St. Paul daily globe., 1895-06-02

respectable persons or bodies and eSpe-
cially such persons as are interested in
the form of charitable and reforma-
tory work carried on by said corpora
ton. Among other persons and bodies
that have recently inspected and ex-
amined said institution was a commit
tee of the Women's Christian Temp
erance union, who, after close examina-
ton thereof, joined in a most fiattering
report of said institution to their So
ciety. Judge Burr, lately judge of the
municipal court. and Judges Twohy
and Orr. the present Judges of said
municipal court, also thoroughly ex-
amined said institution; and during
the last session of the legislature of
Minnesota a committee of the legis-
lature visited and examined the same.
That neither the city of St. Paul nor
any of its officers. nor the humblest
citizen of said city, has been or ever
will be debarred from entering or In
specting said institution, or ascertain
ing the condition. wants or necessities
of the prisoners so committed thereto.
Defendant admits the passage of the
laws and ordinances mentioned iE the
complaint, except that it AYERS that
w
is mentioned designates said Jail as a
workhouse for male prisoners only.
Defendant denies that it ever con-
nived with any person, or that any
person interested in said institution
ever connived with any person in any
manner, to procure the Incarceration
of any person in said institution, or for
the allowance of any money for the
board and keeping of such persons;
but, on the contrary, the defendant
alleges that at the time of the pass
age of the ordinance providing for the
commitment of certain classes of Of
tenders to the said institution, this de-
fendant consented to receive such per-
sons at the urgent solicitation and re-
quest of the officers of the city of St.
Paul, and because there was
NO OTHER SUITABLE PLACE
where said class of persons might be
detained; and defendant alleges that
ever since said time there has not
been and is not now any other proper
or suitable institution where such class
of offenders can be properly detained.
Defendant cannot now state the exact
amount received by it from the city of
prisoners committed to its care by said
city for the past eight years; and ad-
mits that the amount received during
that time may have amounted to as
much as is alleged in the complaint;
and it admits that it has presented
claim to the said city for 5000 for the
board and lodgings of persons COM
mitted to its care and custody by the
ia O.
April, 1895, and by it kept at the ex-
press instance and request of the said
city; and that the charges therefor are
at the rate of 1925 per week for each
person so kept; and defendant alleges
that said charges are reasonable and
proper, and are the usual charges that
have been allowed for years past, and
that the board and lodgings furnished
said persons during said month of
April, 1895, are of the reasonable worth
and value of said sum of $70.50 De-
fendant admits that said claim has
been allowed and passed by the COM
mon council of said city and audited
by the said city comptroller. And de-
fendant alleges that it always had and
has full power and authority to have
the custody of persons committed to it
and to furnish board and lodging to
them and collect pay therefor.
Defendant denies any knowledge or
information sufficient to form belief
as to
WHAT THE COST WOULD BE
of maintaining said persons at the
Workhouse.
Defendant denies that there is now,
or during the time mentioned in the
complaint was, ample room or facili-
ties at the jail or city workhouse to
properly care for such persons as were
committed to it by the said city of ST.
Paul.
Defendant alleges that a large num-
Der of the persons committed to it's care
are of very tender years, and are per-
sons who, from evil surroundings or
lack of worldly experience, have been
allowed to enter, or were about to en-
ter, upon lives of shame, and that to
place such persons in an institution
with hardened criminals would be only
an effective means of absolutely COM
pleting their downfall. That many
such persons are capable of being re-
formed, and are even anxious to reform
If an opportunity is given them to do
so, and that such an opportunity is
provided for by the institution of the
defendant, where they are brought in
contact with people of refinement and
education, who have devoted their lives
to the purpose of reclaiming such peo-
pie from evil ways; and they are there
taught, by precept and example, les
sons of industry, self-control, refine
ment and purity, which, in the case
of persons at all we'll disposed; almost
| invariably results in the greatest i'm
| provement, and oftentimes in ultimate
| reform
Defendant specifically denies, as far
| as 1t has any knowledge, that the mu-
| nic1pal judges of the city of st. Paul
! have ever committed any females to
erS, or upon any colluSive or fictitious
charge, or for the purpose of having
| them taken care of at the public eX-
penSe.
Defendant admits that at the pres
ent time there is one person in said in
stitution committed to it by the city
| of St. Paul, and that there We're some
others in the month of April; but de-
fendant alleges that the
PERCENTAGE OF ITS INMATES
at any times received from the city
of st. Paul was very small.
Defendant admits, upon information
and belief, that no discrimination in
religious belief is made by the judges
in committing persons in said institu-
ton.
Defendant admits that all of the
prisoners confined in said institution
are required to engage in work, as de-
| Scribed in the complaint and admits
! that said corporation receives the COM
pensation therefor, and keeps it; but
| it denies that such compensation is
| large, and denies that it applied the
same or any part of it to the use of the
| Roman Catholic church, or any other
! church.
| Defendant denies specifically that it
/ has or ever did receive money from
bany prisoner or person committed to
+ lit, in payment of fines, or that it ever
| released any person in consideration
isof the payment of any money to it;
| or, that it is or ever has been collecting
| any sum of money from persons com
b mitted to its keeping, or that it ever
/ threatened to do 80.
I Defendant denies that it ever at any
bftime, or upon any occasion. wrong
fully or unlawfully incarcerated, con-
fined or imprisoned persons who had
been committed there, beyond the
period described in their commitment.
inBut. for the purpose of avoiding any
confusion in this matter. and being un-