Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-04-07
TIE state Prison Investigation

70 The State Senate did q goo
. thing on Monday evening in adop
v ing q concurrent resolution direct
: ing an investigation into the allege
= brutal treatment Of convicts a
the States Prison, and il did vel
also in ordering the investigation
to be open and public. TIL
!, charges which have been made ar
= Of such a character that the hous,
u can hardly fail to concur in thu
action Of the Senate, and il may
therefore, we think, be safely taker
for granted that an investigation
and an open investigation at that
will be had. Thi, is good as fal
as it goes, and is as much as can al
present be done. The investiga.
ton, however, in addition to being
open, must DO thorough and
searching to be satisfactory. II
will rest with the committee TO make
IL such. The desire of all good
citizens in respect to the investi-
cation can only be that it shall
bring out the whole truth concern
ing the brutality said to have been
practiced and concerning the gen.
ersl management Of the prison.
To get at the bottom Of the charges
it is absolutely essential that the
convicts shall be enabled to testify
without the fear Of the keepers
before their eyes. There are many
difficulties in the way of n thor
ough investigation Of the character
OF the one about to be entered up
on. There is, in the first place,
the willingness of many Of the con-
victs to testify in such a manner
as shall be pleasing to those at
whose mercy they are to a great
extent; secondly, there is the
malice which may actuate some,
causing them, at any risk to them
selves, to color, mistate aud distort |
fats; thirdly, there is the reluct-
lance which many must feel at
testifying to facts discreditable TO !
the keepers Of the prison, being !
restrained from a fear that the in
vestigation will result in nothing,
and that they will he prosecuted
il they tell the truth, assuming that
the prison management cannot bear
to have the truth told and acknow-
lodged. The committee ought
however, to be able to devise means
which will ensure the protection OF
the convict-witnesses. An investi-
CATION will be farce IL prisoners
are to he restrained from tesiifying
from fear Of the consequences. 1t
is an absolute imposibiIity for them
TO enter into any successful con-
spircy by means of false swearing
to break mp the prison management.
They have not the opportunity to
,oncoct stories that will hang to-
yether and be uncontradictory, i
Unless with the accent and know :
edge Of those who have them in I
barge. The management have a
'othing to fear, therefore, from the !
Investigation If their acts will bear
crutiny. A heterogeneous mass c
4 falsehoods, plainly inspired by +
malice, cannot harm them In the
east. But IL the stories of the b
LEGGED cruel treatment be true, ?
will be strange IL convicts who .
ave almost wholly abandoned v
themselves to vicious propensities
hould not hesitate to speak the s
nth when they picture to them |.
lives the sickenins spectacle Of o n
onvict writhing in mortal agony :,
nder the lash Of q pitiless keepe.-. Z
nd reflect that this may be the
snalty in store for them IL they
u . true story Of q convicts life. sS
An investigation, II thorough, Be
'nnot be fruitless. II will either |?
ow that prisoners in the States I
rison have been subjected to 40
ost inbuman aud barbarous treat Sc
ent, and therefore that a radical
angc must be made In the man. H.I
ement Of the prison; or II will pa pa,
|ieve and vindicate the agent and "a,
epers from charges under which. ,on !
innocent, they ought not to be '1 :
rmittsd to remain. Or II il dis 70,
ses the fact that there have been E
ssptional cases of cruel and bar !
'o@ t1psfment, IL will give the pri'
nmittse snch an insight into the tn
son system as win enable It TO 4.
ommend suoh reforms AZ the Rr