The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-22

TEN POUND SHACKLE RIvETED
ON BENNETT BOYS LEG.

This shackle was riveted around the
leg with rivets half an inch in diameter.
and is the way Charles has chosen for
Furnishing boys who escape and are re-
captured Some boys have to wear the
shaclSles as long as three months at
time
An employe at the Reform school
states that Charles has purchased iron,
and proses to have manufactured a lot
more Of the shackles like the ones he
got from Indiana.
Superintendent Charles came here
from Indiana. He has brought here
from Indiana a man named W. r. Rus
SELL who was formerly connected with
a reforlnatory there. Russell is the man
who is given the credit OF having
brought the shaclxle system to Kansas
4 moreover, It is said that superintendent
/ Charles is planning to appoint Russell
as assistant superintendent in place of
Mr.. Misner who resigned recently.
The style of shackles which has so
pleased Charles IS about three inches
nigh, an inch thick, and is composed of
! three steel bars riVeted together. bent
into circle, and cut in half so that the
| Two halves doVe-tail into each other
and can be riveted together by nean MS
of two rivets, one through each dove
1 tall The shackles weigh ten pounds
/ apiece One shaclzle is enough to ef-
fectuaHy prevent even d we'll developed
man from walking very long at time.
and makes running almost out of the
! question There is no way to keen the
shaclzie from bearing down on the ankle
bones and literally cutting into the
flesh
The shaokle which Charles Barnett
wore, and which is now in the possess
sion of his mother. will be placed in
the hands of Governor Bailey. and will
be used as additional evidence against
tf1-1,-I
moval A picture of the shacl1le. drawn
from the original is produced in this
column.
The Barnett boy escaped twice from
the Reform school. and if recaptured
again VIII undoubtedly be sent to the
/ Hutchinson reformatory.
The first time the boy escaped he
had been shut up by Charles in a dun
to wrench an iron bar off from the win
dow of the dungeon, and got out
through the chapel.
He was recaptured and taken back.
4 and the ten-pound shackle was riveted
to his leg A friend gave him a piece
of leather to put around his leg to keep
the iron from lacerating the flesh
+ While he had the shackie on his
mother called at the school, and
4 Charles refused to permit her to see the
boy He did not want her to see the
treatment" which he was giving, so
she claims.
A few days after this the boy made
his escape out of the third story win
dow. He wores only his underclothes.
and the shackle He had no shoes on.
In this condition he made his way to
town, and came direct to the home of
his parents. He got out of the window
at the school abotu 1 O'Clock in the
morning, and arrived home about day
light. It took him four or five hours TO
travel the two miles. incumber as he
was by the shackle.
He secured u cold chisel and he cut
the riVetS and took of the Shackle. He
also got a suit of clothes, and left the
house as soon as he had eaten break
fast. He promised his mother that he
would leave the state, but instead of
that he stayed around town for a week
He has now gone out of the state, and
viii probably stay out until Charles Is
removed from the position of superin-
tendent.
While here the boy gave some inter-
esting information about the abuse OF
boys at the school. He says that a boy
named Marshall Sites. who was recap
tured after trying to escape. was forced
to wear the irons for three months. and
do regular work al the time At the
end of that time it is claimed that his
leg was permanently deformed. being
pulled out of shape by the heavy iron
Harry Leathers. another boy. was
shut up in the dungeon for two weeks
on a diet of bread and water and was
so weak when taken out that he couic
not walk. Leathers escaped, but gave
, himself up after being out for few
weeks.
William Ryan was forced to wear th'
shackles for a month for trying to es
cape
A boy named Moreland wore tn
shackles for two weeks. Numerous
other cases were mentioned by the Bar
nett boy. and will be called to the at
! tention of the governor.
j The trouble is that these boys are al
afraid to testify against Charles SO Ions
as they remain under his charge. It il