davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-05-06
-
The Pen Moundsville Penitentiary
IN = NAA CONVICT No. sO32
THE HALL GUARDS
BY CONVICT No. 1892

to be one of the lowest, Iilest and
most brutal Of men. will just cite
the treatment accordde me by "Old
White" He had the laundry guard
furnish me with an old dirty, filthy,
worno-ut chez ksuit. one which per-
haps had been previously worn by
some degenerate, a dirty one perhaps.
He then assigned me to cell 4C34
This cell was dirty and filthy ana full
of disease and vermin. bed bugs and
body lice. l protested and he told
NIT was good enough for second
timer" convicts. 1 appealed to Joe
Bloyd; he would not do anything.
was then compelled to go to Warden
Brown about the matter. He at first
refused to do anything; but convey
ed the impression to him that unless
he had my cell cleaned up and put in
living condition that / would likely
get out secret communication to my
relatives, friends and to the public
through the newspapers. Our dear
Warden Brown was SO afraid that
would let the public know about the
matter that he made the guard furn-
ish nae with clean bed, but the cell
was still in a damp, unsanitary condi-
ton. / was compelled to live in that
cell for long time. Finally another
guard was placed in "Old Wits
place and persuaded him to remove
me to a cell that was in some respec!
little better.
Joe Bloyd then nagged all the
guards in the halls to mistreat me
Boyd is back of all kinds of under
hand punishments. He is not in favor
of reforming men, all he believes in
Is punishment" The Hall Guards as
rule, are men that fear the wratl
of Joe Bloyd, and to hold their posi-
lions will carry out his methods Of
punishment.
Many men have shed their blood or
the whipping Horse" chat was
there during Browns administration
and Brown always approved any pun
ishment melted out by Joe Bloyd
There is not enough water in the Ohio
river to wash the blood of theil
hands.
AS previously mentioned. the one
great evil in the ha aaHd cell houses
is the neglect" ofeQhe guards il
charge. They do not care anything
about the welfare of. the men aftel
they are locked in their cells for thu
might. I will cite one case that still
burns my memory, It occurred undel
the administration of Brown. Som
| time prior to January, 1913. 9 boy
only about 10 years of age; q will
mot give his name here as his peopl
might object, but will give his initials
they were L. b.. He was sentences
| from Tyler county and was to serv
labout one year. He was assigned t
a cell on the same tier with me. H
was just a poor country boy, frighter
ed and afraid Of the guards. and h
had good cause to be, poor fellow. H
worked in the shirt shop on q m;
chine. He worked near me. I, sa'
there was something the matter wit
him and asked him about It; he tol
me there was sore in his head an
ear, and l directed him to, go to tn
hospital for treatment. He went theI
and the attending doctor told hi
there was nothing the matter wit
: him, and the doctor remarked, aThi
You are only trying to beat the col
tract" The boy being 50 bad Of az
scared, he came hack to the sho
Guard. Coleman, one Of the more n
name guards there. noticed there vi
Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-05-06

something the matter with him so he
took him to Joe Bloyd, and Bloyd had
him locked in his cell
] shall never forget the might he
lost his mind, he raved worse than a
maniac The hall guard on duty that
night did not even come to his cell
to see what was the matter; no doc
tor came to see him; he was allowed
to continue to rave all night long. The
next day was Sunday, 1 think January
S, 1918. That morning two Of the
convict attendants came to his cell
from the hospital and took him over
there, but the regular prison doctor
was out of town attending the legisla-
ture in Charleston. made it my
business, under pretense Of getting
some medicine, to go to the hospital;
when I reached there DR.. b., a good
doctor from MouS dsville, was there
and he did all he could for the boy
but remarked that it was too bad
that no one had called him in any
sooner, as the boy had an abcess on
the brain, and that he was too fal
gone and he could not save his life
The boy died the netx day. / have
often wondered what they told his
poor mother. That was a clean and
clear case of neglect" on the part Of
, the Hall guards.
There is much neglect" daily in
evidence there. Only recently in his
cell Chris jackson, a Federal convict
from London, Kentucky, was permit
ted to die of heart spell Just because
the guard would not get the doctor
there for him. The convict that was
in the. cell with him, told me that they
rang repeatedly for the guard during
the night, that the guard was lone
time in coming to see what the trou
BILE was, and then did not get the doc
tor until after the poor fellow fel
dead on the floor, Of his cell.
can cite other cases Of gross
neglect but just mention the more
serious cases. Chris Jackson lost hi'
life jut on account of the neglect OF
the part of the night hall guard anc
the carelessness Of the prison doctor
The night hall guards pay very little
any, attention to the men aftel
hey are locked in their cells for the
light. ANY convict so locked up coult
re overcome by heart attack, append
tits or any other serious ailment ant
would die before morning. Under the
resent condition it means death ant
he grave for any convict that be
omes afflicted with very seriou:
ailment during the night time. The
lall guards will on warm nights per
nit the steam heat to remain on fn4
,orce and roast the men until abou
| midnight. then they turn of the steam
and open all the windows and the con
Wet almost freezes to death, or els'
contracts his death of cold, which
often leads to consumption, typhoiC
Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-05-06

