The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-23

grace to the state Of Minnesota" was
the strong language used by Patrick
Murphy, who served as guard at the
prison for sixteen years. Said he:
81 was stationed on the wall and at
the gate, and was not in a position to
see so much of the workings on the in
side as some of the others, but l feel
positive that Lemon used to pound the
convicts with his cane, when they were
hand -cuffed to the doors of cells in the
solitary. Those things were common
talk abount the place.
'I have seen him yank a fellow to
the solitary and a couple of days after
wards saw the poor chap in the Dull
pen. Can enclosure back of the solitary
with their heads all bunged up and
bruised from blows.
"It Is a disgrace the way the con-
victs are fed there. When L was at
the gate 1 have seen loads or meat
brought in that had been killed so
long it was blue. 1t was unfit for any
being to eat-and all because the man
agement wanted to make record Tor
feeding the prisoners for six or seven
cents day each.'
GUARD AT THE SOLITARY.
Patrick Flannery, an old and we'll
known citizen of Hastings, served as
guard at the prison for four years,
leaving in the spring of 1893 to accept
an appointment on the staff of detec-
tives at the worlds fair. During
portion of this time he was in charge
of the solitary and was thus in a posi-
ton to learn of the interesting events
which tranSpired there.
Mr. Flannery recalls the Heen al
fair as it was matter of common talk
about the prison He did not witness
the alleged assault on the unfortunate
convict, but the evidences of 1T were
apparent when he visited Heen in the
hospital the next day. This visit was
bv request of Dr. Hall, the hospital
steward. who asked Flannery to go in
and see if he could make himself known
to the patient. On the day following,
Heen died-"of typhoid fever"
1.-THE outside world has no idea of
what goes on inside the walls" con-
tinued Mr. Flannery. "One evening
after the guards had assembled In the
cell house, Deputy Lemon told US the
warden wanted to see US in his Once.
We went in and Mr.. Wolfer laid down
the law he said that he had heard that
some one of the guards had told on
the outside of what had occurred in
the prison, and if he ever heard that
any of them had said anything, and
could learn who it was, that mans
HEAD WOULD COME OFF.
Deputy Lemon always seemed to
have it in for the convicts and was
very hard on them. [ have seen con-
yicts on their way to the hospital, ac-
tually too sick to stand, and he would
lab them in the ribs with his cane to
make them walk faster. Even when
he was foreman of the paint shop, be-
fore he was appointed deputy warden,
he was very severe on them, and one
ict on
an iron bolt. After he was appointed
deputy it was such a common thing
to see him strike them with his cane
that it failed to excite comment"
During part of his service as guard
several months-Mr. F'lannery was en-
ployed as keeper of the solitary and his
stories of that place are not OF the
most cheerful. He asserts that frequent
ly Lemon would enter cell where a
convict was tied up and would beat
the prisoner over the head and should
ers with his cane.
"At the time that Convict Fred
Douglas made an attempt to escape,
continued Mr.. Flannery, 81 was sta
toned at the gate. I saw him run
around the corner of nearby build
ing and went after him and captured
him. Douglas was a small man ana
did not offer the least resistance, as
marched him back quietly into the
yard. I kept tight hold on him. We
were met by Deputy Lemon, who drew
his revolver and for no reason what
ever commenced beating Douglas over
the head with it, cutting some awful
gashes. Lemon acted like an insane
person, and I had to speak sharply to
him to make him stop.
'.Of course convicts are a hard class;
if they were not they would not be sent
to prison, and it is necessary to have
strict discipline, but that can be had
without pounding them"