Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-05-13

warden that the task was too small,
and Brown would sign any kind OF
task presented to him for his sigma
ture. Would he first investigate to
see il the task. was already too high?
No, never! He did not care what was
the result! Many men who formerly
made the task were unable to comply
and were reported by the guards for
mot making task" and then Brown
would permit Captain Joe Bloyd to
punish and in many cases brutally
mistreat the ! unfortunate convict.
The warden's Office is nothing more.
than a meeting place to cut and divide
pie for the corrupt politicians OF the
state.
There is no doubt in my mind that
about this, as / observed conditions
very close. l recall shortly after my
arrival that one instance Of the task
raising by Brown 1t was in the shirt
shop. The task was on collars, the
contractor demanded that the convict
should do il dozen collars; that is,
stitch the. collar on the shirt, then
turn 1t over and stitch ii, down on the
outside-in other words, his task was
sewing on $50 collars per day. And
in addition to this he was required to
sew . hanger or label on each shirt
his task was for the day, 1870 collars
and 100 labels or in other words, he
had to perform $40 different opera
tons in return for the small amount
paid to the state. Now there were
only two convicts who were able to
make oyer-task on this kind Of work.
They each had high power machines
and In perfect running order, and
then again both were very quick. Here
IL what happened. The contractor
asked Brown to raise the task to %
dozen collars and % dozen labels, or
sum total of 1873 separate and dis
tinct operations in day. That Is
over 90 separate operations per hour.
It did not leave any time for perform
ing the duties Of nature. Then when
the convict could not make the task.
the guards would report him, then
Brown would permit Joe Bloyd to
brutaAy punish him.
found that IS per cent Of the
conVicts would work hard anN did al
ways their best to perform the out
rageous task, still they were punished.
No chancetto refor ma man under such
conditions. Conditions are just the
same under M: z. White, for the chief
reason that he does not care .. rap
about the convicts, and has virtually
turned the prison over to Joe Bloy&.
Brown as warden was mean in many
other ways; he would permit con-
vict to have his pardon petition pre-
pared, then when the convict would
file 1t with Brown, Brown would not
send it to the pardon attorney.
know of several such cases. The con.
vict would write asking Brown about
his pardon petition, and Brown would
write or call the convict and tell him
Ill kinds Of lies and would build up
in the convict false hopes, etc. /
know OF one convict, Joe H, from
Charleston, who was . hard worker,
well liked and a trusty, but poor, he
only had $500. Brown gave him per
to 1le petition. Joe H
did SO, and spent his last cent to have
the petition typewriter. then hled Il
with Brown. and Brown kept filing
him with false hope. Then after
Brown lost out As warden. Joe Il
was working ON the prison farm and
was unloading rubbish from the pri-
son and In the rubbish he found the
pardon petition that he paid $500 for.
and he told me there were many 9th
ers there.
Brown would even refuse to let
some cOnyicts send money home 70
their wife and children, n we'll IS
their mothers reason was. It took the
money out Of the bank and cut down
the interest, or In other words.
Browns rafe-oR." TKey only allow
interest to those cCnsicts who have
5000 Or more in the bank II the
convict has $ls.ss o. less he does not