The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-02-23
Charles Rugg Said to Have
Been Brutally Treated.
AT HOUSE OF CORRECTION
A Witness Says Insane Inmate of State
Penitentiary Was Abused--0ther
Testimony Before State Invea-
tigating Committee.

Rutland, Feb. 23.-The examination
Of the house Of correction BY the special
investigating committee adjourned to-
day until March 7, in order to get hold
OF some ex-pIisoners who, 1T is under
stood, can give important testimony re
garding the management and internal
workings at this institution.
Lottie Dion Of Burlington, who testi-
fed last night that she had had improp-
er relations with a federal prisoner III
the institution, Marvin A. Mcclure,
skipped out on q night train and was
not to be found when wanted by the
committee today. One Of the commits
sion went to Burlington to locate her
and II il expected to have her on hand
March Z.
Sheriff Barney Kelley testified this
morning regarding the alleged mileage
graft. He said men in hard luck who
came to the Franklin county offieers for
lodging were seldom arrested as had
been charged in the investigation pre-
viously, but were always given a bed
and oftentimes food free OF charge. He
said the officers never made charges
against the men arrested. This was a.
ways done by the states attorney. He
believed the best means TO stop the
flow of prisoners Of Franklin county To
Rutland WAS to make the penalty for
second offense hard labor, rather than
straight sentence.
Gov Bell was present at today's hear
ing.
At yesterdays session a former pris-
oner, Philip Z. Petrie, was one Of tho
principal witnesses.
Witness said he did not think the
moral tone of the prison was conducive
to reform. He stated that the inmates
were not permitted to talk while in The
work shops nor during the time can-
sulned at the dinner tables. lie said
that the place swarmed with bed bugs.
He described furious fights with the in-
sects by prisoners at night in the effort
to keep their bodies free from being
bitten and made sore.
He touched upon the alleged cruel
ties practiced in the prison. That when
man is sick he gets no breakfast. An
other man named Mullen, he said, re-
eeived nothing to eat from one day to
another, because he was sick, and went
back To work in order to obtain food.
Witness declared that he saw Charles
RuRg OF Barre, an insane man, brutally
treated. The man, witness said, MAS
put in the rings and upon bread and wa
ter. Petrie described the rings as being
placed in the wall IN such position
that a mans arms being placed in each
one, stretched wide apart, hold him up
in a painful position so that his toes
barely touch the floor.
Witness said that the methods EN-
ployed in determining a mans sanity
WAS sufficient to drive man of sound
mind crazy. Witness ssid he thought
Superintendent Morgan did not know
what was taking place in the prison
and gave Illustrations OF the removal
Of 4 prisoner from one coll to anoth-
er, his presence missed and search in
stituted
w. IT. Waters Of Burlington, who was
committed TO the house of correction
November /, 1908, to serve sentence
Of 80 days for stealing ride on pas
senger train, testified that he was com
mitted once before about FIVE years ago
for year and half for larceny, and
that during that time the food was
pure and wholesome and there was plenty
Of it.
"My last trip here" said the witness,
was disappointment as far a. food
is concerned. was hungry from the
time | arrived here until left the
place"