The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-01
THE TORTURE CELLS.
One of JackSOnS Prisoners Tells
His Experience.
ORDERED TO LEAVE THE CITY.
In Spite OF the spasm Of Police Energy
Burglaries Continue-Two Ia
coma Thieves Sent Back.

The recent exposure by the Posr-ISrEL-
LIGEycER of the methods employed by the
police in making arrests has resulted in
the release of all but two of the suspects,
Frank Williams and James McKinnon.
The former is held to serve out an unex-
pired term for disorderly conduct and the
latter was yesterday sentenced to fifty
days in the city Jail for vagrancy. John
Lyle, who was held seven days in the
dungeon and was not registered until four
days had elapsed, was taken into the
municipal court yesterday afternoon and
told that he could 60 provided he would
leave town. He accepted the terms and
wilt shake the dust of Seattle off his feet
in as short time as possible. Before go
ing, however, he told q Posr-INTELLIeEN-
GER reporter last night that he preferred
to live under the British flag if the stars
and stripes permitted such treatment as
ne suffered at the hands of the police for
seven days. ana said:
l never had such an experience in my life,
and l firmly believe that If some other poor
devils had not beea thrown in to suffer with
me l would have gons mad. had been in tho
city seven days, and freely admit that was
drinking hard when the police threw me into
of even prison life and, in short, treated me, a
stranger. AZ though was brute, to be kicked
and cuffed at will. Last Wednesday noon I was
at the corner OF Yesler avenue aud South Sec.
ond street when detective touched me on the
elbow with an umbrella and said:
keep on going straight ahead
'Where?" said l.
1.-THE police station" he replied.
When we got there ! was taken into Q back
nd rod ~ I fpor nd 1io6
Tacoma Then was searched and taken to q
dungeon seven feet by five and given q blanket
The bed was q canvas swing. Although it was
day, so little light came through the small Open
ing i'll the door that ! was practically in dark
ness. AS soon a. l was alone, penned in and
not knowing what was held for, all sorts o.:
thoughts commenced to 60 through my mind.
The liquor had its reaction, and had to wax
the cell to keep my mind from running wild.
word would get in my mind and would
spell it, then try to think of something else. 1t
was OF no use; as often as / tried to rid my
thoughts of it it would come back and l
would spell it again. The word "become' was
the one that troubled me most, aud shall re-
member it all my life.
the jailer came down and asked me If wanted
warm CELL said yes, aud he gave me one
that was 20 hot that after had been in 1t little
while the sweat stood out on me like beads. l
ran my hands over the walls and found out that
the steam pipes passed through one end. 1t was
only few minutes after the heat commenced to
take effect that commenced to disrobe. and I
was compelled to keep on until l was stark
naked. Turkish bath is q good ILLUSTRATION OF
what I experienced, minus certain conditions
The night jailer evidently thought l might
roast, for he asked me If l wanted q
change, and you may be sure was
only too willing When he shut me up in
the cold cell it was a relief, but the change of
climate was too much for me and caught cold.
I asked for a second blanket, and there was a
pile handy, but the jailer replied that the city
only provided one blanket, and slammed the
door, When asked him 70 get me some cigar
cites thought he would 60 into tit. He re-
fused, and then l asked him If he would light a
stub had picked out of a pocket He wouldn't
even do that, and finally l asked him if he
would kindly tell me why was kept in Jail
He said he didn't know and went away.
1t was about this time that commenced to
feel crawling sensation on my body, and the
truth flashed on me all at once. 1 had become
lousy from the blanket. II you car imagine a
man with lice crawling over his body ami he
confined In black hoe, cut off from the world
outside, you will imagine man whose mental
balance 10 in danger. All this time had been
suffering from want of food. It Is an honest
fact that did not get enough to eat, and what
did get was of poor quality. / shall never
forget the sense of relief that came to me when
Tom Kelly, man who was thrown in for fight.
ing, appeared in the corridor and the jailer
opened my cell. saying as he did so that
| might want some air. There was Kelly, drunk
as a lord ana talkatIve a. Q parrot He
| couldn't talk too much for me and
listened to his tales of daring on the seas with q
| relish. Poor Kelly did not fare even as we'll al
| in regard to the blanket, for he got none.
felt sorry for him as he tried to sleep with his
| back against the steam pipes. Once in q while
! they would get too hot for him and he would
turn over with jerk.
| All this time no one but the jailers had beer
| near me- 1t was Saturday night that q short
| thick. set man came down aud asked my name
| weight and height. l gave my name as Lyle
| and the figures he desired. l asked him to gel
| me some cigarettes, but he refused. Until
! that time l never knew how strong
| hold the habit had on me. 1t seemed
| as IL l could not get along without
tobacco. At times would have given my lif,
| for a smoke think it was Sunday morning
| that we had liver for breakfast I tell you righ
| here that after had eaten the two small piece.
! of liver and one potato ana drunk the small cur
| OF coffee il made a very small break in the fast
was as hungry a. a bear and the sight of ,
| square meal would have done more good thar
| one can imagine. For a wonder had a bit Of
! luck. Kelly did not feel we'll after his DRUM
| and down they went in double quick time
| Tha, was the only square meal / had while IL
the jail. l! l remember right, il was Suada,
| morning that Ed Morrissey and Charles Carr
| the prizefghters. were thrown in on suspicion
| When they came in the corridor with thei
| good clothes and clean collars could not hel,
| grinn.ng and saying:
| Tin mighty glad of your company, but sorry
| to see you here"
| They did not think much about their s.eepius
quarters at first, but when it came time to see,
one Of them said to the ialer:
where's there bunk and blanket for q Eel
| Ter 10 sleep on
"You don't get any bIanke, until you're sen
fenced" was the reply, and the iailer went out
asked him how got mine. but he did no
answer. That night We were in as miserab l,
| condition rs can be imagined half fed aus
with only one blanket .or sll. what was to b,
| doue9 ! was too nervous 20 sleep and cot ont o
| my hammock, taking the blanket, which wa
! covered with lice with me. Then Morr.ssey
| Carr and Kelly got in. They lay ike sardine,
| in a box without covering and slept. but how
! -. hey did ii with the cell like ice | don't know
Monday things changed and my roommates wer,
| gwen blankets ana a canvas hammock Yes,er
| 6ay they were taken out and | was left alone
Twas wondering what woul d become OF me
when the detective " no had arrested me came
| in and asked NE how many DAYS had been In
! Tacoma before coming here. | told him three
| ana he said ''come along" Then | was taken
| iato the police court and the prosecuting at,or
uey asked me If I plesded guilty or not guilty
! 10 & charge of vagrancy. ] told him that did
/ not know how TO plead. aud he settled the ma,
ter by telling Ilc | could have foriy-e gh, hour,
! 10 get out al towa or stand trial Wednesday a,
/ o'clock. | have got enough of Seattle The
| iDquistion NAV have been tough. but the treat
Ine,Is man receives from the Seattle ro!ics
caps the climax. I'm going TO British Columbia