The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1896-07-17
CONVICT'S HOME.
WHERE THE MANDATES OF COURTS
ARE ENFORCED.


Handled by the Prison Keepers-scien-
tic observation-disclosures Do Not Occur
Nor or Blood Hounds Needed.
The work on the new building in the
penitentiary grounds is progressing most
satisfactorily and the structure is begin
ming to take definite architectural form.
The design foreshadows that it will be a
handsome and striking edilice and in in
terror fittings it will be the most perfect
building yet constructed in connection
with the prison. Already Montanas
penal institution is one Of the most COM
plete in the world and stands as a model
from every point Of view.
The administration Of the prison is Of
Ghe highest kind of excellence and
proves the remarkable skill and judg
ment possessed by the contractors. In
the strictest sense Of Interpretation the
place is not prison except so far as the
worst and most desperate Of its criminal
inmates are concerned, and degree of
leniency is exercised such as throws
around the place the air of a big work
shop, where a regulation dress is
required.
The visitor to the penitentiary is con-
fronted first by a lofty wall, IA feet in
height, constructed Of gray stone in what
is known as rough ruble without and
square ruble within. At the four corn
ers this walt is surmounted by towers,
each showing different pattern of arch
itecture, and pierced with narrow win
dows which give them the appearance of
the old watch towers that sentinel the
ancient ruins Of the Rhine. This wall is
pronounced by travellers to be the hand
soonest and most impressive pile Of its
kind in the world. and it appeals at once
to every sense of the artistic in its mas
sive and rugged beauty. 1t is IS feet in
height and four feet in thickness, IA feet
extending above the surface. @
AS our laws preclude the employment
Of prison labor there is no provision by
which convicts can be regularly or prof
itably employed, but the contractors long
ago suggested to the state authorities the
feasibility Of turning their labor into the
construction Of comfortable home for
themselves, and thus for two or three
years they have been engaged. The re-
strant of prison life rests lightly on those
whose sentences have but brief time to
run and almost at any time groups of 40
or so conyicts may be seen employed
about various avocations outside the walls
while but one guard accompanies them.
1t would be easy, however, for the armed
sentries on the wall, in the case of Il
break for liberty, to arrest the flight of the
fugitives by rapid firing, while others
could overtale them by mounted pursuit.
Finally, pack Of blood-hounds, kept for
the purpose, would make successful
escape we'll nigh impossible.
Strangest Of all stands out the fact that
the men do not wish to escape and so do
not make the effort Their time is brief
and with their good behavior allowances
and chance Of diminution Of sentence as
a return for their labor, which assures
them restored rights Of citizenship, they
realize the utter folly Of risl1ing the
chance of death in flight or return to
cell to finish out q long and weary term.
The proof of this is shown in the fact
that A men are at work miles from the
penitentiary every day near the noun
tains where they are kept in a tent and
where they remain all the time in the
care of one guard. They have piano
and two violins and after the days work
in fields, the timber or the quarry is over
they have merry evenings in their cool,
canvas shelter. Contractor Conley says
that the ISOLATION of successful prison
management is to treat men with kind
ness and justice and they are not hard to
handle.
The food of the prison is solid and
substantial, equal to that furnished to
working men in mining camps or else
where, and the general care given to the
men is dictated by enlightened expe-
rience and liberal conceptions.
BUTTE.