The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-31
CRUELLY TREAT GIRL PRISONERS Terrible Tortmes in Jail
 Rehearsed. INVESTIGATION IN ATLANTA Youns Women on Stand Describe
 Brutality. To city Council investigators Girls Tell os Beias Hsas ur en
 Wall by wrist. and of
 an Attempt to whip
 Woman.

Atlanta, Ca. Dec. 3o.--That white
 women were hung up on the wall of a
 cell room as though crueifed, with ex-
 tended arms, that at least one att
 tempt was made to whip a woman and
 that prisoners were used to do work
 for private citizens were some of the things testified to today in the City
 Council investigation of the city pris- on. known as the stockade.
 Charges that the city prison, to which men and women convicted of misdemeanors and unable to pay a money fine, are committed Is a filthy place, unworthy Of holding even ani- malls, that there has been graft and that barbarous crutlties are practiced there. have been made.
 The grand jury recently indicted Su- perintendent vining and two guards for cruelty and made public q scath- ing report. which resulted in this in- yestigation.
 Ruby Gather, a country girl. who
 said she was 1s years old, was the
 star witness of the day. After the grand jury's report had described the prison as the dirtiest, foulest place on earth, dirtier than any pig pen,'' the girl was called. She told how she was sent to the stockade after her | mother remarried, because she fought RtIn Her anu hOW fJthc l day she was struck by another woman prisoner. She struck back and fear I Ing 10 be punished. went to Superin- | tendent vining anu reported her in- | traction of rules.
 Girl Tells of Torture. "Mr. Vfning grabbed me- sh6 said. "and snapped a handcuf around my right wrist. Ffe and another guard | dragged me to the watl in the cell room and hooked my arm to a ring In ] the wall The ring was so high that
 to stand on my tip-toes. told Vim | ing that I was III aAd suffering but he I paid no attention to me. I was hung l there for nearly an hour in agony. be- l fore I fainted l do not know how long was hanging. but was down and the doctor wes attendlnR to me i when I recovered ennsciousness.y
 The witness told of seeing anothei 1 girl, also white. hanging by both
 wrists. third girl was hung up, but | her hands were so snall that she slip 1 ped through the handcuffs. This same 1 girl the witness swore. was put in the | whipping machine. big wooden chair | invented by Vining. Tn which the vic. I tim Is placed fastened and then turn l ed over for the application of the lash | The lash is heavy leather strap with
 large metal rivets studded in its sur | face. This girl. Pearl Ryan, was sd
 small. however. that she slipped i through the chair a.Id the guards gave I up the attempt to beat her.
 The superintendent and guards are indicted for cruelty beating a negro Another negro died a few months aga | caused bv shaekles rusting into hli legs and cutting iEso the flesh. When prisoners arrived at the stock 1 ade. shackles were riveted on over their clothing and no matter how long l they remained. they could not remove | their clothing. Only I've soap was fur. | nished the prisoners and they got no | towels.
 The investigation will continue to-
 morrow and over a hundred witnesses | have been summoned.