(This story is from the pen Of
a convict just released from the
West Virginia Penitentiary at
MoundsviIIe, w. Va. In writing
this story shall endeavor to stick
as near to the truth as possible
and relate conditions as they real
ly exist there.)
Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-05-06

b Quiz-I wonder what = meant
~ the statement that nature equal
Tres things
Dc Wftte-WelI. II nature endowB =
woman with small fest Il gives her :
big head
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
ANOTHER COURT ACTION IN
RAPID CITY RAILROAD BONDS

Rapid City, S, D.. Jan. 27.-Attorneys
have departed for St. Louis. where
early this week they will be present
and participate in arguments before
the United States circuit court of ap-
peals in the celebrated case of H. G.
Denet VS.. the city Of Rapid City, in
which Denet asks for q new trial in a
bond suit against the city involving
about S250,000.
The case has been tried twice before
Judse Elliott, of the United States
court for South Dakota. and each time
the city o The case now comes be-
fore the federal circuit court of ap-
peals on petition of the plaintiff for a
new trial.
The bonds which are involved in the
suit originally were issued by Rapid
City to assist in building the Missouri
Rive & Western railroad. which now
is Familiarity known as the Crouch
line. Rails were purchased with $70.-
GOO of the bonds and these bonds fell
into h hands of Denet, a Chicago
druggist, and some of his friends.
After lying dormant for many years,
suit was instituted to collect the prin-
eipal and interest on the bonds. In the
two prior trials the city contended that
the bonds when issued We're tainted
with fraud and We're illegal in that they
exceede IN amoun constitutional pro-
visions. 1t also was contended that
Denet was not an innocent purchaser
Of the bonds.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
LEGISLATIVE EMPLOYEES
FALL INTO CAPITOL LAKE

Pierre. S. D.. Jan. 27.-Frank Yeag-
er, of Sioux Falls. assistant sergeant
at arms in the house and Mrs. Lydia
Buechler, expert s~tenographer on the
senate force, had a narrow escape from
drowning while skating on Capitol lake.
This lake. which is quite deep in places.
Is fed by an artesian well and the con-
slant melting of the Ice due TO the in
flow Of warm water makes it all all
times unsafe.
Not being familiar with this condi-
t1an the couple We're skating on the LAKE
whcn suddenly the ice gave wa and
both were plunged into deep water.
Asr Ye8gsr succeeded in clinging to the
edge Of the firrner ice and supported his
r~F1apanicn. but found it impossible to
sf1E ner Out Of the water, until he had
FIRST climbed out himself when he
dragged the woman after him.
n temperature was near zero and
The couple rushed into the nearby pow
~ house n through the Ions tunnel
TO the capitol basement. Neither suf-
ferrsd any serious from
their Involuntary bath. MI. Yeaser is
quite an athlete which accounts for his
being able to get himself and COM
panion out of the deep water unassist-
ed
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
HEEDNER BOLTS WITH
CASH WHEN HIS WIFE
STARTS DIVORCE SUIT
Takes About $4,000 From
Banks and Disappears-Wife
Gets Decree BY Default.

