The Fremont County record., 1881-02-12
MINSHALL'S MUD
Brings Five Legislators, to Canon on
a Wild Goose Chase,
To Investigate Imaginary Fraud. Cruel
ty and Corruption
That was Said to Exist in the State
Penitentisry,
And Proceeded to- Business With Sealed
Doors but Not Closed Mouths.
Yiaasctf eness Of Witne.ses.-yi1di d l.
cation of Hnnngement.-aP PETE
tion from the PeopIe.-Ths
Law and the Letters

The penitentiary Investigating CON-
mittee arrived in this city on Satnr-
day afternoon and proceeded at once
TO that institution where they view ed
the shoe shop, the hospital, the bath
room, the kitchen, the north cell
building and the dining room. They
were there at the supper hour aud
saw the prisoners at their las. meal
for the day. After this they went
into the warden's office and held q
short meeting without result except
ing that they agreed to meet again
on Sunday morning and organize.
Therefore on Sunday al 10 IN. they
proceeded 10 tie prison and organized
by making Senator Peck, chairman.
Mr.. a. $. Miller. [-teuographer)
clerk and Senator Gale and Repre-
sentative Prowers subcommittee
to investigate the books. Upon a
warrant from the Chairman the books
of the institution were turned over
to the committee and the experts, ID.
i. Frink and G. y. Guriev, of Dem
yer, were put TO work upon them.
The committee then adjourned until
2 p. IN. when they met in the room OF
Mr.. S. b. Minshall. who, il appears
WAS the chief prosecutor in this great
case. and there discussed at some
length the question of holding their
SESSIONS with closed or open doors.
IL was finally decided to close the
doors by a vote of four to one-IIous.
Peck, Gale, King and Prowers vot-
ing in the affirmative and Hen.
Bowles in the negative. Immediate
Is after this decision Hon. NJ. n. Me.
grue, Warden Felinn, DIR. Dawson,
Mr.. NJ. Dueber, Hon. ID. S. Nichols,
Hon. w. ). McCutcheon and num-
ber of others entered the room and
entered protests against the proceed
ing of the committee. Mr.. Mcgruo's
protest was in the following language
aud was in writing:
"GENTLEMES IL demand n full
and open investigation. l wish all
the evidence published. l am openly
charged. 1 want an open viniica.
ton or be openly condemned. This
is due me and the people Of the state
[ demand, further, the privilege OF
being present when the witnesses are
examined. | claim and demand the
privilege of having ay stenographet
present and If think best the privi.
;ege OF an Attorney
Mr.. Peck answered by stating that
the committee had decided 10 hold
sessions with closed doors and that
ibcy would examine Witnesses ON the
part of the complaint first, when that
testimony was all taken it would be
written out IN full, and such of il as
the committee bell 4 reflected upon
any OF the offic t5 of the prison
would be submitted TO Mr.. Mcgrue
or any other officer and they should
then have the opportunity OF recall
ing that witness and cross-eNaminiug Q
him and OF rebutting that testimony.
The other officers made equally
strong protests which were answered
in the same manner. Mr.. Megrue
also objected to the presence of Con-
stable Agard as sergeant-at-arms as
he was interested in the prosecution.
This the committee answered by
stating that they did not know it to
be so and therefore they retained Mr..
Agard. Everyone was then excluded
from the room, excepting tho COM
mittcc and stenographer and the eS-
amining of witnesses commenced.
After the committee had concluded
to sit with closed doors general
conversation was held with many
prominent citizens of this city and
the expression was against any such
proceeding. Mr.. Mcgrue as well as
the present warden, aud the commits
sioncrs have no idea of concealing
their actions for tho past two years
and they asked and demanded full
and free investigation into the ac-
counts and conduct Of the affairs OF
the prison. A little incident, which
occurred in the warden's office on
Sunday, may explain one reason why
u gentleman of the committee was
afraid to hold the doors open to tho
mon accused by the former commit
tee. Doctor Gale, senator from the
Nineteenth district, who was one OF
the comm ttecmen who reported that
serious charges had been made
against tho institution, did not ap-
pear with the other members of the
committee, but came in on Sunday
mornings train. He came up TO the
penit9s.tiary, after the other members
had been tkero some time, and when
hc started to go out he was Obliged
TO pass close 10 Mr.. Dueber. The
latter gentleman politely arose from
his chair aud extended his hand, W ith
friendly greeting. His Honor, In
his dignity, only pushed his hand
deeper into his overcoat pocket and
absolutely ignored Mr.. Ducbcr, pass
ing out Of the door and out OF the
prison, much to tho astonishment OF
the gentlemen who witnessed the
proceeding. Three of them werc of
fioers of tho prison, another was a
penitentiary commissions, and the
fifth was the writer hereof. II Il
proved nothing else 1t showed Mr..
Gales position. lie had prejudice
aud was not a fit man to sit cpon a
rnfnnIil nr ti 20 .,srnAI I'm ,.nnian