St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-13
The PRISON SCANDAL
Politics and Discipline That
Fail to Move Along Hand
in Hand.
Sensational Charges Over His
Own Signature by an Ex-
Official.
Gov. Merriam Called Upon to
Explain Letters and
Orders.
Pointers the Legislative Com
mittee May Use in It's
Search.
To the Editor of the Globe.

| would be less open 10 crlllclStn. anu
whose abilities would entitle them to
more recognition, would make it duty
| he owed the people to place before them
the facts and circumstances of the case
which is the subject matter of this CON-
munication, and which, from one
sided point of vantage, has occupied the
attention of the public for the past few
months; but, finding that eX-Warden
Randall himself, as well as his numer-
Gus friends, has treated his malignant
prosecutors with silent contempt, VEN
| ture to ask for little space, and [ dee m
it my duty to let the people know lit
! tie Of the ''other side," as it were, and
! call their attention to as contemplate a
! piece Of executive business as was ever
! perpetrated in this or any other state,
when, at the dictates Of the prison ring,
| Gov. Merriam decreed the official Sacri-
| flee Of Mr. Randall-one of the best and
most honest of public servants.
EX-Warden Randall, at a meeting Of
| the prison board held in December last,
| handed in his resignation, which was
tabled for the time being, and which he
afterwards withdrew, but which, at
| their following meeting, the board took
up as if no withdrawal had been made,
! thus virtually discharging him without
one atom of cause for the act. l have it
on the authority of the eX-warden him
self that Gov. Merriam demanded his
resignation. By what authority,
l ask, was such demand
made? The last legislature en-
powered the board Of prison man
ayers alone to deal with the warden.
! fTbic ic ba 10 ny al OF 6nuo an6
the governor OVerStepped his duty and
trampled upon the law when he made
this addacious and high-handed request.
| Where is the necessity of our represent
atives making laws for the guidance of
the people if this high and mighty mon
arch of all he surveys is to laugh their
deliberations to scorn?
The cry of lack of prison discipline,
which Gov. Merriam has had the audac-
ity to chorus, and behind which he
| endeayOrs to protect himself from the
rising tide of public Indignation, is all
claptrap, gotten up for the purpose of
hiding the real cause, which is the
odium of the contractors and the old
prison ring that has tattened so long at
the public crib, and whose everlasting
enmity Mr.. Randall incurred by his
| stubborn resolve to protect the interests
| of the state.
In '63 or '8S. when Tarbox & Co., OF
st. Paul, under the contract system,
| offered 6715 cents per day for the serv-
ices of the convictS, the ring" which
was the then ruler of the state (and is
now, to appearances, stepped in and
| got them for 45 cents. In olden times
the ring did all the state work, mostly
at 40 and so cents an hour: under War
den Randall this was not permitted.
Let the Investigating committee
now at work look over the old
contracts and bills for work
done by the ring, then compare the
prices with like work accomplished by
the state itself, and people will not won.
der at the frenzy and mad desire to get
rid Of warden who has wounded them
in their most tender Spot-their pocket
book. Look over their prices for build
ing the walls the cell building, shops,
laundry, kitchen, everything, and pub
lish your conclusions to the world.
Doing his duty is the Alpha and
| Omega of the eXWarden'S crime, and
for this the board of managers. Obeying
the crack of the masters whip, hurl him
from Office in face OF the fact that the
rules and regulations for the guidance
of the institution, which they approved
| -
very letter, not to mention the fact thai
the present house, by practically
| unanimous vote, requested that he be
retained.
Gov. Merriam has the unblushing eff
frontery to assert that no such thing as
a prison ring exists. | tell him it does,
and Furthermore he knows it and has
participated in the star chamber a
which Warden Randall'S head was Off
cially decapitated. In support OF my
allegation ! append herewith copy of {
letter addressed by F. II. Lemon to Mr.
Thompson, of the st. Paul Dispatch, the
recognized organ of Coy. Merriam
which speaks for itself:
! SALTWATER, Nov. IS, 1S90-George Thomp
son, Editor Dispatch, st. Paul-Oear Sir
Since seeing you | have had talk with Mr.
Sabin and it looks to me as if the board Of
managers would need stirring up some before
any change will be made here at the prison
Mr.. S. said he could not find you when ovel
the last time. Don't you think it would be 6
good plan for you to get Mr.. Sabin over some
day and meet the governor before the meet
ing of Dec. 3? am quite sure that it need
some work to be done before next meeting
or.things will fizzle out entirely if postponed
for another month.
hope that you will look favorable on my
suggestion. Yours truly F. H. LEMON
Seymour, of the old firm of Seymour
Sabin & Co., and has now secured hi
share of the bargain that of positiO.
of deputy warden at the prison. 1t tn
ring, writing under the pecuniary los
which it sustained by Warden Randall
honesty to the state, has not been tn,
guiding light in his dismissal, and i
the scheme has not been incubated a
the capitals hatchery for some timi
previous. why, | ask, does Lemon write
so tremblingly to Thompson, telling hin
that Sabin had been to st. Paul AM
failed to see HIM, and begging him tt
hurry up and see the governor befor,
the December meeting, or the scheme
would ''fizzIe out?' The scheme ha
''tizzled" to Lemons, the governor
and the whole gangs entire satisfaction
but it is one which has made peopl
foam, and. unless all signs fail, the en-
tire combine will feel the wrath of out
ragged public opinion.
Again. the misstatement is made tina
the ring had nothing to do with the ap
pointing of Warden Randall'S subordi
mates. Permit me to say that it had, an
again supporting my assertion | Civ
a letter addressed by d. NJ. Sabin t
Mr.. Randall, which will enlighten tn
public as to the fight the eX-warden hal
to make to maintain the dignity All
honesty of his position:
SALTWATER. Aug. %, 1SS9.-Dear Randall
This is party whom Seymour spoke to yo
about. Place him on the list. Yours truly
D. NJ. SABIN.
Here is man-an outSider-Writin,
to the head of department-not pc
lite request-but a command. The ma
who in the presence of such evidenc
denies the existence of prison ring 0
that it is not encouraged and assisted b
Mr.. Merriam in the running of tn
prison is little better than an idiot.
Again, Gov. Merriam has repeatedl
said that he would not interfere in tn
appointing of the various minor officer
at the prison. Now l happen to kno,
that George M. Seymour had particu
lar pet whom he wanted appointed a
assistant deputy warden. Having los
all influence with Warden Randall, h
had to appeal to the governor. and her
is the way he the governor) refused
to interfere.
O. u.,-- No. 4 tocn T D..5.u n