Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-03-03
THE LEGISLATURE
THE SENATE.

THE SENATE. s}eI
Senate met at 10 o'clock. Devotional exer-
| cises by Rev. Mr.. Ohaffee.
~ STATE PRISON REPORT. 8
Senator Wedge, from the joint committee of
the Senate and House of Representatives to
| whom was referred the matter Of investigating
the general management of the State Prison at
Saltwater, as well as the charges of cruelty to
prisnoers, and further to investigate the man
ner of letting contracts and theiexpenditures of
money in the improvements of said prison,
| made the following report:
Tothe Honorable the Senate and House of
Representatives:
Your joint committee to which was referred
| the matter of investigating the general man
agement of the State Prison at Saltwater as
we'll as the charges of cruelty to prisoners, and
further to investigate the manner of letting
contracts and the expenditure of money in the
Improvements at said prison, would respect
fully reports
That pursuant to the resolution appointing
said committee, large number of witnesses
were cited to appear before said committee to
give their evidence, and did so appear and tes-
tify; that every facility was given both to par
ties who made the charges above recited and
the prison authorities, ard every effort consis-
tent with it's duty to the State was made by
your committee to arrive at q fair and just
conclusion in the premises.
After full and impartial hearing of all tes-
timony upon the matter of 'sthe general man
agement Of the State prison as well as the
charges of cruelty to prisoners" your COM
mittee have instructed me to report that the
sustained by the evidence adduced, and that
the general management of the State prison
compares most favorably with such institu-
tions in any other State in the Union.
While making the above report your COM
mittee would state that evidence was adduced
| tn how hat in t1y
harsh measures were used toward some of the
convicts, but in every such instance such
measures were rendered necessary to maintain
the discipline of the prison vitality needed in
an institution of this character. So far as your
committee were able to discover by the eyi,
dence no punishment was inflicted upon any
prisoner except for violation of the rules of the
prison.
Your committee would recommend that in
order to avoid repetition of such reports in
the future ESQ prejudicial to the maintenance
of discipline in the State prison) that the Gov
ernor Of the State be authorized to appoint
some suitable person whose duty it shall be to
visit the prison at various times (said times to
be previously unknown to the prison authori-
ties) and make diligent inquiry into the mat.
ter Of the treatment of the prisoners, the
quality and quantity of the food furnished and
the manner in which meals are served and re-
port to the Governor such changes (f any as
are necessary from time to time.
Your committee would further report that in
view of the shortness of time before the close
of the session, and the Importance of the ques-
tion involved in investigating the manner of
letting contracts and of the expenditure of
money in the improvements of said prison and
all matters concerning the contest between the
State and the contractors; that the accompany
ing resolution be adopted by the Senate and
House of Representatives.
Respectfully submitted, A. @. WEDGE.
hair IF ffoo0 M 2fafo
tigation.
Resozued, By the Senate (the House of Rep
resentatives c0ncurring) that committee con-
sisting of Messrs. Wedge and Mealey, on the
part of the Senate, and Messrs. Donohue, Den
ny and James Smith, Jr., on the part of the
House of Representatives, be appointed to in
vestigate the manner of letting contracts and
tho expenditure of money in the Improvements
at the State prison at Saltwater, said commit.
tee to have power to send for persons and pa
pers, compel the attendance of witnesses and
administer oaths and also to employ an ac-.
cOuntant, said committee to receive pay for a
period not to exceed ten days, and said account
ant to receive pay for period not to exceed
twenty days, and to report the result of their
investigation to the Governor, said committee
to convene as soon after the close of the pres
ent session as convenient.
The report of the committee was adopted.
Senator Macdonald opposed the adoption of
the resolution, and it was lost.
SENATE BILLS PASSED UNDER SUSPENDED RULES
To amend the charter Of the city of Roches-
ter.
To amend the act for the establishment of
public schools in the city of Winona.
To amend the general laws relating to he
taxation of telegraph lines.
Authorizing Pope and other counties to issue
bonds to aid in the construction of railroads.
To amend the charter of the village of Eyota
in Olmsted county.
HOUSE BILLS PASSED UNDER SUSPENDED RULES
Relating to juries in Ramsey county.
= TO authorize the city of st. Paul to issue
bonds for the purpose of erecting public
market house.
Amending the charter of the village of Lyle,
Mower county.
To prevent the running at large of cattle in
the county of Kittson.
Relating to the running at large of cattle in
Wilkin county.
To provide for the election of superinten-
dent of public instruction in Dodge county.
To grant relief of the official bondsmen of
@. R. Minis, late treasurer of Mcleod county.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
SENATE BILL PASSED UNDER SUSPENDED RULES.
To amend the general statutes empowering
corporations to take property for public use.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
The joint resolution proposing constitu-
tional convention to revise the constitution of
the State was voted upon and lost, the vote be-
ing 81 to 8, two-thirds being necessary TO pass
the resolution. The vote by which the resolu-
ton was lost was reconsidered, and it was laid
on the table.
THE HOUSE,