Sioux Falls. S. D., Jan. 27.-with-
drawing between $1,000 and $4,000
from banks in Clear Lake, Castlewood
and Estelline, Frank Heebner, of Deuel.
county, has disappeared, taking the
money with him. The money was
Withdrawn to prevent ii falling into
the hands of his wife, who had inSti-
tuted suit against him for a divorce.
Since his disappearance Mrs. Heeb-
ner has pressed her divorce suit TO a
conclusion. Judge Sherwood, of the
state circuit court, after hearing the
testimony in the case, granted her an
absolute divorce, the custody of the
two minor children, alimony to the
amount of S6,090, together with all
costs of the suit, and the farm home
and furnishings.
notwithstanding hat Heebner took a
considerable sur in cash with him
when he disappeared, he left enough
property so Mrs. Heebner can collect
the amount of alimony granted her by
Judge Sherwood.
The marriage of the couple took
place in 1890. both having been among
the early residents of Deuel. county.
The disappearance of Heebuer fol-
lowed the filing of the divorce suit and
the issuance of an order by the court
requiring him to pay his wife a Ger
tain amount OF money and TO obey
other orders of the court, pending the
hearing in the divorce case. Ignoring
the orders of the court, Heebner OBJ
tanned all the cash available and fled.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
ASKING OWA LEGISLATURE
FOR EXPOSITION FUNDS

Des Moines, Ia, Jan. 25.-Represen-
~tatives of the Greater Iowa associa-
ion urged a state appropriation for
lhe Panama-Pacifc exposition at San
Francisco before the Iowa Legislature
This afternoon. About 100 men from
The various fields of Iowa were present
Among those interested are breeders of
;arcy live stock, state COMMERCIAL
rclubs3 representatives, and manTffac-
.urers from Clinton, Counca Bluffs
Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Sioux CITY
Waterloo and other cities.
w. w. Marsh, Of Waterloo, who was
n the 35th assembly. said today that
The question of an appropriation was
not properly presented two years ago
ind the matter was taken upssby pri-
rate interests.
Serious opposition has developed in
he ous to the appropriation. and it
s not likely that the full s12HDOo viii
pc allowed. Many members oppose any
appropriation for this purpose.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
ONE ZEPPELIN STRUCK
BY SMALL GUN BULLET
Four Sky Terrors Sailed Over
England-Future Opera
tions Hinted At.

Berlin, tvia LonSon), Jan. 26.-N
Zeppelin raid over Norfolk county,
England, have been issued here, the
admiralty desiring to make nothing
public which might interfere with the
success of further operations.
There is reason to believe, however,
that a squadron of four dirigibles was
engaged in the expedition, instead of
three, as has been reported in the dis
patches from England. 1t is understood
that one of these was struck during the
heavy fire which was directed against
the air craft at various places during
the raid, without, however, doing any
further damage than piercing one bal
ioonet. This did not interfere with the
navigability of the balloon, it is said.
The gas escapes very slowly from the
small hole caused by a bullet and the
Joss of the sustaining power of n of
these numerous bolloonets may be COM
pared to the piercing Of a water tight
compartment of a modern ship.
Rifles, machine guns and cannon, it
Is declared, participated in the bonn
bardrnent of the Zeppelins off the
ground. All three arms took part in
the bombardment, while only rifle fire
was noted from some of the towns over
which the air crafts passed.
According to information received by
The Associated Press, it is understood
that the dirigibles passed over England
rom the North sea and returned across
The water to the base of starting.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
UNANIMOUS VOTE ON
BILL TO DISCIPLINE
EXPRESS COMPANIES
No Attempt to Amend or Delay
Measure Designed to Force
Tax Payments.

Pierre, S. D.. Jan. 25.-Never did leg
islative machinery work with greater
facility than in the passage thuS early
IN the session of the act designed to
prevent express companies of the state
from further holding up money due
from them to the state for taxes. 1t
Is seldom that a measure so important
as this slips through the complicated
legislative process without a voice
raised in opposition in either house and
without a negative vote.
on Tuesday the house passed the bill
unanimously and or Thursday the SEN
ate gave it a unanimous vote. No at
tempt was made TO amend the bin. AS
soon as 1t was passed by the senate 1T
was enrolled and signed by the govern
or and carrying the emergency clause,
is now the law of the state.
The reason for the haste is shown
in the wording of the emergency clause
in the bill:
Whereas, the collection of some of
the taxes now due may be enjoined,
clared to exist"
The fact that express companies of
South Dakota now hold nearly 100000
of tax money belonging to the state.
which is tied up by injunction and
awaiting the slow process of trials and
appeals in the courts to determine it's
final disposition, and the further fact
that the 1915 FAX collections are about
to be made xnd We're likely to be tied
up IN the same manner, caused the leg
islature to give demonstration of "a
pull all together"
On Trail of Primary.
Rumblings of a coming onslaught by
the legislature on the Richards pri-
mary law hSve been heard ever since the
session started. The first gun was fired
on the third day of the session when
the house instructed the committee on
privileges and elections to prepare a
bill amending or repeating the Rich
ards law.
Thursday. Senator McMasters. of
Yankton county delivered a broadside
when he introduced senate bill No. 50,
repeating the Richards law and re-
placing on the statute books the Jaw
In effect previous to two years ago. 1t
is likely the legislature will have a
number of bills to select from when it
seriously takes up tie question of re-
pealfnS the present primary law.
Senator UrdahPs bill making the gov
ernor superintendent of the capitol
building and grounds, with power to
employ a deputy, starts a Pierre
paper to talking about creating more
offices, but in this case the criticism is
not warranted. The bill creates no adj
d1tional offices. The duties of the hea
%ianitor, who is now paid $1,500 per year
will be taken over by the deputy pro-
vided for in the bill.
There is much speculation as to what
the senate will do with the bill abolish
ing capital punishment which passed
the house after some lively opposition.
The senate is said to be more evenly
divided on the proposition than the
house and opponents of the bill are
planning to make a hot fight against it
there.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
EMIL J. WoERTH HELD
ON CRIMINAL CHARGE

