Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-13

an insane person who is sent to the
hospital for the insane until cured.
This has been done In other states and
can be done here with comparative JUS
tice to all. Provided the prison is pre-
pared for it and properly managed and
it's interests controlled by q compe-
tent supervising board, before whom
each prisoner shall appear personally
from time to time as occasion war
rants, to be heard in his own behalf.
The board in control should have the
power of a court of rehabilitation, and
in justice to and for the better protec-
ton of society every prisoner should
be tried by that body before being
liberated.
Wrecked by Straight Jacket
"a most intelligent prisoner, who
was one of the best musicians in their
band, was working in the machine shop
when Warden Tompkins sent for him
and said: There is dope (morphine) in
the prison and unless you tell us all
about it | will put you In the jacket
and have you squeezed until you do
1.-THE prisoner answered politely by
assuring the warden and those present
that he not only had no knowledge of
any in the prison, but would not know
it If he saw it. In spite of this frank
and truthful denial the warden ordered
the captain of the yard to lace the
- in the jacket tight
and keep him there until he tells.
1.-The poor, helpless man was tortured
there for 140 hours, or nearly six days
and nights, and then released only be-
cause he was about to die. The unfor-
tunate man is living in Los Angeles
now, crippled for life, and in one of his
letters to me uses this language: For
tunately l was a powerful man, or
wonderful endurance, but this treat
ment has left me a physical wreck,
unable to do a full days work at my
trade and turned loose on the world
physically handicapped, with nothing
before me but a life of Sickness
Others Dare Not Help
"Eyery intelligent man in San Quen-
tin knew that this man was being tor
tured, and yet no one dared even say
a kind word for him.
"You may ask what prevented the
prisoners from making some demon
stration of sympathy? My answer is
they dared not for fear of being shot.
1t was said that Warden Tompkins had
125 men under him, a walking arsenal,
with five rapid-fire Gatling guns, 1OS
breech-loading Winchester rifles, sixty
double barrel, loaded shotguns, seven
ty-two rapid-fire revolvers and 1000
rounds of ammunition at his command
tional acts charged against the late
Warden Edgar. but as 1t has always
been my desire to be fair will not
use them against the dead.
"Over the entrance gate at San
Quentin are these words: "He who en-
tiers here leaves all hope behind" III
the next legislature turns the prison
into a reformatory such sentiments
may change With modern conditions.
Instead, we may even read: Love Is
the fulfilling of the law"
"Within San Quentin'S gloomy dun
geon, situated about twenty feet below
the upper yard, are probably dozen
dark cells, and made secure to the walls
are several short, heavy chains about
two feet long.
Torture of Hanging in Chains
some of the prisoners are still liv-
ing who sadly tell the experience while
to these chains for fifty-nine
days and night. You and I can we'll
imagine the physical, mental and moral
such treatment would
suggest. Rather do we not shudder at
the utter wreck of body, mind and
spirit such an infamous torture would
produce?
1.-THE doctors there lacked experience
and were heartless- and cruel-each had
a hobby. Dr. Casey's cure-all was
artic), while Dr. Summers, his sue
cessor, used a 32-inch rubber hose and
a gallon of water for every sickness.
Let us all make an effort to do
for helpless humanity. Is
1t not a duty we owe to the prisoner,
to the state and to society? In the
name of justice, / appeal to you as
citizens of this great state to place
California toward the front in the on
ward march of civilization"