Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-21
OUR AMERICAN INFERNOS
<EyT,HE humming bird, to which the

XXI ME nuIIIiIIlIlB plIu u WHICH the
aff1ant refers, was an electric
n instrument of torture (once
highly esteemed in the institution Sper-
ated after the following manner: Hav-
ing been stripped the delinquent was
fastened on his back in a shallow metal
tank filled with water and connected
with one electrode from a dynamo;
the other electrode was a wet sponge.
Gloved in rubber. the operator took
the wet sponge and passed 1t slowly
up and down the prisoners bare limbs,
AS 1t went his muscles corded into
knots and he shrieked aloud until he
tainted"
No; this is not an account of Apache
tortures. 1t is a description Of life IN
the state penitentiary of Ohio-our
presidents stately a most reputable
writer Charles Edward Russell, in
Hampton's Magazine. And, although
this particular form of fendishness has
been discontinued, he gives, with IL
Illustrations showing the victim man
acled in the tub and officials turning on
the water, detailed account of the
water cure" which is still in con-
stant use.
"By those who have suffered this
treatment" says Russell, 'the sensa-
tions are said to be indescribably hOr-
rible. In spite of his reason the vic
tim feels that with the most excruciat-
ing pains he is being tortured to DEATH
And he adds: IT understand that in
nine cases in ten the man was carried
away insensible and sometimes spent
days in the hospital. If he died I don't
know how the facts would be known.
'Tis but a man gone-and he a con-
Wet"
Civilization has to turn its Immediate
attention to many plague spots, and
we anticipate that this question of our
prison infernos must be one Of the
first to BE- handled without gloves.
Brand Whitlock, perhaps, first forced
| this dark question to the front by his
Turn of the Balance" dealing with
the very prison now exposed by Rus
! sell and in this state Griffith ]. Grif-
fifth followed with truly terrible ac-
counts of San Quentin; accounts that,
moreover have never been disputed.
| Afraid to face our own brutalities we
abolished public torture long ago, only
to consign 1t to the infinitely more
dangerous condition of the secret dun
geon, where officials-generally the
! tackals of politics-administe it with
! no responsibility save what they may
! owe to that yudimentary organ-their
conscience.
The situation is as black as the low
est pit of hell, and must be laid bare
and stamped out in its entirety or 1t
may shoulder into revolutionary fire.
Horrors no more intense than these
have deluged France and Russia with
blood, and the inquiry has gone toe
far to be smothered in dignified Of
fetal silence.
We learn that the announcement was
made at the National Prison associa-
ton recently held in Seattle that a
four-volume work dealing with reform
atory and penitentiary conditions IS
contemplated, publication being prom
ised in about two years. This in itself
is a suggestive sign, but we venture
the prophecy that the public will in
sist on far quicker action.
Meanwhile to every one the thought
will come: What sort of men are these
officials who can look on while chained
wretches are slowly tortured to the
very gates of death? The camera
does not lie.