The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-14
BOY
PRISONERS
ILL-TREATED
Continued from First Page,

-
and then having had a hose turned OF
the sick body, amazed John H. Backes
Assemblymen Simon Hahn, Mark A
Sullivan, John d. Van Blarcom ar
Randolph E. Perkins, who heard thu
statements.
Crater testified to the truth Of thu
hose treatment on him. Krebs sale
that he had been beaten with a black.
snake whip until here were stripes OF
his back. Dennis told a story
of having had his head opened up by 6
blackjack in the hands Of Assistant
Superintendent Abbott. He also gave
Mr.. Backes a hint which he will follow
up. 1t was to the effect that an in
mate, now dead, by the name Of Cope
had been beaten numerically twice by
guards. He said that many attributed
his apparent insanity to those beat
ings. The newspapernen present no.
ticed the delicacy with which Mr.
Backes handled the Cope story, and ex-
pect developments. 1t may rival the
Enoch Silvers case.
AS 500 as the inspection had been
completed Counsel Backes, with the
members of the committee, had a con-
~sultation as to what should be lone
The members of the committee and
their counsel put all the stories they
had heard together and decided to take
testimony at once.
Before doing so, however, they called
in Superintendent Martin and Informed
him that serious charges had beer
made against his management Of the
institution. He told the committee
that he was surprised and promised tc
aid them in every way. When he left
the room he wore a troubled look. He
was worse when Mr.. Backes asked him
and Assistant Superintendent Abbott
to leave the room while testimony was
being taken. The two officials, with
several other attaches of the institu-
ton, remained outside the door eagerly
waiting for any news that might be
carried out.
Mr.. Backes had the numbers of a
string of inmates to whom either he oil
the committee members had spoken
during the inspection regarding their
treatment. The first person called
was Charles Crater, a 17-year-old Eliz-
abeth prisoner, who is confined fol-
thieving. After a volume of prelimi-
nary questions had been asked Mr.
Backes began the real probing.
Q.-Are you sick or well? A.-Sick.
Q.-What's the trouble with you
Authorization.
His physical condition established
counsel switched and asked him whai
he worked at. II work in the leather
shop was the reply.
Q.-Why and when did you quit
Al could not get up out of bed abou'
a week g
Q.-Were you ever punished for any
o~ffense? Ayes, sir; yesterday.
Q.-What did you do to merit tn,
punishment? Al had a magazine, {
newspaper and tobacco around my bee
in the corridor.
Q.-How much tobacco did you have
A.-Enough to make a cigarette.
Q.-You have been sick for a weel
and have nothing to read while lying il
your bed in the corridor? Ayes, sir
Q.-When was the ~contraband found
A.-Yesterday at 10 O'Clock. Mr.. Plat
my guard, found 1t.
Q.-What did he do? Al suppos
he reported me, and at 4 o'clock / wa
stripped, handcuffed to pipes in tn
bathroom and had a fire hose turne'
on me.
Q.-Where did the stream hit you
AIN the small of the back.
Q.-How long was it turned on you
A.-Fifteen minutes, / think.
Q.-Who did it? A.-Mr. Platt an
Rowley, two guards.
Mr.. Sullivan at this point asked:
Q.-When you are sick do you &c
the same food? A--Yes, sir.
Q.-Is there any way to make you
complaint? A.-None that l know 81
they would laugh at you.
Mr.. Backes asked for books contain
ing the records of the punishment give
the boys. He also requested the rec
ords of the complaints against them.
The assistant superintendent, VIII
was asked to furnish these, could M
furnish the former. He could the la
} ter. Mr.. Backes then went at the o.
fetal.
Q.-Do you not make a report OF pun
ishments to your superiors? An
Y sir. Nobody Furnishes the boys witho'
! my orders.
Abbott was then dismissed and M
a Backes resumed the examination
4 Crater.
: Ozone of the complaints made by Roy
: ley was that you had a knife blade u
you have one? A.-Yes, sir.
{ c.. (hy Mr.. Perkins)-Why did yon. \
; say something to us before? Al dld u
n like to mention that. .
n Q.-Why? A.-Because 1t was wrong I
me to have the blade.
Witness told them that he had used I
I knife to sharpen a pencil Sunday mig
4 and had not returned 1t to the other
mate who had given 1t to him.
. Q. fby Mr.. Backes)-Who hit you wi
n a cane? AIR. Hover, q guard, punch
me, hit me In the face, knocked me dQv
and kicked me while 1 was on the grouu
3 Q.-ls that the punishment in this ms
4 tuition? AYES they even beat you wi
q a ramFod.
Q.-TeIl us about It. A.-Well. Mr.. A
lbott took me in q room, made me take