New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-17
federal Convicts Put in Cell In
fernoS and Taken Out to
Die, He Asserts.
WILSON CABINET ATTACKED
Wife of DR.. Morton Makes Pub
lie Letter from Judge Mayer
to President Wilson
About Pardons.

thorne novelist and poet and Or. W. j.
Morton, cancer specialist, who were re-
leased from the Federal penitentiary in
Atlanta on Wednesday morning. arrived
in New York last night. Friends and
relatives Of the two men were on hand
at the Pennsylvania station 10 welcome
them, and after posing for photographs
they We're ready to talk.
Both men were bitter In their denuncla-
fion of the tortures which they said were
inflicted upon the federal prisoners at
ATLANTA. Hawthorne said he had enough
data and proof of outrages committed
upon prisoners TO warrant soVernmeh'ai
Investigation.
The two men said they were led TO
believe by Judge Mayer. from his wordS
Nm sentencing them. and from what they
heard ex-cathedra. that they would not
spend more than ten days In prison III
view OF the fact that Judge Mayer dated
back their terms from the time or their
arrest.
'Why. the marshal who brought US TO
Atlanta said that we might return with
MIN on the same train" said Mr.. law
ithorne. But | have heard that Mr..
IMcRevnolds refused TO approve the rec
iommendation OF the Board OF Parole IN
fear OF public criticism.
Mrs Morton, the wife Of the DOCTOR
who ia the Woman Suffrage party lead
er in the nth Assembly district said that
,ehe received a letter from Judge Mayer
An which he said she might show II TO
president Wilson. This letter, dated Au-
gust 6. according TO Mrs Morton read'
in part:
IT should not have imposed the sentence
u did I'm the case OF DR.. Morton
II he would not have received. the same
as any one else. the benefit of the parole
asw take full responsibility for
an unequivocal recommendation that ooth
DR.. Morton and Mr.. Hawthorne be re-
leased from prison now
But Mr.. McReynolds, fearful over the
Caminetti case, refused TO grant the
parole that he might save his political
skin" said Mrs. Morton.
Like to Pardon" Wilson Quoted.
Mrs. Morton said that friends Of hers
and members OF the Cabinet interceded
with President Wilson. and that woman
friend presented Judge Mayors letter to
President Wilson. who, she said. re-
marked
II have given more concern to this
case than any other In my Office would
like 10 pardon them"
But he never promised to pardon
them" said Mrs Morton
Julian Hawthorne said he would not
seek a pardon.
II don't want a pardon" he added
THE government owes me an apology.
In due time will reveal the motives be-
hind my arrest and prosecution. There
is no disgrace on me or my family or
my name. The disgrace is on those VINO
bounded me-"
Returning TO the charges Of torturing
and nI-treatment of prisoners, both Mr.
Hawthorne and DR.. Morton emphasized
that their stay In the Atlanta penitentary
was made as pleasant as possible by all
in the institution. from the warden down.
But 1 can't forget that there are eight
hundred poor souls down in that hell In
Atlanta" said Hawthorne. and am
going 10 do all in my power to help them
In their misery and, II possible. 70 abolish
the tortures practised upon the prisoners
An various forms for the very slightest
ATTRACTIONS Of the rules"
Here DR.. Morton, who was emergency
physician while confined in Atlanta, in
terposed TO say that he knew OF one man
who talked rudely to Warden Meyer and
was imprisoned In an Underground cell.
Ifstid and filed with vermin, for eighteen
hours. IN which time the offending prison
er was chained by the wrists to the bars
of the cell and in an upright position.
"some Taken Out to Die"
There were many prisoners who were
so chained for three and four days. said
Mr. Hawthorne Some of them were
taken out to die There are eight Of
these cells. all opening on corridor like
stable stalls. The only light and air that
enters all these eight cells is the little
that steals through a small square graf
ing In the bottom OF the door through
which a cat could scarcely crawl.
'Tn these cells the stencil is almost in
, tolerable, and the heat makes the per-
spiration pour out. The walls are Shiny
and covered with crawling things. The
floors are covered with filth and are
alive with vermin. And into one OF these
eight hell holes a poor prisoner is thrust
for talking out Of his turn and fed with
one slice of bread a day and one cup Of
water Here he must sleep standing up,
his wrists chained above his head 10 the
bars and his physical discomforts made
q mockery Of.
Were you permitted TO see these UNI
derground cells?" Hawthorne was asked.
The writer smiled and answered:
NO. / was not permitted. but l saw
them"
Hawthorne said that he knew OF one
man who was confined In an underground
cell, but not in one of the eight he de-
scribed. for eighteen months.
The two men said that no one could
remain in the prison any length Of time
without deteriorating physically AL
though they looked the picture OF per-
feet health-the rosiness OF their cheeks
heightened by red ties. gray suits and
white hair-they lo4 weieht. the physi-
clan losing Twelve pounds and the writer
almost twenty.
Mr. Hawthorne said that an amateur
convict" like Thomas Mott Osborne. who
spent eight days in Auburn. could learn
little of prison mismanagement
There is a frsternalism among all con-
yicte" no exDlained "and the only way