St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-14
The Senate Special Commit
tee Hears More About It
& at Saltwater.
Mr.. Seymour Thinks the Ran
dali Article the Poorest
on Record.
Prison Machinery Which Eight
Years of Wear Did Not
Depreeiate.
Ex-senator Sabin Declines to
Talk About the Binding
TWine Plant.
Special to the Globe.

TWine Plant.
Special to the Globe
STILLW ATER, Feb. 13.-The senate
prison investigating committee arrived
in this city Oh the 9:45 a. M. Wisconsin
Central train. The committee went to
the prison, and, without any unneces-
sary delay, proceeded to business. The
committee seems determined to sift to
the bottom all matters in connection
with the contract existing between the
state and the thresher company and all
contracts which have heretofore existed
between the state and Seymour, Sabin
q Co. and the Northwestern Manufact-
uring and Car company. Ex-senator
Sabin was placed upon the stand as
soon as the committee proceeded to
business. and his examination and cross
examination occupied the attentlOn OF
the committee during the whole fore
noon. He was asked as to the value of
convict labor and as to whether or not
he thought that the tub and pail factory
at the prison could be made to pay. Mr..
Sahin replied that convict labor was
not considered worth great deal, and
in reply to the last clause of the qUes-
ton, he stated that he did not think
the factory would pay. He intimated
that careful examination OF the books
would prove that the cost Of raw mate
rial and labor was far in excess of the
money received from the product. He
was also asked as to what he thought of
he new
Binding Tvvine Plant.
In answer to this question he stated
that he knew absolutely nothing about
the new enterprise and its paying quail.
ties. After answering large number
of questions relative to contracts which
the threSher company had with the
state, he was discharged, and Frank
Berry, clerk in the warden's office, was
sworn. Mr.. Berry was called prin-
eipally to testify as to the amount of
machinery owned by the state and the
amannt owned by the Minnesota
Timesher company. He testified that
the state owned a great deal of the ma
chfnery, and furnished an Inventory of
all machinery owned by the state. Sen
ator Craven took up the list and COM
pared it with the list in the report
printed in 1882, and found that the ma
ehinery was listed at the same value
in the last report as in the one of 1882
Mr.. Berry was asked to explain this
matter. He replied that the sum set
opposite each piece of machinery was
the purchase price, and that he had had
no authority to change the price from
time to time, and had carried out the
same figures each year, owing to his in
ability to state how much the machn-
cry decreased in value each succeeding
year. Senator Mcmillan stated that he
Had Heard RumOrs
relating to the removal of dirt from the
prison yard and that the city had paid
contracts for placing that dirt on the
streets in this city. Mr.. Barry stated
that he knew nothing in regard to this
transaction. He did know, however,
that when building the north wall at
the prison verbal agreement was en-
tered into between eX-W arden Stordock
and Mr.. Dixon for the removal of dirt.
Mr.. Dixon was to furnish cars for the
rea.oval of dirt and Mr.. Stordock was to
furnish men for loading and unloading
the cars. This was done when there
WAS IO OLuCl WOlh 1Ol COlflClo W
do, and the dirt was dumped on the
property of the Transfer company on
ihe lake front. The state paid for haul
ing some dirt which was dumped near
the prison. The total cost for walls and
grading from September 3, 1888, to July,
1889. was S10,92S.27. Since July, 1889,
he had kept no detailed account of the
cost of grading. Most of the earth was
removed, however, without expense to
the state. Senator Craven wished to
know who paid the insurance on the
state buildings which were used by the
threshing company. Mr.. Berry replied
that the Thresner company paid the
premiums, and that Mr.. Fl. 9. Fogle.
general manager of the Thresher COM
pany, had the insurance in charge. H..
c. Fogle was next called and was ques-
toned in regard to
The Insurance.
He replied that the policies were at
present at the office of the insurance
agents. and that he was just renewing
them. He could not state the actual
amount of insurance carried, but
thought it was in the neighborhood OF
S25,O0O. Mr.. FOgle stated that the dis
cipline of the prison had relaxee great
deal under Warden Randall, and he
did not believe convict labor was worth
much with such discipline, and was
detrimental to the Thresher company.
He stated that he thought that the dis
cipline had improved somewhat under
the present management. Mr.. Fogle
stated that the state was not living up
to its contract, which provides that the
state shall furnish not less than 175
men, nor more than 200, and that the
required number of men had not been
furnished more than half-doZen days.
George M. Seymour was sworn, and
stated that he had been identified with
convict labor for more than twenty
three years, and that he was formerly
d member of the firm of Seymour, Sa-
bin & Co., and the Northwestern Man.
nfacturlng and Car company. He
stated that under good discipline three
convicts might be able to do
One Mans Work,
but added that he would give nothing
for convict help under such discipline
as has been practiced at the prison dur
ing the past few years. He remarked
that they had never had what was
termed strict discipline, but that fair
Judgment was displayed by ex-Warden
Reed and his deputy, Abe Hall. He
stated that the discipline had been es-
pecially poor during the last two years.
the poorest of any prison on the conti-
nent. A certain guard had handed him
a list of guards who would be willing to
testify as to the utter lack of discipline
under ex-Warden Randall. When asked
as to what class of work could be done
by convicts to the best advantage, he
replied that a grade which did not re-
ouire much skill, such as in manufact-
uring barrels. Mr.. Seymour stated that,
as far as he could ascertain, the guard
from whom he had received the d0cu-
meHt in regard to discipline was one