The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-04-16
THE PFNITENTIARY.
It's Improved Condition but Or.
gent Need OF Increased
Accommodations,
Some Butte ;Conv1cts and What
They are Doing.
Notable Cases.-'tLifeM Men. "A
Racord Of Bloody Crimes.


The penitentiary has been the sub
ject Of so much unfavorable journal
istic comment that it is pleasant te
be able to say something favorable o1
that important Territorial institu'
ton. Your correspondent was yes
terday permitted to inspect the pris'
ou under the courteous guidance ol
Warden E. G.: Creel, and although
his visit was timed most inausLi>
ciously, the premises being found in
the hubbub and litter of the ''sprine
cleaning" q marked improvement
was noticeable In many respects both
In the grounds and the internal ar
rangements of the prison. The
grounds have been tastefully laid out
In walks and plats, the former being
neatly paved With cobble stones and
the latter covered with a rich green
sod which presents pleasant contrast
to the we'll whitewashed buildings.
The addition Of two new guards has
enabled Warden Creel to so dispose
his force as to keep every section OF
the prison and grounds under con.
slant surveillance. so that the facili.
ties for escape which have so long
been a reproach to the prison man
agement. have been greatly lessened,
and it is noticeable fact that under
the present administration only one
prisoner has escaped. who was i'm
mediately reoaptured, while during
the Last six months Of the previous
administration there were twelve es
oapes.
CROWDED QUARTERS.
The insufficient accomnoda ions
Of the prison are still a source Of COM
plaiut, eighty-nine prisoners being
confined in quarters intended to &C.
conmodate but dfty-six. This num-
Der will be greatly augmented by the
usual grist ofhorse thieves. murder
ers and robbers sent up by the spring
courts. Where they will be slowed
away in the already over ro@ded
cells is problem difficult of solu-
ton, but your correspondent sug-
gests a remedy which would
at least furnish temporary relief at
comparatively small cost. The
original plan of the prison embraced
a main bui ding with north aud
south wings. The present building
is what was intended for tho NORTH
wing, which was designed to contain
three tiers of cells. only two of which
have been completed. The third
tier could be built at small expense
and would afford cells for twenty.
eight additional prisoners, which as
the terms Of twelve men expire dur
ing the present year, would bridge
the institution over very comfortably
for another year, when in all proba-
bility q more liberal Democratic
administration at Washington will
ec0gnize the necessity for building
The main structure as originally
designed.
SOME BUTTE CoNvICTs.
Among the prisoners to be dis
charged during the present year are
Albert LeBeau, who conducted a
thriving meat market business on
Montana street, replenishing his
stock from John DoveDsp.ck's
house without the formality
IF asking the owners leave. He
Will be ready to embark in new enter>
prises, and 1t Is to be hoped more
honest ones, on November first.
John Hopkins, who stole the car
ridges from in fcontof Rich's pawn
shop, will again enter upon public
life on the sixteenth If the next
month.
George Hunter, "the art!lleryist OF
Atlantic Hail. makes q model
prisoner and for his good behavior
has been taken from the general
prison and made keeper Ct the prison
linen at the laundry.
Clarence Earl. formerly in the en-
ploy of Owsley, Walton l. Co., who
was sent up two years ago for horse
stealing, has ]ngeniously constructed
! turning lathe. between which and
The carpenter shop he makes himself
very useful and manages to dispel
much Of the monotony of prison life.
He has about one year longer to
,erve.
NOTABLE CoNvIcTs.
Beaverhead county has two orimi-
nal representatives in the pen whose
crimes and subsequent trials attract
al moro than ordinary infarest at the