Chamberlain, S. D.. Jan. 25.-In the
preliminary hearing of Emil J.. Woerth.
a Kimbal attorney, who is charged
with forgery, the defendant was held
for trial to the next term Of circuit
court.
Mr.. Woerth was arrested Tuesday
upon complaint of a K1mball merchant
that a certain check, passed by him,
was forged. At the preliminary exam
nation before Justice Campbell, other
checks We're introduced In evidence by
witnesses for the state, also alleged
to have been forgeries, and to have
been passed by hMT. Woertil liz Timbaii.
One Of the principal witnesses for
h state was unable to attend court
at this time and for that reason the
circuit court trial was postponed to
the next term.
Mr.. WoertA gained considerable
fame about a year ago by claiming a
Milwaukee engine to the rails III the
process of collecting, for one of his
clients. a claim against the railroad
company.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
DRIVEN INSANE. AND DIES,
FROM SILVER IN FINGER

Sioux Falls, S. d. Jan. 25.-Miss
Mary Tuor. who for some time had
been h~ousekeeper for her brother, Matt
Tuor, a Lake county farmer, became
violently insane and died yesterday as
the result Of running a silver under the
nail Of n of her fingers.
The young woman was scrubbing the
floor when she ran the silver under her
nail. The injury caused the finger to
bleed freely. The sight of the blood
drove the young woman into a frenzy
and those about her could not convince
her that there was nc danger from the
injury. She became frantic with terror
and finally lost her mind. Her condi-
ion became such hat the county au-
thorities had to TAX her into custody.
She was taken before the county board
of insanity and ordered sent to the
state hospital for the insane at Yank-
ton. but died before her removal.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
DENY "FRATS" PROVOKED
HENRY PETERS ASSAULT

spearfish. S. D., Jan. 25.-In state
ments to members of the state legis-
lature at Pierre Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
Peters asserted that the recent assault
on Mr.: Peters by a masked band,
claimed to be composed of normal stu
dents. was melted by frat officials at
the school. They asserted that a news
paper clipping, citing Mr.. Peters OBJ
~jectionable activities. had beer posted
on a bulletin board. accompanied by a
call to the 'frats" for action.
Ernest G. Bunney. president of the
Omicron Kappi Psi fraternity. and Al
bert w. Dickey, president of the Phi
Phi Sigma fraternity, the emily two fra
ternities at the Spearfish normal, have
executed affidavits asserting that the
assault on Henry Peters was not an
outcome of frat" vengeance. and as
sorting, specifically. on the part Of each
organization. that it had nothing to do
with such assault; and asserting that
1T was not true that the frat" rally
ing cry was posted on the bulletin
board of the school before or after the
assault.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
GERMANS BRINGING UP
NEW TROOPS I'M voseEs

Berne. Switzerland, (via London),
Jan. 25.-Great military preparations
are being made in Alsace and it is be-
lived by military observers here that
the Germans are about to begin a yio-
lent offensive movement against the
French front in the Vosges mountains
All the railways in southern Germany
will be reserved tomorrow for the
transportation of troops to the fronties.
From one distance alone, that of Con-
stance. in the grand duchy Of Baden.
5000 fresh reserves are reported to be
moving towards the border.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
1ERnAN|C ALLIES
LAUNCH NEW MOVE
General Assault Is Delivered
Against Russian Lines In
Southern Poland, GaIicia
and BukoWina.

