The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-11-05
VividIy Described by a
Former Convict.
KILL MEr PLEADED PRISONER
Who Had Escaped and Was
Recaptured, When Whip
ping Began.
SOME SHOCKING EXPOSURES

Charleston, w. Va, Oct. 81
That an investigation of charges of
inhuman and brutal treatment of
prisoners confined in the West Vir-
ginia Penitentiary at Moundsville
has been conducted during the past
two weeks, is known here, but there
was no statement forthcoming from
the Executive Offices here on the
statement made by John Spinks, for
mer convict. at Wheeling. who des-
cribed the horrors behind the gray
walls of the big penal institution.
For several weeks there have
been current reports of the torture
of convicts for offenses committed
in violation of the prison rules, and
it is reported that the Governor and
President James S. Lakin, of the
State Board of Control, have made
an effort to ascertain whether or not
brutality has been practiced by the
guards in their treatment of the
prisoners.
Spinks, Jefferson county con-
Wet, sent up for breaking and enter
ing a saloon. was released from the
institution last Thursday.
OF his own treatment, he declares,
he had no complaint to make, but he
insisted that favoritism. was shown
in the filing of petitions for parole;
that men were beaten into insensi-
bility and begged to be killed; that
prisoners are hanged to the gate for
minor attractions of the rules, and
placed in solitary confinement, a
punishment which he declares is
worse than death, for trivial Of
lenses.
IF an investigation is ever made
by the State and the men and
guards examined under oath. the
State will be shocked by the revela-
tions," declared Spinks, who told of
the whipping of Harry Howard. a
/ life termer. who had, after spending
six years behind the gray walls, at
tempted an escape.
After two days search Harry
was caught under a house in the
neighborhood OF the penitentiary,"
said Spinks. He was brought back
to the penitentiary and begged Cap
tain Bloyd not to paddle him.
81 have always done right except
tn Inxr hot
man would do. Don't paddle me-"
Howard said.
Howard was placed in a cell, ac-
cording to the story of Spinks, and
held until the next morning, when
Captain Bloyd went after him with
another guard. He refused to leave
his cell, and was knocked down and
beaten almost into insensibility be-
fore he was dragged to the whip
ping tower.
For 200 yards. Spinks said, How
ard left a track of blood.
Take a gun and kill me. You
have got me and | am ready to go.
Please kill me-" Spinks declared was
the prayer of Howard as the lash
was applied.
Take your feet down, Harry"
was the injunction of Captain Bloyd.
according to the story of the Jeffer-
son county convict.
Spinks declared that DR.. ]. C.
Peck, who had been the prison ply
stefan for many years until a few
weeks ago, when Warden Martin
Luther Brown demanded his resig-
nation, frequently protested against
the inhuman whipping of prisoners.
which, in many instances, resulted
in permanent injury. according TO
| Spinks.
Warden Brown has been in charge
of the penitentiary since 1910, when
he was appointed by former Cover
nor Glasscock. He succeeded Jo-
seph Mathews. of Huntington.