The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-11

he was placed where he could hear
would not go back, and ran knife N
TO his heart.
Another convict, named Peffered
now in lonia, slashed his wrist after
fogging. and was bandaged up and
fiogged again. He is now in Ionia
the report states.
Another man, Smith, by name, was
given 20 blows one day, 80 the next
and 40 two months later. He be
came unconscious during oine fog
ging and when he recovered, was
forced to carry the parpaphernalia 10
the bull-pen. Carrying the parapher-
MALTA was known as carrying the
CROSS"
A boy named Williams was fiogged
for using black instead of white
thread in sewing overall suspenders.
The report states that most OF the
punishments inflicted are for non
performance OF tasks.
Warden Russell is charged with
cleverly circumventing the law. which
forbids fiogging a convict on the bare
body. by stretching sheet soaked III
brine over the body. The report ex-
presses belief that the warden is
influenced by the history Of the pris-
oners as furnished by the Judge who
sentenced them, and quotes him as
saying in regard to Negro sentenced
from Detroit:
II that man ever gives me a
chance, | will punish him for what
h tn hot hu-
been a model prisoner.
Some Of the daily tasks for non
performance OF which prisoners are
punished. are: Sewing l,008 pants
legs; hemming 1,2OO pants legs: sew.
ing on 700 pockets. The work. 1t
states, is worth four or five times
what the state gets for II. The min
orlty agrees with the majority that
the overall contract should be cancel
ed and the contractors allowed TO
sue for damages
Several minor instances OF loose
financial methods are given, some of
them better substantiated than others
In one instance, the warden is chars-
ed with a S94-overdraft on a sum Of
$3.50 deposited with the bookkeeper
of the prison.
Summing up, the report says that
politics has been played In the
prison In way that would satisfy
the fastidious Hinky Dink Of Chicago; !;
that what good men there are In the
prison management are afraid OF Of
Tending their ruler; that II Warden
Russell paid less attention to local
and state politics and used his better
Galf and L., tl. "A T.
charge Of his duties at the prison, he
would not find himself with an abnor-
NAL temper and apparently an uncon-
trollable and revengeful disposition.
As to DR.. Hornbogen, the report
predicts that he will resign when the
warden leaves the prison. remarking
that there Will be no congenial com
pany for him"
AS for William Russell" the re-
port continues, the chairman OF, the
special committee has received a com.
munication from the warden recently,
stating that William has gone west in
search OF his suddenly lost health. We
hope he will stay out west and en-
Joy It.
Michigan is opposed to capital
punishment for one reason at least,
the report states. The person pun
ished may be innocent, and thus
should be surrounded by every safe.
guard lest he be dealt with unjustly
In view OF all the testimony and rec
ords taken or found by your commit
tee, relating TO punishment by fog.
ging as II Is administered at the pris
on, we are satisfied that a prisoner
should be protected by law from the
class Of corporal punishment known
as fiogging for the same reason" The
report closes with these recommends
tions:
First, that the several members oi
the board OF control of the state house
of correction and branch OF the state &
prison OF the upper peninsula of Mich
igan at Marquette be removed with
dispatch from their positions on said
board; second. that James Russell be
removed as soon as conditions will
permit, but at least within month
from the wardenship OF Marquette
prison; third, that William Russell
shall never be employed again in any
capacity at the Marquette prison
fourth, that the form OF corporal pun
ishment known as "fiogging be at
once abolished from the Marquette
prison.