The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-07
The pen" At DEER LODGE
Il Is Crowded and the State Must
Soon Provide for More
Room.
Some Covert Criticisms Answered
Concerning the Management
Of tho Prison.

OF b Prison.
Discipline ssvers and Uncompremfsin
Eaforced, hut There Are No Secret
Inquiries-Conviet Life.
A few days aga an e~x-convict appeare,
before the state board of prison commits
sioners and made charges against the con
tractors Of the penitsntiary at Deer Lodge
The charges were heard, the commissions
being satisfied there was verv little in them
Every three months the psnitentiAry is In
spectsd by the commissioners and the,
have every opportunity afforded them b,
the contractors, McConley 4 MoTasue, t.
become acquainted with the management
and condition of the prison. A writer in
the New Northwest, speaking OF the crowd
ed condition of the penitentiary being
frequent matter Of remark, says that the
casual locker on has but n faint conception
OF tho inconvenience to which the contract
orr and their employees are subjected in
handling so great y number of ~convicts in
such close quarters. The question
Of providing more room at the pen
itsntiary is ono that the state must
give early consideration. The prison pop
ulation' now numbers sol, exclusive of some
twenty or more attaches, an increase of
quite 100 within = year. OF this number
there ID cell room for but 140, leaving 161 to
be provided for in buildings outside of the
prison proper. This nsosssitstes the M
ployment of an unusually large force OF
guards, and, although the utmost precau-
tion is taken, there 10 an element Of inse-
curity in the keeping of SO many conviets
in apartments in mnao that is not
pleasant to contemplate. Briefly stated,
the needs Of the prison at this time in the
matter Of room are an additional 200 cells,
= large dining room, q hospital independ-
emit of tho other buildings. and a heavy
stone or brick wall in place of the wooden
sfair that now surrounds the grounds. The
prison contractors, Frank Conley and
Thomas Montague, give the control Of the
p~enitentisry their personal attention, and
that they thoroughly understand the bust
mss oannot be questioned, in view of their
experience n officers of The law and long
connection. as employees, with the institu-
tion they now control. Then they have
surrounded themselves with a careful, sober
and industrious force of assistants, jealous
! the discharge of their respective duties |
AZ only men occupying responsible posi-
items can be. The affairs of tbs prison are
as sn open book. 1t is but just to make
this statement in view OF recent covert crit
isismn Of the management on the part of
newspapers totally ignorant of the situa-
tion. Even tho account books of the insti-
tuition are open to the inspection of any
reputable Citizen. A disintsrested Rentle-
man resident of Helena who is quite famil-
lar with the conduct of prisons recently re-
marked that in all his experience he never
Saw a state or government institution as
free to public investigation As this. Disci-
pline. severe and uncom promising, is en-
forced. as it should be, but there are no
secret inquisitions. Refractory prisoners are
punished as the snorHity of their otfenses
warrant. but no punishment is visited upon
them Of which their friends or the public
mAy not know. Neither do the likes or dis
likes Of the prison attaches cut any figure
in the matter of discipline. The wardens
sit as a court Of equity. Cases of breach of
discipline are immediately reported to
them. They investigate Ind fix the pun
1shment The writer has been permitted ;
to freely question prisoners on this point
long as we'll as short term men-and while
remarking the severity of the discipline,
they invariably admit its ~justios and i'm
psrtiality, and stoutly deny that any pris-
oner is treated otherwise than humanely.
Good conduct, on the other hand. earns for
inmate many but not exclusive priv .
legss. No prisoner can enjoy privileges
that any other prisoner cannot attain.
This statement, however. does not apply to
The "trusties," who are permitted to do
prison errands outside the walls. This
Of course, could not be extended
70 long time or life-tarmerG unde any COZ
1itions.
No Delmonico bill of fare is set before
The inmates of the prison, but they are
good food and plenty of it. During
he long days of summer they get three
'quare meals. Through the very short
lays of winter they are fed but twice q Z
At this time ths thrse-meal rule
obtains. Breakfast is served at Z q. m. and, !
'or example. consists of Mush and milk, !
bread and coffee, potatoes and occasionally
beans. Dinner Is the substantial meal. l
Soup is served together will plenty of meat, /
TWO kinds of vegetables, bread and water. /
is called a little before 5 O'Clock. '
u consists of potatoes, fruit, bread and tea
md frequently some light side dish. Con
they have no work TO perform the
'how 1t. On convict embodied a whols
volume in the remark, Most of 'em is a !
'eedin' better'n dey did outside" Meals d
IRE eaten with military precision. The
,ables are spread in the main corridors.
a given time, and when every I
AAA& u ~SSA kuV LII lGdalAGS1, bUFukSYE | =
pass. quickly along the cell rows, unlocking {
The doors as they go. Then, at a signal, !
each prisoner opens his door and steps out.
mother word from the guard ON watch and j
'hs men OF one tier march quietly out and
around to the tables; then another and an
until all stand at their places. Still
another signal and they are seated and be- d
gin to eat. They are given plenty of time, {
and when all are done, are returned to their
,ells in the same order in which they came. :
Cleanliness is an inexorable law at the K.
The discovery Of a particle
If dirt in or about the main building would
slaost pfeclpitats an invegtigaticn. Once
zach day, while the prisoners are ut their
guards 60 through and carefully in :
'pect each cell to see that there are no in
FACTIONS Of this law. The c~onyicts are /;
slso required to maintain q personal
cleanliness. to which many Of them
must have been strangers prior to
heir prison life, and the barber shop
md bath room are as important
l~djuncts to the institution az the laundry.
While the hospital arrangements are en-
irely Inadequate, owing TO the lack of Il
for the purpose, the health Of the
risoners and the care of the sick il care
ully considered. A physician is regularly
'mplpyed and nurses are assigned to the
of the sick from among the prisoners
adapted TO that class of work. A hos
'itai is one of tho imperative needs of the
In view of their inactivity
be prisoners are all given not less than
orty-fivo minutes' outdoor exercise every
il. thoSs of them who are not
sup!oYeG in the household or other work Of