The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-29
STILL TELL OF BRUTALITY.
Another Ex-Guard Saw More Than
He Wanted To.

Another Ex-Guard Saw More Than
He Wanted To.
Another ex-guard yesterday added
his testimony Of cruelty at the state
prison by detailing to G i be re-
porter what had come under his OBJ
servation during nearly three years Of
his association with the convicts and
prison officials. The accounts already
published he indorsed. 1t was not an
unusual thing among the guards, says
the ex-off1cial to knock down and club
cOnvicts. Sometimes, he says, he saw
as many as three guards, led by Dep
uty Warden Lemon, attack one prison
er, knock him down and beat him. At
ter being almost a witness of such
cruelties for nearly three years, the
ex-guard, who himself, through hu-
name and considerate methods of
handling the convicts under his espe
cial charge, says he never found it
necessary to strike a prisoner a single
blow, resigned his position rather than
remain longer in the midst of such
barbarism. The subject of the inter-
view, is a pioneer resident of Mime
sota, having lived here since 1855. Said
he:
"The first words of instruction which
I received when beginning my work
as guard were that no matter what
might happen, whatever L witnessed
behind those walls was to always re-
main a secret locked in my own bo-
som. This instruction is given every
guard who is employed at the prison.
/ had charge of the men in oneTof the
manufacturing buildings, and though
/ never had occasion to exercise bru-
tality myself, 1 saw much of it at the
hands of others, including Deputy
Warden Lemon. In some cases the
acts were wholly unjustified, and in
others the convicts beaten had been
guilty of some misconduct. Many
times 1 have heard men complain of
sore heads which I knew had not re-
suited from ordinary headache"
Much of the abuse, in my opinion
arises from the fact that Deputy War
den Lemon, who practically admins
ters all affairs pertaining directly to
convicts, is absolutely untitled for the
position which he occupies. He is q
man of brutal nature, ungovernable
temper, and at times l have seen him
so consumed with rage as to appear
bereft of all reason. Whenever there
was any beating to be done he was
most vicious Naturally, dealing with
the class of men in a prison, the
strictest discipline is necessary. [
compelled those under my charge to
observe every prison rule, but at no
time did [ find it necessary to use the
physical violence I frequently wit
messed. The prison officials in many
instances, create the circumstances
which they claim require the use Of
clubs and canes. There are always at
the prison a number of convicts more
or less mentally unsound and likely
to break rules. The mental condition
of these is known to the officials but
they insist on keeping such charac-
ters with the other convicts in the
workshops, and when their irresponsi-
BILE natures lead to some indiscretion,
or menace to a guard, they are at
tackled and maltreated, under the plea
of self-defenSe. There is a regular
physician at the prison whose duty it
is to examine the conVictS, and if when
he pronounces any of the prisoners
mentally deranged, they were sent to
an asylum or separately confined, the
excuse for assaulting them would
never arise. One of these prisoners
drew a knife on me once, and if
had followed the general practice, I
should have dubbed him half to death.
Knowing the mans condition hoWev-
er, and not being a brute, I prevailed
upon him to give up the weapon. and
did not even report him for the act
Among others whom I saw mis-
used were two brothers, Tressler by
name. who were life prisoners. One
was of an unruly disposition, it is
true, but he paid for his every infrac-
ton. I have seen Deputy Warden
Lemon club these boys, both of them.
Whether or not they could have been
brought to terms by more humane
methods is a matter of opinion doubt
less, but my belief is that they could
and that many other convicts who
are similarly treated would be more
docile under softer methods