The San Francisco call., 1897-06-02
SLEEPLEsS NIGHT.IN THE
:. F. TANKS.
Efficacy of the Hose. Treat
r. ment at Once Becomes
ri. Apparent.
MANY ARE READY TO RETURN
-. TO WORK. -.
Their Punishmentto Be Continued
-. Until They Are Thoroughly -. :.
=. 80. -. Subdued.> 81: : 5.

4. san. QUENTIN. CAI., June 1.-Two
.hnndred and fifty convicts are shivering
with the cold on this warm sum mer day.
They are the victims of last nights hose
treatment at the hands of the prison au-
thorities. The concrete walls of the cells
are danny; and dank from@the effects of the
deluging. over the sloppy floors, in
many instances covered with four inches
of water, these prisoners are pacing to and
fro in their bare feet. their clothing water
: logged, like their spirits.
+. This Is the aftermath of the order of the
prison directors yesterday, that the fire
hose be turned Into every cell whose occu-
pants persisted in making noise. 1t has
had a most. salutary effect on the whole
mutiny. The prison was as quiet as dead
house during the night. To-day the re-
fractory prisoners are like mice in a trap.
They are afraid to move even lest an in
advertent echo may bring the dread fire.
. nozzle through tae wicket. The ardor oi
the strikers has cooled with the tempera-
rure OF their quarters. The strike spirit is
waning rapidly Already nearly half OF
the belhgerents have requested the au-
thorities TO be allowed 20 go to work.
Hosing an unruly convict is popular
I pastinie among the guards. They enter
into It with just as much enthusiasm as
the strikers displayed in their cursing and
yelling the past three days. A call for
= vofun teers to man the hose is responded
to with alacrity. -.
The guards scram bic over each other in
their anxiety to get place of honor near
the mouth Of the nozzle. Captain Birlem
directed last nights flushing, which was
s. confined to mem bers OF the boys hood
*Ium. brigade" as the young and tough
element Is known. These youths range
- in age from IA to 81 years and are open for
any deyiltry from Draining guard with a
shuttle to firing the jutemill They dis
. tiuguished themselves in the rivalry OF
Thursday, Friday and Saturday to trans
form the prison intoa cage of hevlfng
demons. Every time an officer showed
his pole they peprered him with a choice
collection of ex crations. When the older
leaders in the strike had worn their lungs
f. TO wire edge in this, work and became
dumb from sheer fatigue, these young
. roughs, with the persistency=of youth,
:: only redoubled their efforts to promote
confusion.
: Btriem first ordered squad of guards
:: to clear the cells Of every movable piece
of furniture. Mattresses, hunks, blan.
kets. lamps, tables and stools were carfed
away as fast as corps of ready men could
do it. The prisoners were forced to re.
move their shoes. but not hint OF the
drastic treatment that was in store reached
them as they caioled and guffawed the
guards at their work. ....-> T..
Tho 4
TO the hydrants and line of it laid down
each alley between the cell buildings
Scouts were sent in advance TO locate the
cells from which hootlng and yelling
emanated. These were designated with 9
chalk hierogly phic and into each of them
in turn the big hose poured deluge o
water. The stream was as large as a one
and-a-hsl!-inch nozzle on a iour-inch hose
could accom mmodate and the force wa:
strong enough to knock a man down
Five minutes OF The nozzle through the
grating of the iron door would conver1
the cell into q corner of the ocean. IT
cases where any opinions on the merits O
the treatment were offered the cell door.
we're unlocked, the force of water increased
and the turbulent occupants treated to 6
ducking that almost lifted the hide of
them. In one case prisoner took il into
e. his head TO dance a Jig behind the protec
ton of the easement. He was dragged
from his cover and made to do regular
."hOrnplpe, with hydrant accompaniment
Over sixty of the cells and their occu-
pants were flushed IN this manner. One
dose was enough in every instance. Since
that time there has not been even 3
whisper heard in any OF the tank cells.
The drenched men had a miserabI.
night of it. On the floor of the cells were
pools of water, which made lying dowr
decidedly unpleasant. Their discomfort
were not in the least mitigated with tn,
morning. Shaking and shivering like
lot of half-drowned rats, they received
their daily allowance of bread and watel
at noon to-day without murmur. Al
ready some OF them declare they are suf
fering from incipient rheumatism anC
pneumonia, but they will be compelled Il
bear their lot, be what it may. q:
There is still big contraband trade go
ing on in food and tobacco inside tn,
prison. The bread and water brigad
manages to get more than the tabl,
rations allow 1t, despite the vigilance o
the guards. The cooks and walters in th'
diDing-room have been warned of tht
significance OF Governor Bmfd's orde
that no citlZenship will be restored Ii
anybody who sym pathiZes with or heipl
the revolt; but bread smuggling goes Oh
Just the same. e 80
A similar traffic in tobacco prevails
Large quantities of the weed have beef
discovered in many of the tank cells, anc
how it got there. is almost as much
mystery as the origin of the strike.
There severy indication that the revol
is about over. Warden Hale says he coulC
start the jute mill machinery to- Nd orr ov
with a good force of men. but he is goin;
TO give it a good rest and ut the sam,
time afford the conyicls an opportunity Il
do penance. Many of them are contrlt
enough and are loud in their lamentation
of their folly, but their expiation is Iikel,
to consist of much more than promis
to reform.
All reports that the prison directors ar
about to transfer the refractory convict
to Folsom are uufounded. Prison Directo
Wilkins and Warden Hale declare EN-
phatically such action would pc an indi