P~etrograd, (via London). Jan. 20
There has been pronounced activity
tlong the entire Austrian front of 800
miles during the last few days. This
Is regarded here as marking the initia-
ton of the plan for an Austro-German
offensive movement, which is be-
lieVed to have been adopted recently
with the object of clearing the Rus
sian invaders from Bukowina, eastern
Galicia and northern Hungary.
In Galicia, between the Rivers Wis.,
toka and Jasiolka, approximately 81
miles east of Dunajec, General Bro-
LEVITT, commander of the fourth Aus,
irian army, has undertaken a forward
movement in the direction of PrzemysL
Whether this is an attempt to relievi
Przemysl, which has been under siegd
for several months or to force thu
Russians to withdraw from Bukowina
IS not yet clear. Simultaneous attacks
Rre reported or the Russian positions
Z, BukoWina, in the vicinity of kimpu,
ung, and in the south Polish provinces
IF Radon and Kielce, aong the lint
rom noWlodgz to konskie and I'd
subkow, where heavy artillery en-.
sagements AVE occurred.
Hand to Hand Battle.
Northward, there appears to nave
been lite change. Northwest of War
Jaw, from Radzanowo to Dobrzyn, on
,he Vistula, the Germans are still on
he defensive. On the left bank oil
the Vistula, west of Warsaw, and alond
The Rawka, the Germans are s%tubborn1
" attempting to advance. Between,
BorginmoW and Gumin, rs miles wesi
Of Warsaw, desperate hand to hand
lighting is reported. The village oi
Borginow has changed hands several
times as the armies surged back and
forth.
At last reports it was not occupied
by either side, as neither of the oppos
Ing forces is able to hold 1t.
Germans Use Steel Shield.
In this fighting the Germans put int
use improved steel shields which WERE
moved forward for the protection oi
trench diggers. Behind the shield,
the diggers worked until two lines OF
trenches had been pushed to within a
few hundred yards Of the Russian posi-
hon. So close and accurate was tho
firing that a hat posted on the point OF
! bayonet invariably would be riddled
with a shower of bullets from the on,
posing trench. Fighting of this char.
acter went on for days with no notice.
able advantage for either side.
NO less is the action on tina
line between Granow and Klrdyanoy
southeast of ~Sochaczew. In this the
Germans are sale to have moved for
ward in the open over fields strewn
with dead. many of whom had died
by freezing. The progress made here
rs the fighting went on between the
ines OF trenches was slight. Neither
the m nor the Russians We're
able TO gain more than Q few yards.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
VIENNA CLAIMS RUSSIANS
ARE CHECKED IN BIJkoMIMA

London, jan. 25.-Although Vienna
reports via Amsterdam enlarge upon
austrian successes in Bukowina.
claiming that the Russians are retreat,
Ing with heavy losses of munitions and
prisoners. a wireless from Vienna early
today giving an official conmunica.
ton issued there, says only this about
the fghtlng in that region:
last successful battles"
Ihe communication also tells of
fighting in the Carpathians as follows:
In the Carpathians the Russians
were driven out of several trenches
which they had pushed forward south
of the passes"
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-28
MILLER WOMAN LANDS
BULK OF POULTRY

Pierre. S. D.. Jan. 27.-Mrs- Gentle, of
Miller, who exhibited over 500 birds at
The Central South Dakota Poultry show
here, secured most of the silver low
ing cups. She received one each for
The best male bird in the show, for the
largest numbe of birds by one ex-
%hibitor. for best display of Rocks. for
highest scoring pen in the show. for
best diiipiiay sf w yantiottes. n Tor the
best display of Orpingtons. The best
male bird in the show. for which this
cup was given was a White
'Wyandotte. Silver cur for the
best female in the show, which
was a Rose Comb. Brown Leg
horn pullet. went to Martin Peterson Of
Pierre. Silver cup for best display OF
Reds was awarded to James T.. Boyd
cup for best Leghorns to Mr.. and Mrs.
A. B.. Crosman: for Light Brahmas to
Mrs. r. Odemark of Pierre; for Cam
pines to Albert Hildebrandt. of Pierre.
for Buttercups to J.. w. GrandIe, Of
Pierre: for game chickens to John Ihli.
LOT Pierre: with cups for best brown
shelled eggs to Mrs. Odemark and for
best white eggs to T.. w. Grandle. both
of Pierre.