The morning times., 1897-03-03
CONFIRMS CARROLL'S TALE
Another Ex-COnvict Talks of the
Albany Penitentiary.
VILLA IN Davis Describes the Mall
treatment of Prisoners Under
Dearstyne's Administration.

William Davis, who lives at No. 1882
Waverly terrace, and who served nearly
two years in Albany prison with James Car
roll, confirms in every respect the state
nents of the latter In reference to tie
maltreatment of convicts in that institu-
ton. Indeed, Davis goes further and says
that under the management OF Supt Dear
styne the prison has been transformed from
place OF confinement To one where evecy
possible means il reSOrted 10 to make the
life OF the unfortunate miserable in the ex-
treme- Not only are the prisoners deprived
OF the comforts OF any things which may
be sent them bytheir relatives or friends.
hut they are inhuuianly punished for the
most trivial offenses- For simply writing
a note TO another, Davis says, a prisoner
named William Tuney was strung up and
Kept hanging until one of his wrists was
dis iointed.
Davis chief complaint, however, is that
the inmates OF the Albany prison, except
those from New York State, are, SO far
as i S possible kept In utter darkness as to
what is taking place on the outside To
thiscause heattributcs the fact that he was
not released more than n year ago He
was, he says, convicted in March, 1895,
OF larceny from the person, and sentenced
TO five years imprisonment. The evidence
on which he was convicted was very weak
and his attorney at once took steps To have
him pardoned. To accomplish this it was
necessary that the attorney should have
statement from Davis, but try as he would,
Davis says, although he five different
times placed the required papers in the
hands OF Superintendent Dearstyne, it was
not until twelve months had elapsed and
outside influence had been brought to
bear, that Mr.. Dearstyne would send the
statement to his attorney in this city
The prison author ties, Davis says
also were careful that prisoners, espc-
cially those sentenced for long term of
years, would not get whatever might be
sent them in the way OF delica cies, neces-
saries or comforts. During his short stay
le says, they took from him four and a
half pounds of tobacco and quantity of
under clothing. The same. thing had hap
pened to Mr. Harris, ex-Coneressman from
Arkansas Things taken from one pris-
oner were given to otherS-short term men
from New York
Once, Davis says, he was placed in a
tuuEtpb htpb oIClc IIitc anu
nights, and that during that time the only
nourishment he was allowed was one
pint OF water and three ounces OF bread
The prisoners, he says, were often made
sick by the bad meats which were served
to them, sometimes 500 or 700 being i'll
at once. There is no doubt that the sick
LESS was caused by the bad meat, for it
was noticeable that those who did not
eat it were not sick.
The cells, he says, are small and damp
and cold; there are no beds nothing but
a piece Of cold canvas on the floor to sleep
ON, and the covering is literally overrun
with vermin 1t is a fact, he says, that
the cells are so small that one person has
to stand in corner to make room for the
other to walk, to keep warm.
There are four cells, Davis says, which
are always kept in apple pie order; these
are for the inspection of officials and
visitors.