The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12
HOW
BRUTALITY
HAS
CREATED
A BRUTE.

biologists. He is known as The De-
mon," and bears out his sobriquet in the
frightful and almost diabolical distortion
of face and form.
| For three years he has been Gagged in q
| solitary. darksome cell, and during all
| this time has planned and plotted MUIR
| der. Never a ray of sunlight filters in o
| his noisome den, and IN the gloom
crouches the murderer, Gibbering and
bowling at intervals, bnt always ready for
| q fierce attack upon whoever approaches.
Ira Marlatt, who has won his title of
| Demon" by his hatred of his fellows, is
probably an atavist. He is losing the
! likeness OF man, and each day sees the
marvellous change 10 the brute become
more marked. He is living example of
what many have considered fancy of
crIminologists, the reversion to the orig
| inal pecies.
The impress of degeneracy Is fearfully
evident in his countenance, and his man
ner is appalling in its terrible similarity
to the savage gorilla who knows no fear
nor mercy. Deepset eyes that glow like
Goals of fire. long square jaws, and great
iusklike teeth, with the queerly pointed
ears inclined forward, make up a face
that i. a nightmare of hideousness. None
ever saw him who could forget his awful
look OF hate and cunning.
And yet there are those who say that
Marlatt is the product OF modern prison
meth DDS. One OF the most expert spe-
cialists in social pathology told me that
Marlatt was simply what he had been
made by his treatment. That he had the
seeds of atavi.m in his nature was prob
able but they had been wa;ered and fos-
tered by the brutality that seems 10 be
! part of the discipline of most penitenti-
aries, and which In this largest prison OF
the United States has wrought most dire
full results in the diseased brain of the
man now called the "wickedest convict in
Ohio"
Marlatt came 10 his present abode FIVE
years ago. He was brought heavily man
acleI and confined in q straitiacket
The officers who accompanied him warned
the Warden OF the prisoners ferooity.
But those who rememb Der him as he was
then declare that milder hammered or
more crushed looking man never entered
the gate OF the penitentiary.
His crime, for which ne received a life
sentence, was the murder of a neig ghbor.
Marlatt was a hermit farmer, living alone
IN northern county of the State, and
consorting with no one His reputation was
negative and, as he had lived to be thirty
! five years of age with no accusation
against him, il is fair to presume that he
had injured nobody.
| 4 farmer cheated him in a land deal
| Marlatt killed him. A posse headed by
| the Sheriff sought to capture him In his
hut and he shot dead the leader before
| beaten into insensibility. In Jail before
his trial, in constant danger cf being
| lynched, be acted much like any other
| person.
When he became No. %, GOA in the Ohio
! penitentiary he betrayed no sign of the
depravity which mas since made his name
a synonym for evil, only he refused 10
| work. He said that be had been unlaw-
fully convicted.
! Now, all prisoners must work. To allow
! one to have his will might ruin the whole
| system of management, so said the war
! den.
So Marlatt was put down in the black
book for punishment. They have gentle
ideas, prison guards, and the paddle was
| thought 10 be the best form Of initiation
| for the stubborn novice. The victim is
Ill
promises submission. Or
Perhaps he becomes insensible, a merci-
| ful relief.
| MarIatt endured the paddle" twice.
| He never whimpered.
An electric battery failed to subdue his
| spirit. Then came the tub. Fastened
down in a box, unable to move a muscle,
a powerful stream of water is directed
against the face. TIE victim is first
stunned by the force of the stream, then
gasps for breath. His eyes are hammered
shut by the skill OF the guard using the
hose, and when he opens his mouth the
rush of water fills up the stomach and
throat and drives the poor devil int un-
consciousness.
Recovery is attended with distressine
sickness. One mas experienced all the
terrors Of drowning with none of the
pleasant sensations spoken of by those
rescued from fatal i'm mersion.
Marlatt smiled when asked IL he would
woik afler convalescence. One guard il
particular, director Of the punishment
made up his mind that Marlatt would
yield in time.
And he did. He went upon the stone
pile. This was after being chained face tc
wall in dungeon for twelve days. Tn,
doctor had asserted that he was not crazy
Marlatt broke some rocks ana also the
skull OF hi guard. When the latter wa:
not watching he took off his sock, put 8
stone in it and drove consciousness and
the opinion that he was conquered out o.
the unfortunate guards brain.
Then began his career of demon" He
broke his irons ard plunged his knife into
the breast OF another guard. Five mer
were hardly able TO tie him. Solitary
confinement for months was prescribed
with bread and water as a diet.
lie was released only to stab again. Hi:
dagger was made from the shank" of hi,
shoe.
A consultation of the authorities ended
by Mar.att being put with the insane
prisoners in the asylum wing. He had q
cell TO himself and was allowed no exer.
else. The crazy men about him seemed to
nave an uncanny attraction toward him.
Ihey threw him bits Of steel and iron and