St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-09

I'll uStWOl lilly IOOD1 hO PiAoOiiN ~
especially the better class of them, speak
we'll of him and say that they have al
ways found him as lenient as could be
expected and always accommodating.
There is feeling in the sherlff's
Office that there is something back of
Mrs. McCurdy's attack which no one
can wholly explain. Her cenSure of the
sheriff and his employees is looked upon
as unjustfiable and unwarranted. What
could have called it out they are at
loss to know. A partial explanation OF
what Mrs. McCurdy has said may be
found in the fact that she was one of
the ladies expelled from the jail
d few days ago after their
eXhOrtatiOns had driven Emma Schmidt
into Mysteries, but there are many per-
sons familiar with the facts who cannot
understand how professedly Christian
woman would give tongue to such
roast on no more prOyOcatl0n imam
measures being taken to preserve the
health of weak and already Over-eX-
cited girl. There is scarcely person
who knows anything about Jaller's
duties that does not say that there are
few men who would have more patience
under the same circumstances than mas
the present jailer.
What Eye Says.
Sheriff Eye is considerably worked
up over the report of Mrs. McCurdy.
lie feels, and justly so, that he has been
ill-treated. He says he has done every
thing he could for the benefit of the W.
G. L. u. ladies who do work at the jail,
and to be so severely handled. after hav-
ing put himself out of his way to serve
them, is humiliating. Sheriff Eye said
yesterday:
"All that have to say about Mrs.
McCurdy's charges is that, so far as L
am concerned, she must either prove
them or retract them. Mrs. McCurdy
says that am boodler. Ii l am she
must prove it. and / will give her a
chance to do it. Were it man who had
said all this about me could more east
ly handle the matter. She being a
woman have to go little easier. l
have been in this Office for eight years
as deputy and as sheriff, and defy any
person to prove that ever received one
cent dishonesty during that time.
IF Mrs. McCurdy, or any of her
friends. have ever been abused or ill
treated by the jailer or turkeys it
should have been reported to me. 1t
never has been. [ had no idea, not the
slightest. that there could be any reason
for complaint until these ladies swOoped
down upon me last Monday, and then
followed it up with that report yester-
day. Mrs. MeCurdy said last Monday:
1--WE don't know that the Jail Is in a
worse condition under you than it has
been under others, but we must make a
move.'
II explained to her that the Jail is an
old building and not by any means a
model institution. l spoke of the new
court house under construction and said
that probably within few years there
would be new and better jan, but the
only answer she made was: But, you
see, we must make mOve.'
''Only twice have ever had to speak
to the boys about keeping the Jail clean.
the next time, when | saw that the work
had not been attended to, ordered it,
and never had occasion to mention the
matter again. The jail has not been
scrubbed since those ladies were here,
last Monday, and the public is welcome
to come down and see how it is kept. |
am not afraid of the verdict. Mrs. Nc
Curdy also complains because the cots
sag in the center. l didn't build the
jail nor the cots.
"Mrs. McCurdy and another lady, who
visit the Jail often, have been allowed
to go in and out of the Jail as often as
they pleased. They have not, as she
says, been compelled to run around
after the sheriff to get pass every
time they wanted to see the prisoners.
More than that. have always told the
prisoners that they must treat the la.
dies with respect. When | found that
the prisoners paid little attention to the
services held in the Jail, | repeated the
order and made the prisoners behave
themselves during the services. The
Jail is certainly in as good condition
now as it was three weeks ago
At that time Secretary Hart, OF the
state board of charities, visited the jai
without my knowledge. / met him in
the hallway after his examination, ane
he said: MIR. Eye. have been through
the Jail and find 1t in good condition.
Mrs. McCurdy says the men smoke anC
play cards. l will admit | allow that
for believe the men who have beer
used to smoking would be miserable i
they could not indulge. | can see nc
more harm in their smoking inside the
Jail than in their smoking outside. Tht
card playing has been allowed as al
amusement, as 1t is about all they
can do.
eff Mrs. McCurdy had ever made an,
| complaint to me about the Jail and i
| had not been needed there would be ;
| little ground for what she says. AS i
is. there is not the slightest reason TO
what she has said, and in most that sh'
| said there is no truth"
A Visit to the Jail
will demonstrate to any one that Mrs
McCurdy, in making her report to tn
W. G. T. u, threw all restraint to TIL
winds, and started out to write roast
and roast, pure and simple, she pro
duced. She determined to paint for he
co-workers picture OF prison whicl
would have done credit to the mlddl
ages. and she did it. Investigation
proves that most of her report was
mere fancy sketch. The jail is as vel
lighted as one constructed on the sam
plan can be. 1t is also we'll taken car
of, as any one who cares to spend tn
time and trouble for wall
through it can see. The cell
are swept every day and tn
Jail is scrubbed as often as it needs il
Prisoners are required to take bat
every two weeks and to change thei
clothing as often. The prisoners them
selves say that if man is trouble
with vermin it is largely his own fault
So far as Mrs. McCurdy's charge
against Tailor Riley go, they do not re
ceive any notice from persons who ar
at all acquainted with Riley. Men VIII
have known him for years know that h
is not a drinking man and that he
anything but profane. No one believe
that he is dishonest. Riley said yestel
day:
Il don't know what to say about Mrs
McCurdy's charges. Pm Catholic
but l didn't know that was any crime
No one can say that he ever saw m
drunk. If Pm boodler l don't kno
it. There doesn't seem to be muc
chance for boodllng here. Mrs. M
Curdy speaks of four United State
prisoners being brought here last ia
and of their having had no change
clothing since. That is not so. Two
those prisoners are here yet, and the
have had bath and change of cloth,
every two weeks. We tried to get tt
United States authorities to buy the
clothes, but when we couldn't do tina
| ,.,a did rho host wa n0uld for fha