The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-16
THOSE TWO BROKEN FINGERS
MAY YET HELP WRITE, .sVALE
LEMONpr
1T IS NOT YET EXPLAINED
SATISFACTORnY,B BY ANY ONE BUT
REED, HOW THE FRACTURES
WE'RE MADE,
LEMON ON THE STAND TO-DAY.
1t Ia Believed That the Deputy War
den and Alleged Arch Bruiser
VIII Be Put On.

If the friends Of Warden Wolfer ard
Deputy Warden Lemon, Of the Still
water prison, thought the recitals of
prison horrors as printed in the G l b e
before Gov. Clough ordered the present
fruitful investigation not proper mat
ter for publication, what will they
think when they have digested the fol-
lowing graphic recital OF the assault
on Reed?
This is not the story Of a discharged
guard, nor of an ex-conYiCt, but is
vouched for by the Journal, of Min
neapolis, a staunch friend Of the admin
istration, as the story which this man.,
still in the prison, told to the investi-
eating commission under pledge Of Sc
crecy and protection.
While the route by which the story
came into the Minneapolis papers pos
session is necessarily prOblematical,
the fact that 1t comedies generally
with the statements which leaked out
Of the prison through convicts discharg-
ed from time to time since. as well as
the fact that neither Solitary
Guard Gallagher nor Assistant Deputy
Colligan, who are mentioned therein,
could give any satisfactory explanation
of the breaking of the fingers, tends to
impress the average reader with the
plausibility of the story. More
than that, the frequent recurrence Of
this case in the personal questions ask
ed by the members Of the commission
shows that the explanation to be made
of the Reed affair to day by Deputy
Warden Lemon will have to be pos
sessed of strong elements Of detail and
dramatic strength to convince the COM
mission that the broken fingers Of
Reed, mute witnesses though they be,
must not be given full cTedence for
what they show. COnVicts' tongues may
wag and prison employees explain and
explain, but Guard Powers slashed
face and John Reeds broken
fingers are unimpeachable testimony
as far as they go. Reeds story, as Civ
en- by the Journal, is as follows:
But Reed tells a different tale. He
went to court" in good faith to make
has report for having assaulted Stilkey,
and was fully prepared for the soil
tary. He expected to walk into the
solitary without a word Of protest.
But Colligan, coming out of the deputy
wardens office, Immediately assaulted
him with a cane and helped by Guard
Gallagher. Reed only tried to protect
himself from the blows and did not
show fight. He was thrown down and
dragged along the floor into the soil
tary corridor. and the door closed
Lemon came in. Immediately closing
the door and then the fun began
Lemon and Colligan pounded and
kicked Reed as he lay upon the floor
Reed meanwhile begging piteously for
mercy. At last he was put into the
solitary cell, Lemon going in with
him. The grated door was closed and
Reed stood facing 1t, Lemon behind
him. Lemon grabbed him by the neck
and proceeded to choke him unmerci-
fully. Colligan at the same time de-
handing that he put his hands through
the grating. But with Lemon standing
behind him choking and kicking him.
Reed could not get his hands through
the bars. He did continue, however,
to beg for mercy. He finally got his
left hand through the bars and CALI
gan handcuffed 1t.
Now, put the other hand through"
shouted Colligan.
But Reeds other hand was busy try
ing to unfasten Lemons hold about his
neck.
Put it through" repeated Colligan.
cor you'll wish you had"
Almost Immediately following these
words Colligan struck Reed over the
manacled left hand with a cane, break
ing the two fingers. The scalp wound
was inflicted during the same struggle.
Reed two fingers are now stiff and
he has only partial use of his left hand.
The commission meets at the capitol
at 10 o'clock this morning.