St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-11
TO MRS. NPCURDY.
ia iIOr Otto johnson Replies to
Some of Her Criticisms.

ia iIOr Otto johnson Replies to
Some of Her Criticisms.
To the Editor of the Globe.
Mrs. McCurdy made Friday afternoon
an interesting report at the Coffee Pal
ace of the w. G. L. u. ladies, mixed up
with one of her usual roasts on the
county jail. After so many roasts on
her part and so many of my answers, 1T
is difficult for me to say If Mrs. McC.
knows the difference between all honest
critic and regular kick; if she knows
that it is easier to criticiSe than to ac-
cOmplish something; easier TO destroy
than to build. Please allow me to an
swer few of her remarks.
l. If she admits openly in her report
that she is corresponding with the dis
charged prisoners, | am inclined to be-
lieve il, the more as | have positive
proof that she is corresponding with
prisoners confined in jail, giving them
her advice as to their conduct and re-
ceiving from them written complaints
as 10 their hard lot, bad treatment and
so forth. 1t is generally known that no
prisoner is satisfied with his cOnfine-
ment, and, may the treatment be as hui
name and mild as it can be under the
circumstances, every prisoner will
find fault with everything, and you
will find him always complain
ing. AS far as | remember, Mrs, Nice.
was, In the last three years, regular
weekly visitor to the jail. where she is
trying 10 save the souls of the prisoners
by teaching morality, and in that pur-
pose she has my best wishes. 1t is only
the correspondence to which l object.
and as she confesses herself to it. it will
be my duty to watch in the future that
no letters are exchanged between her
and the prisoners. The prisoner has to
abide by the rules of the Jail, and inSub-
ordination will not be allowed.
2. 1.-The county jail at present." says
Mrs. McC., sis a school of crime" and
she admits, at the same time, that she is
teaching there. Who is to blame for
such bad result, teacher or student?
Based on her own experience, may she
tell openly if the morality taught by her
in Jail took with the prisoners, and if
so, why did she not show in her report
one. only one, good result of her teach
ing? If Mrs. Nee. does not remember,
| will refresh her memory on that point.
In January, this year, prisoner bound
over to the grand jury was confined in
the county Jail. He was on good terms
with the w. c. L. U. ladies, and listened
very attentiVely to their lessons, the
more so as one of these ladies
did promise to provide for him
as soon as he should be released. In
February, released by the grand jury,
the prisoner applied for work to the
W. G. Il. union, and there he received
tools and went to work. The same day
he left the tools with pawnbroker, who
gave him 80 cents -and-MrS.
Nee. will please finish for me the story.
Mrs. Nee. noticed one day two young
ladies visiting the Jail, and objected to
it. Why? l cannot see the reason why
she asks for herself the exclusive right
to visit the prisoners, why we should
refuse the same right to other ladies.
Visitors are admitted to the jail every
Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the
afternoon, and it is a matter of lmpOS-
Sibility to ask visitors for references OF
their curriculum vitae, and the visitors
have the right TO see everybody, Tom,
Dick or Harry, ana to look through the
Jail. The county Jail is an open institu-
ton, has no secrets to conceal. and is by
no means afraid of an honest critic.
As all other charges in regard to
meals, cleanliness, ETC., are answered
and disproved already by Sheriff Z. 2.
Swensen, it remains for me only to
thank Mrs. Nee. for her desire to shield
the officers of the jail from responsible
ity for certain things" She is, how
ever, in error in thinking that the pres
ent officers are new men, with out eXpe
rience. All officers of the county Jail
are serving their second term, and with
out the necessity of applying to Mrs.
Nee. for instructions. They know best
from former experience how to run
such an institution. Yours truly,
OTTO JOHNSON, Jailer.