Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-23
DISCIPLINE TOO LAX.
This is the Opinion of the Legislators
on the Penitentiary.
AN INVESTIGATION MAY BE ASKED
If the House is Not Satisfied With the In
spectors' Decision.
WOULDN'T DO ANY HARM, SAYS MR.. FOW

The Legislative Subj Committee on Appro-
priations visited the balance of the charitable
institutions yesterday. Judge Acheson and
Mr.. Guthrie in behalf of the proposed hos
pital for children, asked for an appropria-
tion of $50, 900. The Society for the Proven
tion of Cruelty to Children wants 81, 900, and
the Free Dispensary makes request for
$4,000.
But the prison boards decision in the
Maharneke case was the chief topic of con-
versation between the members of the COM
mittee. They were anxious to know what
the public had to say about it.
81 understand" said Mr.. Fow, "that the
people think the decision was given because
this committee was here; that We scared
them into it..
The committee was not inclined to talk
very much themselves, but they asked freely
for information about the investigation, and
Representative Marshall said:
HIS FAITH IN THE BOARD.
Now that the decision has been rendered by
the Prison Board, / don't know what will be
done. l know Inspectors TrimbIe and Nc
"a
Allegheny City who would question their in
tegrIty. take it for granted they acted fairly
in this examination. do not know the other
members of the board, except by reputation.
In the next few days 1 will read over the evil
dence in the case. am not well enough posted
to express an opinion at present. but do think
that the investigation should have been con-
Quoted by the Legislature. | have perfect con-
fdence in Warden Wright. 1t looks to me as
If he had been too kind hearted, and some of
his suDordinates had taken advantage OF his
good nature. He has been at the head of the
penitentiary for 20 years, and, having no
trouble in that time, l think he be-
came. little lax in his discipline
and placed too much confidence in those under
him. / don't like DR.. Maharneke, and never
did 1 always thought he was the wrong man
to fill such a position, and am glad he IS dis
missed. I suppose that under the circum-
stances nothing further could be done with
him.
LITTLE TOO LAVISH.
Representatives Fow and Thompson, of
the committee, returned to Harrisburg last
night AT the depot Mr.. Fow said
don't believe in buying % lots thar adjotn
the penitentiary when the State would only
need 40 feet. There Is proposed street that
should run along the walls, and If the property
owners are not willing to sell the 40 feet the
Attorney General could be directed to go
ahead and condemn the ground for the use Of
the State.
'Do think there should be Legislative in
vesrigatiou of the peniteutary? Well, l
hardly know how to answer. If the House is
not satisfied with the decision in the Mahar-
neke case, and the resolution to investigate is
pressed, / will vote for it. If the people are
innocent an investigation would do no harm;
in fact, would restore public confidence in the
management. think the discipline has been
too lax, but hardly believe it is any more
serious than that"
Mr.. Thompson said:
wouldn't be surprised if the Legislature
made an investigation. and l wouldn't be at all
surprised If they made none. When we ret
back to Harrisburg, we will make our report
to the House, and they can do as they please.