St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-23
FAVOR A RESPIRATORY.
This Was the Sentiment of a Body
of Men Who Discussed the Second
State Prison Yesterday.

This Was the Sentiment of a Body
of Men Who Discussed the Second
State PRISON Yesterday.
In response to the call of the state board
of corrections and charities, 100 gentlemen
assembled in the representatives hall yes
terday afternoon at 2 o'clock to consider
the question of making the second state
prison a refOrmatOry for young men. The
meeting was called to order by Gov. Hub
bard, who presided and II. Ii. Hart was
appointed secretary. Secretary Hart read
q large number of letters from gentlemen.
expressing deep sympathy with the move
ment toward a refOrmatory, but unable to
be present. Among those present were:
Gov L. t. Hubbard, ex-Govs. John S. Pills
bury and Alexander Ramsey; Warden J, a.
Reed. of the state prison, and the three in
Spectors, W. F. Norrish, Hastings: E. @.
Butts Saltwater, and John De Laitre, Min
neapol4s; the full board of managers of the
state reform school, c. H. Petit and John II.
Walker, Minneapolis; D. W. Ingerso and w.
P. Murray, st. Paul; the full state board of
charities and corrections, DR.. NJ. MEG. Dava,
w. NJ. Campbell. st. Paul; d. G. Bell, Mime
apolis: C. H. Berry, Winona; G. Vivian,
Alexandria; II. R. Wells, Preston: Reys. S.
6. Smith, st. Paul; j. b. Donaldson, Hastings;
Clay MacCauley, MinneapOlisr President Nor
thru O., state university; President James,
W. w. u.
Rice, state dairy commissioner; Judge L..
Macdonald, congressman elect; H. Nj. Knox,
state examiner; r. B. Langdon, Minneapolis;
W. H. HoltOn, Elk river; c. Ii. Smith, Worth
ington; j. ". Brown, superintendent state
reform school; George A. Bracket, Mime
apolis; Prof. w. ". Folwell, Minneapolis; b.
b. Herbert, Red Wing; Judge Brill, St. Paul I;
Judge Mcclure. Saltwater; f. NJ. Crosby,
Hastings; J. w. Wood, Faribault; Col. C. ID.
Kerr, 81. Paul; H. II. Wells, Preston; j. d.
Ludden, St. Paul: DR.. Pratt, Saltwater; G. n.
Hewett. Red Wing; ex-senator Sba cen, Chi
sage county: Judge Atwater, Minneapolis; j.
2. McGaughey, district master workman
knights of Labor; }. T. Cronin, district sec
Rotary, and J. w. Pates, of the same organiza-
ton; Judge Corey, st. Paul; Rev. W. II. Har-
rington. eX-chaplain of the state prison; d..
B. Searle, Judge Collins, St. Cloud; H. B.
Wilson, REQ Wing; George w Sweet Sank
Rapids; H,eC. Howard, Minneapolis; w. B..
Mitchell. St!Cloud; c. e. Page, Crookston: Col.
". H. Taylor, George II. Hazard, st. Paul.
Mr.. COLES ADDRESS.
Hon. Gordon E. Cole. Minneapolis was
introduced. and read a very interesting
address, in which he went deeply into the
history of prisons and their treatment of
criminals. after which he elaborated the
system of relOrmatory prisons as existing
in some states at the present time.
The present stem of letting out the
labor of prisoners 10 the highest bidder. the
speaker said, could not be too strongly con-
demned. The state should keep the employ
ment OF her prisoners in her own hands, and
the products Of such labor should be placed
on the market at not less than the current
rates. A small percentage of the daily earn
Ings OF the prisoner should be placed to his
credit for fund by which the prisoner may
support himself until he can obtain employ
ment Agencies should be established which
would have Il waichful care over the prisoner
from the time Of his discharge until his abSO-
lutte reieaSe, and assist him in obtaining en-
ploYment. The speaker said a board If
commissioners of prisons, without additional
expense. could be provided. to have general
oversight OF all prisons OF the state. II the
new prison could be made reformatory, large
numbers from the pre- sent one could be
taken to the new one, Ind the two could go
side hy side in their res pectiVe ranks. 1t is
not intended TO coddle the prisoners; on the
contrary the discipline is exceedingly strict
and irksome.
WANT IT REFORMATORY.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Coles address
resolutions were introduced that the prison
be made reformatOry and that the lie gSla'
ture be asked to appoint Joint committees
10 consider the question of organizing the
second state prison as refOrmatOry inStl-
tuition. and that the meeting appoint com
mittee of five TO draft suitable bill and
present it to the legislative committee, and
that the meeting adjourn until date early
in the session. when the members of the
legislature will be asked to be present.
D. E. Myers. member of the last legisla-
ture. explained the bill passed at the last
session. B. B. Herbert thought the resolu-
ton not quite broad enough. He spoke of
the convict contract labor a. unjust, and
offered an amendment to he effect that
the reform method be incorporated
into the state prison management of the
STATE. Warden Reed spoke of the methods
of reform which had been adopted in prison
management of late years. During his
connection with the prison he had dis