The herald., 1895-06-11
LIFE IN THE CHAIN GANG
The Adventurous Reporter
in Another Letter
some TRUE STORIES OF ABUSE
Condition of Some of the City
Prisoners
TOOK A DEAD MANS SHOES
An Ex-Trusty Accused OF Robbing
Body
TOOK A DEAD MANS SHOES
INSECTS ABOUND DESPITE DENlALS
Prisoners With a Pull Are All Night-An.
other Lot of Observations by the Herald
Chaingang Reporter

d The abuse of the city prisoners IS not
confined to the chaingang by any means.
In many cases the most fragrant persecu-
tion and abuse OF authority is to be
found. Prisoners who have "pull.
either social or political, are at once ele
waited above the common herd and placed
in positiont of authority paramount to
that exercised by the mem bers of the
force. The 'trusties" are permitted to
punish obstreperous prisoners by physi-
cal force. and more than one unfortun-
ate has received a severe beating at their
hands.
More than one story of wrong and in
justice came to my notice during the
short term of my Imprisonment and
there are others that passed unbeard.
There is no redress for these offenses, that
would land an ordinary man in San
Quentin. and if the prisoners dare COR
plain the black hole, with its horrors,
stands gaping open to receive them.
The Mayors Visit
Not Ions ago The Herald published a
graphic account OF the black hole of Los
Angeles, showing the condition and treat
pept OF the women prison RS, and short
ly afterward the good mayor OF this city
paid visit to the Jail. Whether the pro-
verbal bird carried warning or his advent
or not cannot state but at all events he
found things slicked up for his inspec-
tion. com plaint was made, however
to him concerning the condition OF the
food, and it was hoped that he would III
his great heartedness. do something to
change matters. Strange 10 say, nothing
further has been heard of the affair.
a few days ago Governur Budd granted
pardon to prisoner name ed Bueh eI.
OF this man there is much to be said
rpI fo fa crip he
at once made head trusty. and to all IN
tents and purposes became the grand viz
ieI of the prison. He was the one to reg
ulate all interior matters. If a prisoner
offended shis highness, he felt the weight
of his iron heel A prisoner, Robert
Earlsford, a professional aeronaut, was
kept for l50 days with only one thin
blanket to serve both rs mattress and bed
clothing.
lie Robbed the Dead
About a week before one trusty's release
well-dressed man was carried into the
Jail in ii falnting condition and succumb-
ed in {; few minutes TO an attack of heart
disease. lie wore fine pair of russell
shoes, which the trusty is said to have
slipped from his feet within ten minutes
after he had breathed his last These
same shoes he is said to have worn when
released from custody.
On the slightest pretense the prisoners
are punlSneu Will great SeNeTlIN. j.
johnson, sentenced to sixty days for
stealing a quantityof hose, was ordered to
take his place on the chdingang. The
lad was sick at the time and asked to be
allowed to stay in mis- bunk for a few
days. He was promptly thrust into the
dark cell and received no food other than
a meager supply of bread and water. He
has now b en- in INJURED tor over three
weeks with no prospect OF being released
until the expiration of his time. These
and numerous other stories Were told me
by some OF the men and corroborated in
avery detail bv Others.
j. IL. Ryan, young man serving a
fight, was kept for thirty days without q
blanket. Sixteen days of this he spent in
the drunk cell.
swarming With vermin
Notwithstanding the vehement denials
of many of the officers, the Jail is infest-
ed with swarms of lice and other vermin.
Blankets are literally full of them and no
effective measures have been taken to
rid the prison of the pests.
Occasionally little warm water is
poured around the cracks of the hunks.
but this only seems to have a refreshing
effect upon the insects. The axiom that
cleanliness is akin to godliness is either
dead letter or else the officials are not
in favor of either. The FESTIVE cockroach
abounds IN large numbers and frisks
gayly along the walls and into the faces
OF the sleepers as regularly as though he
was IL welcome visitor. The jailer
doesn't mind it and of course the prison.
ers can stand it.
"A system OF fraudulent and illegal deten-
ton is constantly in vogue, purposely or
through ignorance. and of some OF these
things | propose to speak in tomorrow 8
issue.
uApPN WAppEN