The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-26
PINS In HIS EYES
TRAIN KOBBER PERRY INFL.OTS
TERRIBLE PUNISHMENT.
eince His Return to Prison He has Become
Morbid and Sour and He Gets Posses
sion of Some Needles, Arranges Them
on . Stick and then Proceeds to Jab
Them into His Own Eyes-A Keeper
His Optics Badly Lacerated lis Guarded
Close Now.

Auburn, n. Y, Sept 25.-Ever since
Oliver Curtis Perry, the train robber,
returned from the hospital at Matte
wan to a closely guarded cell he has
been In a morose mood, and has had
freouent outbursts of violence. He
had been given an hours airing in the
prison yard daily. but always under
the more or less watchful eye Of keep
er.
On two occasions he returned from
his outing with his pockets full of sand.
When these acts were discovered and
Perry made to disgorge, he became sur
ly and ugly. He has no hesitancy IN
saying he procured the sand TO make
sandbag with which to Kill screw,
as the keepers are called by the con-
victs.
The most desperate act he has ever at
tempted was committed Tuesday of
last week, but through the reticence of
the prison officials K has been kept a
secret until now. Whether il was
intended to blind himself for life or
whether il was only a ruse, cannot be
ascertained, but 1t any rate Perry's
eyes are badly lscerated as the result Of
selflinflicted torture, and he may entire
ly lose his sight.
PRODDED HIS EYES.
How the notorious express robber OBJ
tanned the instrument by which the
deed was committed is another mystery
He procured a short stick. through
which he thrust two saddler's needles
at the same distance as that between
the eyes, and then. holding this pecu-
liar instrument Of torture in his hands,
he repeatedly prodded his eyes with the
sharp points.
Ia - II. l..
self-punishment. He ucCk the weapon
away from the crazed man and report
ed the case to the superior officer. Pris-
on Physician Sawyer attempted to
make an examination of the bleeding, !
iacerated eyes, but Perry was obstin-
ate and would not submit
He begged to go to the hospital, but
the prison authorities would not listen
to that proposition. They knew of
Perry's desire to enjoy the comparative |
freedom of the hospital, where his J
chances Of escape would be materially /
increased.
Perry was removed to one of the is0- !
lated cells in the new building Here !
he was put under the influence of chic !
toform and careful examination of 1
the injuries was made. 1t was discov- /
cred that the needle had not yet de-
stroyed the sight of either eye, but the |
sistently that inflammation may develope
and the result will probably be blind
ness OF one OF the other Of the eyes
AFTER SYMPATHY.
When questioned by the prison offic-
ials as to the reason for his act, Perry
replied that he believed if he put out
both his eyes and became blind, the
governor would have pity upon him and
exercise clemency by committing his
sentence. He says that if blind. he
would be unable to commit any more
crimes. and he desired to show the peo-
pie that he was in earnest in his pro-
mise TO abandon a criminal career. if
only allowed his freedom
1t is said that before Perry was trans
lerred from Auburn to Mattewan he
On one occasion stuck a needle in
cork and made an attempt to lab ont
his eyes. but was prevented by a keep
Pr The prison officials are more than
ever OF the opinion that Perry is insane
and 1t is probable that he will again he
sent to the Mattewan ASYLUM.