Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-26
THE STATE PRISON.

The Investigating Committee Held Secret
Session to Consider Their Report-They
Vote the Charges of Cruelty Not Sustained
The Formal Report to be Made Here
after-A Sub Committee to Continue tho
Investigation-The .Globe" Submits It's
Report Also.
The joint committee of the legislature APP
pointed to investigate charges of cruelty
against Warden Reed and Deputy Warden
Hall of the State prison, and to inquire into
the general management, manner of letting
contracts for improvements, and all transac-
tions between the contractors and the State,
etc., was called to meet at 8 o'clock yester-
day morning At the hour named GLOBE
reporter repaired to the committee room,
which he found occupied by the secretary,
Mr.. A. johnson. A little later the members
of the committee began to drop in, but after
| waiting until 10 o'clock it was found imprac-
ticable to get the committee together, and an
adjournment by mutual consent was had to
the noon recess of the legislative session.
That recess came at about 1890. The
GLOBE reporter was promptly in at
tendance. So were most of the
members of the committee, so many that it
was determined to go ahead with the bust
ness. The committee room door was closed,
and the GLOBE man drew his pencil. It
was but a small bit of pencil and by no
means sharp pointed, but the drawing of
that pencil seemed to send SILVER through
the corporosity of most of the members of
the committee. There was evidently some
one present not wanted. But what to do.
That was a puzzler. The members looked
at each other as much as to say, 'sYou do
| it, but all hesitated. But finally the best
looking man on the committee whispered to
Chairman Wedge. The chairman flushed.
The good looking member evidently told the
chairman it was his duty by virtue of his po-
sition to give voice to the mandate of ex-
pulsion. He saw the point and nerved him
self to the task, and looking the GLOBE man
as squarely in the eye as any man could be
| expected: to under the circumstances, said:
Mr.. Reporter, this meeting of the commit
tee is simply for consultation with reference
to the report we shall make to the legisla-
| ture, and naturally the presence of an out
slider will be embarrassing. You will there
fore please to retire.
The GLOBE man never waits to be kicked
unless he has taken q contract to return the
compliment AS he had no such contract on
hand he retired. AS he stepped out the door
he was followed by Bill Kings man, who up
to that time had escaped observation.
The door closed on the GLOBE man and
the committee settled down to business as
soon as their nerves had become sufficiently
settled. 1t was decided there was no neces-
sity of reading the testimony, though but
two or three of the members had heard all
of it, or some of the most important. It
was also decided, without discussion except
as to the manner of the vote, to pass
judgment upon the question as to
whether the first charge, that of cruelty
on the part of Warden Reed and Deputy
Hall had been sustained. The vote was by
ballot, and resulted, yeas 1, noes 8. The
members casting this vote are: Senators
Wedge, chairman, D. Buck, Reaney and
Mealey, and Representatives Donahue, JAS.
Smith, Jr., Denny, Frisbie and Lambert.
Senator Clement, and Representative Lars
sen and Stacy, of the committee, were not
present when the vote was taken.
The charge having been declared not sus-
tanned, the duty of embodying the finding in
report to the legislature, accompanied by a
recommendation to the Governor for the
with authority to. personally visit the
quality and quantity of food, note the treat
ment of prisoners, hear and investigate COM
plants, etc. ETC., was devolved upon Chair
man Wedge, and this branch of the investi-
CATION was dismissed.
With reference to the second branch of
the inquiry, that of the general management
| of the institution, manner of letting con-
tracts, transactions between the prison con
tractors and the State, etc., it was voted that
authority be asked of the legislature to con-
duct the investigation after the legislative
adjournment by sub committee to consist
of Senators Wedge and Mealey and Repre-
sentatives Donohue, Denny and Jas. Smith,
Jr., the committee to have power to employ
an accountant, tue committee examination
not to be extended beyond ten days and the
accountant beyond twenty days, the findings
to be reported to the Governor.
This finished the business and the com.
mittee adjourned, having been in session not
quite an hour.