Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-12-26
PRISON GUARDS
TORTURED MEN
INFORMANT PREPARED STORY
OF ALLEGED MISTRllAT-
MENT WHILE INNATE.
A LONG LIST OF CRUELTY
Conylcts In Missouri Prison Clubbed
and Lnshcd for Trivial Offenscs,
Ono Declares.

ST. LOUIS. Dec 25.--lnstances Of
alleged cruelty inflicted on prisoners
by Missouri penitentiary guards for
trivial offenses. the use Of the water
cure" ana the story Of the lashing OF
inmates at a grated door were told
today by Mllard Bass. a released con-
vlct
Bass wrote his story while serving
a sentence in the penItentiary. 1t
follows, in part
"Thc Missouri penItentiary is one
Of the most barbarous In tho country
and If the people Of Missouri will not
accept my statement, ] VIII prove It
to them. / VIII furnish the names Of
some Of the unfortunate convicts who
have been treated worse than Drutes.
Hung Up by Wrists.
Some may tell you that the war
den and the governor do not know of
the cruelties, but they can't help but
see the poor convicts being carried
across the prison yard with large holes
in their heads. on their way to the
hospital.
'T have seen forty men hung up to
the wall by their wrists on several oc-
caslons this year, and any number
whipped numerically.
'If you do not believe the charges
I make. you may verify them by In
vestigating these instances:
'Tn April, 1912. Charles Watkins.
No. 127G4. was hit on the head and
shoulder with a club infllctlng two
cuts on the head and knocking his
shoulder out Of place. One scar can
be found on the right side of his head,
the other I'm the center of the back.
All that Watkins had done was not to
put a pocket In pair OF trousers as
the foreman Of the clothing factory
thought he should have done.
Left Unconscious by BLOW.
ION May 81. 1912, John Ledford.
No SS7. made a crooked stitch acci-
dentally, in a pair OF trousers He
was Knocked unconscious He lay on
the floor bleeding for fully an hour.
"1n February, 1912, Jim Murphy.
No. 12O07, was sitting. working. The
guard had m idea that he was talk
Ing and walking up to him. beat him
over the head, iniurlng him 80 that
he was unable to work. and refused to
allow him 10 be taken 10 the hospital
"On March 25. 1912, Fred Wilson
No. 1921, could not finish his task
and was attempting 10 explain WHY he
had failed when he was hit across the
head, inflictlng n severe wound.
On May 2, 1912, Prisoner No. To-
CAT was coming out Of the dining
room with the lower button Of his
coat unbuttoned. He was stopped by
a guard, who told him to button II
AS the coat was too small for him 10
DO so. this guard began striking him
over the head with a club while he
was trying 10 button the coat.
HE ran tho man to the Furnishing
hall, where several other guards be-
gan striking him with their clubs
The poor fellow ran into one Of the
prison officials offices 10 keen them
from killing him, but he was brought
back, mung up 10 tho whipping door
and given about twenty-five lashes
with a strap by tho official because
he had run into the latter's office for
fear Of his life.
I'm February 1912. W. Miller was
behind with his task lie was hit
over the head. causing a severe cut
over his left ear. near the temple.
The scare can be seen today.
I'm March. 1912, r. Mccoy. No
1892. was talking In the line of
march TO supper. A guard knocked !
(COnfIpue1 Ou papa al