Person Information

Biography

Charles Plumb was a young man who was tried and convicted in 1842 and was sentenced to time in Auburn State Prison. While at the prison, Plumb acted as a shoemaker and got into some mischief. His mischievous activity is attributed to this craziness and was harshly punished. Shortly after days of extreme punishment totaling approximately 85 lashes over 2 days, Plumb was admitted to the prison hospital and died of bilious fever. When local citizens asked to be shown Plumb's body, they were shown another man's. Upon discovering this ruse, the people launched an inquiry into Plumb's death to determine if excessive flogging lead to a increased dispostion to fever. The warden, the keeper responsible for punishment, the residing doctor and a coroner all testified on the death of Plumb. The case was seen by the grand jury and the warden and keeper were indicted in the murder of the 4th degree. Both individuals resigned from their respective positions and were cleared. The death of Plumb lead to the state reevaluating the use of corporal punishment  

Letter References

Citations

Biography and Citation Information:
Biography: 
Charles Plumb was a young man who was tried and convicted in 1842 and was sentenced to time in Auburn State Prison. While at the prison, Plumb acted as a shoemaker and got into some mischief. His mischievous activity is attributed to this craziness and was harshly punished. Shortly after days of extreme punishment totaling approximately 85 lashes over 2 days, Plumb was admitted to the prison hospital and died of bilious fever. When local citizens asked to be shown Plumb's body, they were shown another man's. Upon discovering this ruse, the people launched an inquiry into Plumb's death to determine if excessive flogging lead to a increased dispostion to fever. The warden, the keeper responsible for punishment, the residing doctor and a coroner all testified on the death of Plumb. The case was seen by the grand jury and the warden and keeper were indicted in the murder of the 4th degree. Both individuals resigned from their respective positions and were cleared. The death of Plumb lead to the state reevaluating the use of corporal punishment
Citation Type: 
Newspaper Article
Journal or Newspaper Title: 
Aunurn Journal and Advertiser
Article Title: 
Coroner's Inquest
Month: 
February
Day: 
4
Year: 
1846
Citation Notes: 
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=C62T50MKMTUyNzA4NzU5NC40NjUzODM6MToxNToxMjguMTUxLjE4OS4xMzQ&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=9&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=9&p_docnum=4&p_docref=v2:1395A091E6F7C30A@EANX-139833B7E2C79850@2395332-1396E61ED1128F48@1-13A42BF082D0583F@Coroner%27s%20Inquest
Citation for Birth Info:
Citation Type: 
Newspaper Article
Journal or Newspaper Title: 
Auburn Journal and Advertiser
Article Title: 
Coroner's Inquest
Month: 
February
Day: 
4
Year: 
1846
Start Page: 
2
Citation Notes: 
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=C62T50MKMTUyNzA4NzU5NC40NjUzODM6MToxNToxMjguMTUxLjE4OS4xMzQ&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=9&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=9&p_docnum=4&p_docref=v2:1395A091E6F7C30A@EANX-139833B7E2C79850@2395332-1396E61ED1128F48@1-13A42BF082D0583F@Coroner%27s%20Inquest In Hiram Rathbun's sworn testimony regarding the death of Charles Plumb, Rathbun states that Plumb arrived at Auburn State Prison in 1842 and was registered as 17 at the time
Citation for Death Info:
Citation Type: 
Book or Book Chapter
Book or Monograph Title: 
Annual Report, Volume 1-3
Author(s) or Editor(s): 
Correctional Association of New York
Publisher Location: 
NY
Publisher Name: 
Jared W. Bell
Citation Notes: 
https://books.google.com/books?id=GIQ4AQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false Newspaper sources and this annual report have conflicting dates of death. Given that this source was published by the institution, this is the death date assigned.