Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-04-26
ROOFS SEVERE EXAMINATION

II Deputy Warden Bafsden causes
the Latter to Make Some Peculiar
Statements-A Prisoner Who was
Confined for Fear of Giving Disease
to other Prisoners by Contact Shaveo
BY the Prison Authortt1es-HAs
Memory Still Fails Him-The senate
and House. |
HARTFORD, April e5.-[Special 1.-The
special state prison committee met In the
hall of the house to- day and continued the
hearing into state prison affairs Warden
and Hall Keeper Martin were
present and listened to the continuation OF
the testimony of Deputy Warden Baisden.
Deputy Warden George E. Baisden first
took up the case of William Andrews He
said: do not remember when he came to
the prison, which was since became
deputy warden. He was sent to the insane
asylum last summer, where he now is.
This is the second time we sent him to
from the prison. he
always showed signs of insanity
while in the prison by his inco-
herent talks, singing, preaching, etc.
He was punished, to my knowledge, by
being confined in the solitary on bread
and water diet. Never any bed or blanket
in solitsries. He was confined in solitary
for singing and talking. He was stubborn
at times and would not walk; so he was
struck by billy, or something of that
kind.
He was struck by Officer Mullen with
billy one night because he would not
change his own shoes and put on the
regulation shoes now in the solitary.
Mullen hit him on the head or shoulders
severe blow, for no cause whatever that I
saw, and told the officer not to hit him
again. did not report this to the warden,
as the latter was absent. We had to
punish Andrews at another time for
Insisting on coming out of the solitary
when we went to feed him. On that occa-
sion we had to give him little humping.
Officer Martin hit him. This was short
time before he was taken to Middletown.
At one time when he was taken to the
dungeon he would not walk, but lay on his
back, and we dragged him to the west
This we did at the order of the warden.
Martin and I assisted in dragging him to
the dungeon. I do not remember whether
the twisters were made of broom handles
or not, but do remember that helped
make them. The cord used was about
three sixteenths of an inch thick. An
drews was drawn down the steps and
across cement and stone floor to
the west end. When We got him
there his shoes were taken off,
regulation shoes put on him and he
was dragged into the solitary. Before
being put in the solitary the warden pour
ed cold water on his face, which had a
little reviving effect. He was taken to the
dungeon for making fun for the shop. It
was between the two occasions he was in
Middletown. I don't know how long he
was in the solitary. He was very filthy in
himself, and all the time be would keep
singing. While a man is in the solitary he
is absolutely under my control, and 1t is
against the rules for any other officer to
visit him without me. He was not seen
by the doctor, neither before or while he
was in the dungeon.
It was my duty to see that he was clean
ed up while in the dungeon.
In my eighteen years in prison I never
knew of a case where these twisters were
used on a man to draw him down to the
dungeon, and the two men who carried
him into the hall might have carried him
down to the dungeon. We carried him
down because we thought he was sham
ming.
At this point Mr.. Beardslsy asked the
witness if he thought him insane
Answer-I do.
Question-Is this the right way to trea
an insane mani
Answer-Well, be was, think, rational
enough to know what we were doing wher
we dragged him down.
Witness-We use the solitary to ascer.
tain If q man is shamming. If he is not he
will soon ask to bs let out We test iusan.
ity by combining them, and If We then thinl
they are insane We report to the governor
don't think confinement in the dungeon
would hurt an insane man.
Chamberlain-Did you ever hear of twist
ers being used by the policei
Answer-Yes.
Chamberlain-Was there anything in
human done in dragging that mana
Answer-No, sir.
Chamberlain-After being confined die
you ever hear him say come 1t over hima
| AnsTer-Yes.
Chamberlsin-Arst there not men in tn,
prison to-day just as insane as Andrew
wass
Answer-Yes, sir.
Baisden-The ineane prisoners speak o.
are Frank Bassett, John Csstignetto, Louis
Emo, John Kennedy, Patrick Enwright
are not filthy and give the officers NJ
trouble.
Chamberlain-Did you ever hear me say
that I had reported cases of insanity to thu
governor, and waited days and days before
any commission was sent to examine
thema
Answer-Yes, sir.
BAIsDEN's STORY OF CoLLoU.
kx,,S 81
came to prison was deputy warden. h.
was healthy when he came there, but latel
he visited the doctor several times ant
died, I understand, from consumption
He was in the solitary once that know of
but do not remember what offence he
went to the solitary for, nor how long ht
was confined there. I don't know wher
he died. I found him in the west end dead
about 8 O'Clock in the morning he
found him when went to feed him. Mr.
don't remember who. When We opened
the cell door he was lying half on and hall
off the bed. l took hold of his arm and
found it stiff I finished feeding up, and
then reported his death to the warden.
The warden expressed surprise, and said
"He was feeling well when put him down
there last night. tucked him in, and he
asked me to come to see him in the morn
ing"
Continuing, the witness said: I went
down, laid him out and sent him to the
morgue. saw him the night before he
died. saw him in his cell upstairs, but
was not called when he was taken
to the solitary. Collou had been
confined in his cell about two weeks
before he died, and saw that he was run
ming down. The doctor saw him every
two or three days, but he was not sent to
the hospital. had no conversation with
Martin when I found the man dead. Col
lou was one of our very well behaved men
and there was nothing ugly about him.
When Collou was in this cell, in which he
died, had he called for assistance he could
not have been heard. The doctors and
officers thought he would live his time
out, which would have expired In about
six weeks.
Water frozs in this dungeon where Col
low was, and I don't think the tempera-
ture of the cell just the place for dying
man.
In cases like Collou's there is no inques,
necessary, when man dies in these cells.
The system concerning sick men IL
this; If q man is sick he says he
wants to go to his cell. He is allowed to
do 80, and then the doctor examines him,
and he orders him to the hospital If sick
enough, and if only slightly i'll he is order.
ed to stay in his cell. If not sick he is or
dered back to work.
If the doctor says man shall 60 back to
work and the man says he is sick and cant
l. al Il L. -