The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-04
Ex.Prison Doctor Wolfe Says the Cap
tain Is Too Ot-Headed for the Place.
Seventh Day of the Prison Investigation TAX
en- Up with Introduction of Evidence in
Behalf of the Accused officers.
Lindmuth Tangles Up Guard Whose
Tongue Didn't Know the Truth.
Democrats Pass Another Gag Rule-Hospital
Committee at Evansville to Look Into the
Charges Against the Insane Asylum.
SEVENTH DAY OF THE INVESTIGATION

SEVENTH DAY OF THE INVESTIGATION.
Warden Patten Begins the Introduction OF
His Whitewash Testimony
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
JEFFERsoNvILLE. Ind, Feb. 3-This was
the seventh day of the Prison South IN
vestigation. Before the warden began TO
introduce his testimony, Representative
Lindemuth said he desired to enter
his protest against the majority for
not allowing him to proceed with the
introduction of testimony. In reply to
question of Chairman Bingham, he said
some of the witnesses yet to be examined
were convicts and some were not. Isaac
w. Saunders, an ex-convict. took the stand
for the warden. and said that he resided in
Brazil. He was here about fifteen years.
being dismissed last month. Il have al.
ways thought the treatment of prisoners
here was good" he said. II have seen
three or four men hung mp by the wrists
and have been present when the warden
was giving the men a hearing in the
Office. never heard the warden use any
violent language and have seen him
mingling among the men. giving them ad-
flCc auu dSkiuk tucu tuciT WdutS. 1Ho
witness gave a full history of the prison
during Warden Patterns management.
He said that when Patten came hero the
prison was in very bad shape. he
said the cells have almost been made
new and clothing. he thought. was warmer
and better than before Patten came, and
that one-ffth of the prisoners have no re-
gard for the rules The warden deposited
81. 500 for me in the Sullivan County Bank,
on which draw 8 and per cent. / have
been trusty for little over two years. l
was always treated very kindly by
the warden. do not undertake
to say how severely men have
been whipped nor how hard the punish
ment is of being hung up by the wrists and
thumbs. i understand convicts are IT.
structed what the rules are when they
come in. know of no other way In which
the men could learn them"
THE VERY KIND WARDEN.
Arthur Brooks. another convict from
Richmond, Wayne county, said that he
had never seen the warden use any harsh
language towards the prisoners, and had
personally been treated well. He had
never been punished and was n trusty,
but he could not be induced to say thet the
warden's treatment of the prisoners gener-
ally was either just or human. At the aft
ernoon session the first witness was con-
wet James kantner: Il have been pun:
ished twice" he said. "once In 1887 and
again in 1891. The tirst time was with the
cat and the second time with
buggy whip. l have been treated
all right by the warden. and guards.
but not by the contractors. When was
whipped with the buggy whip the blood
was drawn in one place. and there were
black welts upon my body" Mcdonald
Cheek, another lifetime convict. was next
called. He spoke In good terms of the
management and of the improvement that
had been made. He said the warden gives
the men regular holidays. placing them upon
their honor. and upon these occasions they
never cause any trouble. de knew only of
three or four men who had been severely
punished. One of these was a man by the
name of Hill. since gone insane. He had
no facilities for knowing how many had
been punished nor how severely they were
punished. He knew nothing of treatment
of prisoners In the shops. He had always
tried to act so as to get q pardon. if pOssl-
Die. lie had seen prisoners come TO the
bathrooms with welts on their backs.
Some. after they had been whipped, did
not come to the bathrooms for two weeks.
Capt. w. L. Roger, guard. was the next
witness. He has been here twenty years.
The conduct of Thomas Eaglin." he said.
was not good. He never tainted, nor aid
ever kick him. | recOllect distinctly of
tying him up by the thumbs. l never knew
of any one having their feet frozen in the
cells. have punished quite number. but
do not know who they ere do not charge
my mind with these things. Have
seen fifteen or twenty hung by the wrists
and thumbs during the past six years
When men are HING by the thumbs they get
tired, and lower the mselves so that more
less of their weight rests upon their
thumbs"
DIR. Fl. s. Wolfe. OK prison physician, was
next examined. de spoke In good terms
about about the ind mHnasement ma of the
said the Doctor "a man by the
name of Burns. who was to he punished.
HIS punishment was severe. The warden
whipped him until he reIented. At the end
of my term of Office Burns had HEM
orrhage, and l understand that he died last
summer of consumption. 1t was not. how
ever, from the effects of the whipping
think @ man, to be warden. ought TO be
honest paInstsklng and industrious. with
enough common sense to DO what is
right. These are the only Guali-
ties l think arc necessary for a
good warden. Warden PatteD, / think, is
of an unduly hasty temperament. It
would not be conducive to mans health
to put him In cell for week on short
rations man. under these circumstances.
would not be able to go out and 1mmedi-
ately perform bis task" Gresham W. Cox,
al x-guard. was next called and his testi-
moDy was about the same as that before
given. John Reddick, William Alsop and
Clinton Mclaughlin all testified In the
same line.
HALEY NEATLY TRICKED.
Patrick Haley testified that he is and
has been for twenty years a guard at this
prison. He knew Thomas Eaglin, and said
his conduct was not good. That he had o
fight. and, also. melted discomfort among
the prisoners. He said tnnt Pattens treat.
ment was all that the convicrs had a right
TO ask. and that he was much kinder TO
them now than formerly, and had better
discipline.
Mr.. Lindemuth took this witness in hand
on cross-examlnatlOD, and the witness
labored hard to explain how the warden
had always been without any fault aud
never too severe, and yet now secured
more satisfactory results by kindness. He
had seen prisoners punished frequently by
whipping and hanging up by the thumbs
and wrists, hut had not known of any such
punishment for twoyeGrs. He was con nfront-
ed with the record of punishment inflct-
cd based upon reports made by him within
a few months past in which whipping and
hanging mp chad been imposed. The
witness cOlored up. lodged and answered
evasively to such an extent that the cross
examination became some w hat protracted
and the result most unsatisfactory to the
majority.
This led Representative Redman. chair
man OF the House committee. to move that
hereafter the minority be allowe ed no more
time IN the exaIninat of witnesses than