The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-28
Investigation by Board
Demonstrates Good
Conditions.
BRUTALITY WAS
IN FORMER YEARS
Dr.. Darlington Declines to Make
Charges, but Says He Has
Material Which Reflects
on Board Memberships
Company Influence I
Not Shown. I

According to every witness exam.
med last night at the Investigation :nto \
conditions at the State PenitentIary.P
conducted by the board of directors. #
conditions In the big prison are entirely
satisfactory from the standpoints Of
health, discipline and humanity. Tho
former surgeon. DR.. Charles ". Car
rinston. upon whose published state
inents tho investigation was hcld. free
~ admitted these facts. He produced
matters In prior. adninistra tons, bud 3
.hese were not gone into. the board
hoidinE that there was now no neces-
sity for looking into abuses which lad
been long since corrected
me investigation resolved Itself into 4
accusations by DR.. Darlington: (ID THAI
t. X. Penn, keeper, Is disloyal to SUI
rerintendent James B. Wood (a) that
MT Penn Is cruel and brutal oficial,.
whose presence in the prison would nos
be tolerated IL DR.. Darlington had hIa
way; CD that the malign influence os
the Thacher Shoe Company, which en-.
ploEs the convict labor, still exists, and
Is curbcd only by tho influence of Major
Wood. N''St
Contrudictcd by Wood. f&
On these points the former surgeon
was fatty contradictcd by Major Wood.
who stated that he believed Keeper
Penn to be thoroughly loyal and COM
picteiy his friend and supporter: that
no brutality is practlced by any one.
ana That there Is no opportunity for tho
influence OF tho Thacher Shoe Company
TO nave any part whatever In tho res
lease Of convicts on parole
had the matters Drobed by the board
peen charges made and prosecuted by
Pr Darlington. 1t would he admitted
by all present that they collaps COM
picteiF' ana that no ceasurablc condi-
tons now exist or have existed at anv
time during Major Woods administra.
ton. The charges seemed absolutely
unsupported. -
But Dr. Darlington, expressly dis
claimed that he had meant to make
such accusations as were read into
his published articles by tho hoard
when the resolution calling iasn
nights meeting was adopted. His nt-
torneys said that his language was not
such as to Justify the conclusion that
he had stated "a certain oflclal or
ofiicials or employees OF tho peniten-
tiaty were improperly Influenced or
controlled by the Thatcher Shoe Cons
pany."
DR.. Cnrrington's Statement.
Upon helns sworn DR.. Darlington
read tho Following statement which
succeeded In arousing any Ire which
might not previously been enter-
tanned in tho minds OF the board
against him
u m.
In which character only I appear, with
NIL due respect, desire 1t to be dis
Ynctiy understood TINT am not here
10 prefer charges before this bonrd. I
nave information, I'm no way connected
with the recent election OF SURGEON,
which, unless refuted, will reflect up.
on the character and Official coudurt
OF some members OF the board. ss wolf
MS upon one or moro of the prison Of
hciais. cnn. I'm addition, point OUT
sources from which other Information
may he obtained, the correctness OF ar1
of which will necessarily be In issue,
nm, however, rendy to answer ali
questions, whether involving the mem.
hers OF the bonrd, amy prison official,
and whenever cnnno- answer of my
own personal knowledge, I mn ready
TO the best of my ability to point out
all sources frim which such informn,
tton may he obtained"
Could Not Try Itself.
During DR.. Carringtons examines
ton. +. G. Stratton. of Petersburg, ono
OF the directors. inquired OF the witt
ness IL he were ono OF those mentions
ed, and. If so. what were the nature
or the charges referred to.
DR.. Darlington evinced the utmost
Willingness to reply. and said he would
so into the whole matter But L. l.
Scherer objected, saying that tho board
should not try itself. and that he for
one was unwilling to sit in Judgment
upon himself or his colleagues Chair
man Patton thercupon ruled the cues
ton out. after Richard Evelyn Byrd,
counsel for tho board, had agreed with
MIR. sscherer
Later. w. 3. Bradley. another mem-
Der or the board. arose and expressed \
his Indignation at the action of Dr.
Darlington In flling the paper which he
said was done merely TO got into the
newspapers He thought to take such
an advantage, when the board could NOT
investigate Itself. was unkind ungen-
erous and uncalled for
Calls Penn Disloyal,
Dr.. Darlington began his evidence
with assertions as 10 the disloyalty or
Keeper II. Il. Penn. fie said that when 4
a paper was prepared indorsing Mator
Wood. NIL the prison employees signed IT,!
save Mr.. Penn, who said ne could not
agree that discipline was better under
Major Woods methods. This was early
In the administration OF tho present SUI,
perintendent.
Continuing. Dr. Darlington said than
Penn was the most brutal and cruel
man he had ever known. and that he III
had given Major Wood and former su-S
perintendents numerous instances of \
Penn's Ill trea tment of convicts, include
Ing the use OF the cross and knoctSs!
ing MEN In tho heads with clubs. On
one occasion. he asserted. Major Wood b
the board was not behind him. La ter q
giving tho names OF some convicts who lti
had been badly whipped, DIR. CarrtiiS-iE
ton said that II Penn got their nanies.s5
unless Major Wood protected thGrn,f
they would get the worst deal any ri,errp