Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-09-21
STRUNG UP BY THE
WRISTS AND BEATEN
SAYS AN EX-CONVICT
Ugly Charges Against Warden
Of Sioux Falls Pcnitentiary
to Be Investigated.

Sioux Falls, S D.. Sept 16.-The
publicafiDE by weekly newspaper
published in this city OF a series of
laarges against the management OF the
Sioux Falls penitentiary has created a
genuine sensation, which has now been
added 20 by the demand Of Warden
Parmley that the charges be invesu-
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 penltentiary
finally has demanded an investigation
in order that he might be eXonerated.
II court a full and complete iuvesti-
CATION" said he in speaking of the
charges. III there is anything wrong
with the running of the penitentiary
want TO know il, and | believe the pub
lie should know it,
Bob" Adams recently released from
the penitentiary after serving term
of seven years for killing a hald breed
Mexican in pistol duel, was the maker
of the original charges against Warden
Parmley.
Adams claims that many prisoners
are being treated in an inhuman man
per, and that the dungeon is being used
TOO much. that the penitentiary has es-
tablished the whipping post a 5 a means
prohibits such punishment He also
states that Ed Wilson, who some weeks
ago tried to escape from the prison
hospital. but who was too weak 10
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 no
care
Il IS further charged by Adams that
Frank Smith, a prisoner who jumped
from the third gallery to the cement
floor in an effort to commit suicide,
did this because Of a severe whipping
ne was given with the straps, after
which he was confined in the dungeon
for the limit and two days after COM
ing out made the attempt at suicide.
Adams charges that Smith now is a
raving maniac and confined in his
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 an
infraCtion of some rule, the men, It
is alleged, being strung UP 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 and later a deputy sheriff
in Minnehaha county. Peterson was
thus quoted by the weekly paper:
Your interview with Bob Adams
relative to the present penitentiary
force whipping convicts contrary to
the law of the state is absolutely true.
But that is not all that 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.
am satisfied groceries are also being
taken by employees. Altogether there is
no system to the place or organiza-
ton
II doubt If Warden Parmley knows
anything that is going on, or wants to
know anything. When COnVicts come
TO him with complaints they do not get
g reasonable hearing.
Every time they get afraid of a con-
Vict nowadays he is locked up In hts
cell and declared to be crazy, and If
he is not crazy when put In the cell
the chances are he VIII be before he
gets out OF it,"
The fr!eads of Warden Parmley are
confide.t he VIII 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.