The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-11
LEGISLATIVE GOSSIP
The Joint Committee Highly I'm
pressed With the Penitsntiary
Management.
- "a
Some Important improvements
Needed and VIII DO
Recommended.
Tho Shsrifs Of the State Deeply Intsrcstsd
In . BHl Now Before the
Legislature.

A joint committee of tho senate and
house appointed TO visit the penitentiary
spent Sunday there. Hon. II. L. Frank,
when asked how tho commission found
matters at the state prison and
what impression tho inspection left
upon the commission, said: II think
voice the sentiment Of each member in
saying that considering the number Of pris
oners and facilities for guarding and keeping
them, the management Of the Deer Lodge
institution 10 simply wonderful. ! doubt il
any prison in tho country can show ahigheI
degree OF discipline and cleanliness than ia
shown there. The more I think about II
tho more I wonder how they do II.
ut Ia either one Of two things. Either
the prisoners do not want to leave the
place, or else the reputation OF C0nley Il
Mcrague and their vigilant assistants, ~
crack shots, which means death to any one
Y thin range OF their rifles, keeps them or
derby and 0bedient.
"ihe ventilation is good. there IL very
little sickness, the mon are well fed, n as
contented a. they can DO under their I'M
fortunate conditions. We heard no COM
plants, only that the prisoners would pre-
Ter having some work to do.
THE prison is altogether too small. The
main building cannot hold all the prison
ers. 10 provide for this emergency Conley
a. McTaguc had two strong log buildings
built III the yard. In OF these sixty
spoSs shi sts ks Tse "P hospital II 'h bui Hsnss
Is an old shack not fit for swine and the
female prison il also q poor excuse. Some
urgent changes are necessary and ! propose
using every effort to push some legislation
looking to this end.
mittee was more than ever Convinced OF the
importance Of q reasonable expenditure of
money to increase the capacity. What
would recommend is to extend the present
wings from the center building, SO that
each will be l0) feet long. Then bntId
another wing running directly, from inc
middle building, across the yafa a m ~
tirejy remodelsd inside, "a the original
construction was Improperly done. Then
we wsut q hospital building, woman,S
prison and some other small additions.
''The plant ~ il stands . worth ahoHt
$125.0O and 100000 will put It IN good
appropriation sufficient to have All the
work properly done and hope TO succeed.
1t IL aiso intended to have a boiler room
and steam heating apparatus.
":scme of the members OF the legislature
want the penitentiary location changed;
But ! Can see no good reason Tor tn's.
am in favor of 1t remaining where it 10. and
for d few years, or Mt least until the wheels
of government are in regular n satIsfac-
tory motion, I think the best results are to
be obtained under the present contract sys-
Tern. Surely the institution could not be
conducted in a more satisfactory
than it il now under the excellent manage
ment OF Conley h Mclague." 81.
Sheriffs from all parts OF the state are
gathered in Helena now, keeping a watch
full eye on the progress Of the bill TO regulate
their fees and salaries. They are very anx-
ious lest the emoIuments Of their Office may
be cut down. Several Of them have threat
ened to resign II the bill il passed ~ intro
dnced. II contemplates that the law shall
take effect upon it, passage. One sheriff
threatens to use his political influence
against his party at the next election II the
the fees and salaries Of the sherifFs are cnt
down, provided the law does not affect the
present incumbents. They do not think that
would be q square deal. As far as can be
learned the sheriffs have been informed
that the law tobe passed will not apply to
those now in Office, but the sheriff., are
afraid it will. Tts.
Sheriff Houston, of Missouls, is one of
the. anxious ones. His bill for the last
quarter against the county was about
$lO.bOO. The quarter preceding That it
was SAC and for the year was $4,000.
Most Of this money was spent in running
down Indian mnrderers. At one time
Sheriff Houston had seventy-eight armed
men ont chasing them. He says the ex-
penses Of his Office are very large. He
would not have a man around him for less
than 1880 q year. For less money a sheriff
cannot get the men he wants. He thinks il
the present bill goes through not many re-
liable men will be seeking the office. He
says he could do better in some other bust