The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-09-19
STRUNG UP BY THE
WRISTS AND BEATEN
SAYS AN x-CONWCT
Ugly Charges Against Wardef
of Sioux Falls Penitentiary
to Be Investigated.

Sioux Falls, s.. D., Sept. 16.--The
publication by a weekly newspaper
published in this city OF a series OF
lcharges against the management of the
Sioux Falls penitentiary has created a
genuine sensation, which has now been
added to by the demand Of Warden
lParmley that the charges be investi-
gated.
No particular attention was paid to
THE charges when they were first made,
but as they have been repeated at in
'tervals since the original publication,
Warden Parmley OF the penitentiary
finally has demanded an investigation
in order that he might be exonerated.
II court a full and complete investi-
cation said he in speaking Of the
charges. III there Is anything wrong
with the running Of the penitentiary ]
want to know ii, and / believe the pub
lie should know It."
Bob" Adams, recently released from
the penitentiary after serving a term
OF seven years for killing a hald-breed
Mexican In a pistol duel, was the maker
lof the original charges against Warden
iParmley.
Adams claims that many prisoners
are being treated In an inhuman man.
ner, n that the dungeon is being used
too much; that the pehitentiary has es.
ltablished the whipping post as a a
of punishment, although a state law
prohibits such punishment. He also
ago tried to escap from the prison
hospital, but who was too weak to
climb the plank he had placed against
the outside wall, has since been con.
fined to his cell, where he is dying by
inches and receiving practically nc
care"
1t is further charged by adams thai
UN-n~ C-.sAA ~. --A
from h third gallery to the cement
floor in an effort to commit suicide
did this because OF a severe whipping
he was given with the straps, after
which he was confined in the dungeon
for the limit, and two days after com.
ing u made the attempt at suicide
Adams charges that Smith now is 8
cell.
Adams also cites the alleged case OF
a convict who was sent to the state
hospital for the insane at Yankton
and charges that two OF the guards
beat the man with brass knuckles and
left great scars on his head. He says
there are many instances of the straps
being used to beat convicts after al
~infraction of some rule, the men, II
is alleged, being strung III by the
wrists while the beating is going ON
The ex-employe who substantiated
the charges of Adams Is Henry Peter
son, formerly deputy warden of the
penitentiary n later q deputy sheriff
In Minnehaha county. Peterson was
thus quoted by the weekly paper:
Your interview with Bob Adams
relative to the present p~enitentiary
force whipping convicts contrary tc
the law of the state is absolutely true.
But that is not all hat could be told
about the place. To my knowledge
the conVicts are being used to make
tools, furniture and window screens
for employees and wood and coal goes
from the place for some OF them. j
am satisfied groceries are also being
taken by employees. Altogether there is
no system to the place or ~organiza-
ton.
Il doubt II Warden Parmley knows
anything that Is going on, or wants to
know anything. When convicts come
to him with complaints they do o get
a reasonable hearing.
Every time they get afraid of a con-
vict nowadays he is locked up in his
cell and declared to be crazy, and If
he is not crazy when put In the cell
the chances are he will be before he
gets out OF It."
The friends of Warden Parmley are
confident he will be able to disprove
the serious charges which have been
made by Messrs. Peterson and Adams
when the state board Of charities and
corrections makes its Investigations.