Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1901-02-28
Edward COunCe a Former Convict in
Bismarck Penitentiary Tells
His Story.
Claims that C0nviCtS Receive lnSuf.
fiCient Food and are Roasted
for Kicking.
Claims that Warden Boucher and
Others are Unworthy of
Their Positions.

AAA>~AAS'
sensational attack on Warden Boucher
and other penitentiary officials in an
article published in the Forum. The
Forum does Mr.. Counce an injustice
in intimating that he is an inmate of
the insane asylum and that the article
was penned in that institution. Mr..
Counce stated that he is under treat
ment of DR.. L. B. Baldwin Of the
state hospital which is true in that
DR.. Baldwin prescribed for him.
The letter of Counce to the Forum
| is as follows:
AS / am an old resident and tax
payer of the state, | wish to inform
the citizens in regard to the way con-
victs are treated at the penitentiary.
AS l was unfortunate enough to fall in
the penitentiary a few months and
know what I am talking about.
All summer long we were given a
soup plate full of raw, cooked oat meal
mush, two pan cakes and one cup OF
coffee and plenty OF sour bread, to eat
this or starve, before commencing a
days hard work in the brick yard.
There were many, of u.s. that many
and many a morning could not eat our
breakfasts as above, and when we
went to work, we played out in the
middle Of the forenoon and were told
by the guards to try and hold out until
dinner hour.
When the warden visited the brick
yard, the manager OF the yard re-
ported to the warden that the men
were played out and tharnot one but
all complained of hunger. The warden
replied the he would look into the
matter and that is all we got as salts
faction. 81 ~
Nothing was done in our favor, also
some Of the cOnyicts reported the mat
ter personally to the warden and only
got "blarney" and soft con talk, in re-
turn for their trouble. There was
noon after noon that we did not get
enough to eat, say nothing about the
quality, and the way it was dished up
before both convicts and our guards,
who were kicking among themselves,
as we'll as ourselves.
One noon we had such poor dinner
that it was impossi bic for US to 60 to
work after it. and we all refused to
90 to work. The guards told us that
we would be punished if they had to
take us back to the pen-tWO miles
away. They promised to report to the
warden that we were justified in kick
ing, providing we would try and work
that afternoon out until quitting
time. which we did for them as it was
not their fault, and when we reported
the matter to the deputy warden, he
promised better food, but the next
morning the warden showed up and
gave us calling down, and threaten
ed to take our good time away from
US. Men were hung up and stretched
and beat up with loaded canes, until
unconscious, for tritiing matters dur
ing the summer, also men were obliged
to sleep without stitch Of clothing
on themselves all summer, as the
storm windows were never removed,
and it was impossible to get fresh air
into the cell house.
Any time a man not feeling just
right and reports that he is unwell,
has headache or does not feel able to
work that day, he is compelled to 60
bed at once and stay there until told
that he may get up. During this time
he is given two slices of dry toast and
one cup of strong tea at each meal
hour. Men are compelled to take this
treatment for days and days, regard
less of their wish to get up and 60 to
work-just simply because they report
not feeling we'll.
To prove my statements. | refer
anyone who wishes to look into this
matter to convict by the name of
Stevens, from WilliSton. n. D., who is
in the pen now and was treated as
above only few days ago. l also re-
fer you to Mr.. John Daley, Harrie G.
Hall and Mr.. Riley, all three of Bis
marck at the present date, and men
who worked by me during the past
summer.
Hoping this matter will receive the
proper attention at an early date, and
men put in charge of the penitentiary
who are men at heart and who have a