roposed to kick me
down, remarking, in a subdued tone of voice, nothing frightened or
excited, "Here I am. If you wish to kick me down stairs, you can. I came
in civilly on business, supposing, as a citizen, I had a right to that."
The deputy ejaculated, "A d----d poor citizen," the warden also having
followed, and joining freely in the vituperation. Seeing no active signs
of putting the threat in practice, I started on and came safely away,
but was subsequently informed by one then standing at the foot of the
stairs, that he kicked towards me, when I had taken a few steps. But he
did not hit or injure the object of his rage. In this experience I was
more fortunate than a guard, who, as he asserts, when leaving service
there, was followed to the front door and kicked down the steps by the
warden, upon the ground, the foot hitting his back and causing such
lameness that he had not then, after four months, recovered. He was
purposing to prosecute the warden for damages.

Thus, while they have smiles and words of suavity for some, they can
deal freely in such abuse to those who doubt their highest perfection.
Now, if they would treat me and others thus, what would they do to the
prisoners? One will say, "They were irritated towards you, for you had
told the Governor and Council about the prison management." That was no
doubt the fact. And they will become irritated with the prisoners also,
who are helplessly in their power, where they can treat them as they
please.

As to the two prisoners, whether the one pretended that he would go to
N. Y., and took passage accordingly, or was forced to that, I never
knew. But he would have taken passage to any place the warden proposed,
in order to escape from his hands, as, through his influence, he
doubtless feared the arrest. For the ticket, the warden expended the
man's five dollars allowed by the State, and advanced him five more,
probably supposing that it would be paid him by the Association. The
man, as I learn, rode until he felt safe from being seized, when he left
the cars, traveling on foot for lack of means to go by public
conveyance, and, at length, arrived at this friend's, in as bad a
plight, probably, as any before spoken of. He said he had been sick,
confined to his cell for weeks, was neglected, and sometimes was not
furnished with water to wash for days together.

The warden, himself, accompanied the second man to a place in the city,
and put him to work as he had