The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-07-02
Use OF BUCK" AND GAG.
Instruments of Torture Used IN frls'
ons to Subdue Unruly.

That the buck" and gag have oeeh
nsed at the Lansing Prison ever since
the establishment was built IS the
claim of old-timers who have oeeh
connected with the institution, ana
they freely assert that, regardless OF
"investigation," these instruments
will continue to be secretly used so
long as there are refractory prisoners
in the Kansas penitentiary.
Warden Botkin, who has found SIX
of the gags in the prison, declares
they will never again be used during
his administration, and the preceo-
ing warden asserts that they never
were used in his term, all OF Whlch
has started a great controversy that
probably will result in a "searchlne
INQUIRY" The general public seems
interested, not so much in whether or
not the instruments are used, as ID
tho instruments themselves, and their
application.
The buck" is a straight jacket,
and its prison name is a misnomer'
for with. it on, the prisoner can 90
anything but buck" 1t is not In
tended as an instrument OF torture
but rather as a restraint. 1t is used
IN one form or another in all asylums
and many hospitals to restrain per-
sons who would do themselves bodily
harm. It can easily be used for tor
ture, though.
The straight jacket is not sti1 al
fair, as is popularly supposed, but 1t
is simply a heavy jacket OF coarse
canvas, thickly padded. The sleeves
terminate in leather fold, which is
fitted with eyelets for lacing. The
Jacket also laces up the back. When
it is put on the prisoners arms are
crossed on his breast and the hands
drawn back over the shoulders. Guards
| have been known to put foot on the
prisoners back while drawing up the
laces, just as an army packer tightens
the cinch on a pack mule. This, to-
gether with the uncomfortable posi-
tion and heat of the jacket in warm
weather, makes it an instrument of
torture. No one but the prisoner,
however, can tell the degree Of tor
ture inflicted. In fact when adjusted
as a mere restraint the jacket isn't
much of torture.
The gag, however, is cruel in
strument It is for all the world
like 81. 1. c." bit which is used in
| breaking horses. The gags at the
Kansas penitentiary were all made
| in the blacksmith shops at the prison,
and whoever invented the first one
certainly had the ingenuity Of Mex
lean army officer. The curved por-
tion Of the gag which projects into
| the mouth is made long enough to
extend back against the palate and
irritate the tonsils.
In actual practice the gag is wrap
| ped with old canvas or rags. This
increases it's size, until forcing it into
a mans mouth is equivalent to fore
ing a ROCKFORD melon between his
teeth. 1t is impossible for him to
shout and likewise impossible for him
to swallow. Those who have worn a
rubber dentists gag for an hour know
the torture of not being able to swal-
low.
Ordinarily this instrument was in
tended to keep prisoners from shout
ing. 1t is 4 well-known fact that
sometimes the best prisoners will go
temporarily insane from the routine
of prison life and start raising pande-
monium. They will shout and curse,
and only the gag will stop the noise.
But the guards at Lansing declare
that the gag has been used mostly as
a punishment, and not to stop noise.
The length of time the buck" and
gag are used also contributes to the
torture and the duration of the pun
ishment is often under the control of
guards or officers who, through ignor-
ance or gross brutality, allow the
punishment to become very severe.
There are said to be many instances
on record at Lansing where prison
ers were carried unconscious to the
hospital from the application of the
buck" and gag. Old officers of the
prison say that if an investigation is
made it can be proved that one pris-
oner, at least, died as a reult of such
punishment. - Leavenworth, Kan,
cor. Kansas City Star.