
ness, and his examination, taken with the
cross-examInstion. during which Senator
Griffith tried every conceivable sort Of
juRglery to confuse the ex-nonvict. required
the greater part of the day. The session
adjourned tonight until next Tuesday.
In the meantime the story Of lnhuman
brutality. as the directresulto of ordersissued
by the warden himself. Will travel from lip
TO lip and compel q moral verdict against
Patten that will cling to him for many
day to come. There was nothing about
witness Eaglin's appearance to stamp him as
a man of low and brutal tendencies. such as
one would expect to see In man who had
been a professional burglar. But he was
stamped as an ex-conviet and Will be until
his dying day. A long. ugly red scar extends
from the left temple across the forehead
to the root of the nose. This is no saber
cut, nor was 1t made by blow from
tomahawk or even an AK. as many or the
observers III the court of inquiry at hrst
supposed when Eeglin appeared before the
joint legislative committee. It Is
q mark he received in his prison cell after
being strung up by. the thnmbsoohis body
sent to discipline the alleged re-
frectory prisoner. Eaglin's narrative,
told In straightforward manner. bearing
ara aui6 nf TIM
his crippled feet and hands. and by the
mark on his forehead could not fail to i'm
press everyone of the committee. Demo-
Gratis and Republicans alike. 1t is graph
ically gwen in his own language
Il was unable to perform my task" he
said but they insisted should 80 to the
shops. When l refused Warden Pstten
sent the two guards to discipline
slip-loops to both my thumbs. and the
rOpe drawn through a ring In the top OF my
cell Then the guard laid hold and hauled
me up until my feet LETT the floor. The pain
was so severe l nearly ohoked when
were pulling out by the roots, and then
lost consc iouspess. On coming to my senses
ono of the guards was kicking me in the
ribs, curaing me for lazy dog and telling
ns to ss nD but Both .1sa s to r Sc
to my feet to escape further kicking. Twas
very dizzy; the cell seemed flying around
me like q wheel, and fell full length. strik-
ing my head against tho iron door. That's
where l got this cut here pointing TO his
forshead.) t
DRAGGED BEFORE THE WARDEN.
Coming to myself again / found them
dragging me through the corridors. They
took me to Warden Patten. who
addressed me in brutal language.
Hes playin' 'possumv he said. Take
him back and string him MP againp And
that's exactly what they did. Tho tor
ture. or discipline as they called it, was
repeated. and l thought L never would
gain the use of my hands again." bbH oil
During this recital Warden Patten stood
by with cynical smile, observing his
former prisoner with much apparent salts
faction. Every one In the room sat with
open mouth as EaRlen ingenuously told his
OK perience Representative Lindemuth,
who was conducting the examination,
asked if that was the only severe punish
ment he had received during his lncarcera-
ton. This brought out another recital
more terrible than the first. Said Esglen:
mo. lwish it had been. for then 1 would
not be crippled as am now In my hands
and feet. During the frigid weather of
Patten. This time they did not
beat me. nor string me up. because guess
they thought my thumbs Wouldn't hold. l
was stood up facing the range as it is
cell. My hands were pulled through the
bars and then heavy iron handouts. frosty
and colder than Ice were snapped on my
wrists. The chain passed on the outside
of a bar, so that / could pull back my
hands. but was Thus compelled to remain
standing at the door. For three nights /
stood there, some times falling asleep and
sinking to my kneess, which. of course. i'm
mediately aroused me end caused me to
time my hands were badly frozen
and my wrists were frozen where the
handouts touched. My feet were also
frozen, so that the next summer was not
vet able to wear shoes All feeling has
gone out of the great toe on my left foot
since then, and 1 think it must be para
lyzed."
An agonized sigh of relief escaped every
one present when the witness finished, the
story being being so painful to hear.
Eaglin said that the warden did not treat
all prisoners SO severely and 1t seemed he
took a spite on s0me.'
The witness was still on the stand this
afternoon. during which he was put
through a hard oross-examinatIon.w with
out in the least shaking his evidence.
His testimony has created q profound
impression on the committee. The Demo-
crat members have little to say In the way
of disorediting the story. except that
'Eaglin is an unmitigated liar naturally
and crazy" Eaalin himself says it Is
wonder that he is not crazy.
Patterns PRIVATE SNAP.
The early part of the examination to-day
was concerned somewhat with diving
into Warden Patterns accounts. Sen.
ator Love,and asked that Warden
Patten be required to- furnish the
notices of bids for brick that were
used in the construction of the new
wall. Mr. Erwin rep objected on
the ground that the matter in
volved was new and implied
new charges Senator Bingham stated that
Warden Patten had said that all records
were ready TO be turned over to the expert
accoun tants, VIM. Fleener Democrat and
John w. Coons, Republican. Senator
Loveland SAID that in pursuance of
the plan mapped out by the majority.
after the inquiry concerning the treat.
ment of prisoners. the inquiry would
be directed toward the financial part
of the prison management. and it was
important that oil papers pertaining
to the contract for brick. the correspond
ence relating thereto. etc, should be pro-
duced. and the president ordered them
produced.
w, u. Patton, q contractor, who has 23S
convicts under employ. gave an account of
his manufacture of hollow ware and handle
tnware. Contractor Patton mot q rela-
tive of the warden) denied that he had
paid director Slater a sum of money to Sc
cure pardon for Henry Berner az was
charged. He said he only gave him SIS TO
get some facts about Berner's crime
to help him Patton in securing
a pardon as he wanted Berner. Toa funny
question by Mr.. Daley. Patton said they
he tx- Co. a. al