The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-10-03
ENGLISH WRITER TELLS TALES
OF PRISON HORRORS

There is Sheridan County boy,
conscientious objector being tortured
at the Alcatraz prison, in the military
prison on the Island Of Alcatraz, in
San Francisco harbor.
This young man was once home
steader at Archer, be fore the dark
days of the war settled over this fair
land of ours.
John A. Henderson was known
and loved by all Of his neighbors. He
was honest, clean, conscientious, low
able-a Christian gentleman, loved
and respected by all OF his friends
and neighbors. In happier times he
vas considered an example, an ideal
young man.
But the war came on-thls young
man believed in the teachings OF
Jesus Christine refused to raise his
hand to smitc brother, he decided
that he would die before he would
have the blood Of fellow man upon
his hands-he refused to put on a
uniform, he refused to obey military
orders.
In short, he is conscientious OBJ
jcctor.
LOttoAy IN ID DcllIS OIIu1cu dC VIC
Alcatraz Military Prison, in San
Francisco; that brings back to our
own times and before our own eyes
the scenes OF the horrors of the tor
turer OF the dark ages; brings back
the mind to the days when the circus
was lighted with the hewitched and
burning bodies of the Christian mar
yrs-unfoltunates, who so loved God
and their religion and were so true
to their ideals, that they died for
them, though their walls called down
the curse OF doom upon the ancient
city.
Today young man from our midst,
man whose religious scruples for
bid him to become soldier, is being
tortured at Alcatraz.
Read the following letter from a
lady investigator of the torture of
John A. Hardersen at Alcrataz pris-
on:
2115 Durant Ave.
Berkeley, Cal.
Dear Mr.. Harderson:
Your brother is again in solitary
confinement on Alcatraz Island.
While he is not in the dungeon, he is
in a dark cell with none or little air
on bread and water. He was put in
Saturday, Sept. 13, and will be kept
there until the 14-day period expires.
He has no bed and has to sleep on a
concrete floor. His offensc is still
the original one of refusing to work
for military commands. They punish
by solitary and courts martials with
increased sentences. Though the boys
do not expect to have to serve in
creased terms, the whole unreason-
able and illogical process is madden.
ing.
Your brother has now spent AZ
days in 14-day periods in solitary
According to army laws they can
only make him serve az more days
this year in solitary. That is, nc
man may serve more than 6 14-day
periods in solitary in one year.
You had better telegraph Com.
nlandant Alcatraz Island, Col. JOSEPH
Garrard, politely letting him know
that he holds your brothers life il
his hands and that you arc wiring
Washington to Secretary Baker.
would also wire johnson and YOU
own State Senators and stir up a:
many as you can in Washington. w.
know that copies of these are sen
to Garrard with requests for investi
cations Of particular cases.
Yours truly,
ANNA COGGlNS.
Just consider the above, and thel
reflect on the manner in which tn
"Huns" have been denounced in thi
country, for atrocities in Belgium.
Can anything be more horrible?
The sufferings of this young mai
should move a demon to tears ,
pity-and this being here in tn
shadow of "old glory"
This Christian young man bein,
treated worse than, yes, many time
worse, than the humane officer woul
allow a hardened wretch to treat hi
dog.
A thousand times better that thi
young man should have been dippe
in pitch and burned at the stake
that his misery might be ended,
thousand times better that he ha
been thrown to the hungry beast i
the circus.
What are you going to do abou
this, that this stain may be wipe