f much consideration?

_A._ I have.

_Q. 3495._ Will you give the Committee your ideas of the mode in which
prisoners should be treated?

_A._ Treated! I'd treat 'em, bless 'em. Shady side of a deuced good
bamboo's the place for them. Confound them! Why, if a fellow's sent to
jail, stands to reason he's a scoundrel, and if he's a scoundrel treat
him as such. It's an insult to an honest man to leave a rogue with a
whole bone in his skin. My way's short. Thrash a rascal whenever you
happen to be near him, and have a stick handy, which I take care
generally to have; but a poker will do, or a crowbar, if you're in a
hurry. The object of punishment is to prevent the offence being
repeated, and dash my buttons but a fellow will think twice before he
commits an offence that gets him under my hands a second time. Boys?
Why, boys are worse than men. A man steals, perhaps, to feed his family;
but what does a blessed boy steal for? To buy tarts and gin, and go to
the penny theatre. I take it out of 'em, though. First I thrash 'em till
there isn't a bit of their system that can be called strictly
comfortable. Next, I starve 'em till they're as weak as rats. Then I
give 'em work to do which they could hardly do if they were in the
strongest health, and if they drop down at it I lick 'em till they get
up again, and I refresh their minds with pails of cold water into the
bargain. That's the right system. Ever kill them? Well, not often.
Sometimes they die out of spite, for these boys are very malicious and
revengeful, and will do anything to get an officer into trouble; but I
find the magistrates baffle their malignity by taking no notice, and all
goes on well. As for insubordination, by Jove, they don't often try it
with me, but an iron collar, and a chain to hold it to the wall, a taste
of the cat o' nine tails after Morning and Evening Service, a sound kick
whenever a jailor happens to pass, and food placed before the rascal,
but just out of his reach, for a few days, do wonders.

_Q. 3496._ If a prisoner were very rebellious, would you whip him?

_Witness, (in a dreadful rage)._ Whip him, Sir! No, Sir! Whipping's too
good for him, Sir! I'd--I'd--I'd--skin him alive, Sir--that's what I'd
do with him, Sir.

[_The witness, in his excitement, knocked over the short-hand writer
with a violent back-hander, and rushed out._

* * * * *

THE WEAPONS OF THE SLAVE.

At Wilkesbarre, in Penns