Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-09-04
Dr. Pyatt Denies Prisoners
 MiStreated on Penal Farm
Lessee of Convicts and His Warden Declape Ewing s Story of Neglect False pr Pyatt Also Re-
 torts To Grand ury's Committee.

Dr. F. C. Pyatt, lessee of the con victs sentenced by justice of the peace courts in the counties of Jef ferson, Desha and Lincoln, declared to The Graphic Sunday afternoon that there is no truth in the statement of John Ewing, young Englishman, that Ewing was mistreated on the penal farm, to which he was sentenced from Desha, county. Ewing, who is ill hospital here awaiting a prelimi- nary hearing on 9 charge of failing to register under the draft act, al- legged that his condition was due to bruises and exposure while on the penal farm.
 "There is absolutely no truth in that fellows statement" emphatical- ly declared Dr. Pyatt. "The truth is that he was in bad shape when he came to us, and he was accorded consideration and many privileges. He was worked only about 30 days of the three months he was on the farm, and in these 30 days he was rot asked to perform any but light lahor-cdd jobs."
 Dr. Pyatt said that about one week after Ewing was brought to the farm from Desha county, he became de- liant and applied vile epithet to D. O. Wilhitc, the warden. Ordinar- lily such an outbreak calls for a whipping. but because Ewing was not strong, the warden gave him only three or four light licks, Dr. Pyatt said
 Shortly after Ewing was brought to the farm," said Dr. Pyatt, "Mr Wilhite told me that Ewing had com plained of inability to chop cotton because of being ruptured. I told Wilhite to take him out of the squad, and let him do light odd jobs. After that We let him lay around the camp, and would not have kept him except that we had been instructed to hold him for the federal authorities. He never had on a chain while at the farm, nor was he under guard, except at right when he slept with the other prisoners"
 Dr. Pyatt said that after flying around about a week" Ewing com plained of his foot; that he examined it and found the bah of the foot swollen. He doctored the foot, but it did not improve. Ewing told the phy- sician that the trouble was due to an injury he had received long before, and that the wound had healed too rapidly. Dr. Pyatt thinks the bone was affected by the injury, which had seemingly healed before Ewing was sent to the farm.
 Mir. Wilhite said that Ewing was given the best of attention and food :: that he was fed from the warden's own table, and that frequently Mrs. Wilhite prepared special dishes for Ewing when the latter complained of feeling badly.
 Jurors Complimented Farm.
 Concerning the criticism of condi- tions at the farm in the grand jury's report, Dr. Pyatt said that he and MT. Wilhite were surprised when they read the report in 5The Graphic because they had been l% 10 believe from remarks made to aMr. 'Nilhite by members of the jury's penal farm committee that conditions met with the jurors approval. Dr. Pyatt said ths'. from expressions made by the jurors. Mir. Wilhite drew the conclus- ion that i've would get a favorable report this time," and they were as- founded to learn that the members of the committee had commended the camp conditions at the camp and condemned them in the report.
 "Of course, we can't accord these people the treatment they might get at the Y. NJ. c. A." said Dr. Pyatt. "Most of them to reach us are of the worst element-worthless, diseased. But none are treated badly. The food is good, and all get plenty to eat. There is not & healthy man who doesn't gain in weight while on the farm"
 Dr. Pyatts said the stockade is we'll ventilated, that no stagnant water is permitted to stand if it can be drain ed off, and that coal oil Is poured in pools that cannot be drained He said there have been only two cases