The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-01
CRUELTY IS SHOWN
CHARGES AGAINST PRISON MAN.
Ayers TOO SPECIFIC TO AD-
NIT OF DOUBT.
COMMENT OF STATE PRESS.
COMPLETE APPROVAL OF THE
GLOBES COURSE IN MAKING
THE EXPOSURES
TIME FOR AN INVESTIGATION
Every Precaution Should Be Taken
to See That 1t Is Thoroughly
Made.

to See That 1t Is Thoroughly
Made.
The exposures of the Globe re-
garding brutality at the state prison
have been so specific that the entire
country press of the state is aroused
and in earnest in its demand that the
investigation shall be thorough and
that those responsible for the present
condition of affairs in that institution
shall be removed. Following are some
of the latest comments:
Cruel and inhuman treatment of prisoners
in the state prison at Saltwater is charg
ed. 1t cannot be Investigated too quickly and,
II found to be true, stopped in short order.
Minnesota could not stand such disgrace
Springfield Advance:
Gov CIough has appointed committee to
investigate the sensational charges made by
the st. Paul C l o against the manage
ment of the Saltwater prison. 1t is said
that the assistant warden has insisted ON
enforcing discipline with club or any other
argument which came handy, and the super
sensitive G o b e is suffering great mental
torment as a consequence.
Our opinion is that the rod has been spared
too often in the penitentiary. The criminals
confined there should be made to strictly
obey the rules suffer the consequences, and
the punishment should be something more
severe than the cutting off of the pie sup
ply for day or two.-Anoka Herald
The st. Paul Globe or Friday devoted
nearly a page to an exposure of crueltles
practiced on conyicts in the penitentiary at
Saltwater. The article opens with hot
roast, which is backed by the sworn testi-
mony Of men who have acted as guards in
that institution for several years past
Glencoe Enterprise.
The brutal treatment. Of some of the in
mates of the state prison by the officials
if reports true, would lead us to be-
lieve that the officials guilty of grosser
crimes than many of the inmates who are
serving life sentence. The matter should
be estigated.-Montgomery Messenger.
Recent issues of the st. Paul G l o e con-
tain exposures of cruel treatment of the in
mates of the state prison at Saltwater The
alleged cruelty appears to be well proven.
Evidently the penitentiary officials need
thorough overhauling.:- Brainerd Journal
Warden Wolfer and Deputy Warden Lemon
charged with cruel and inhuman treat
ment Of the unfortunate inmates of the state
prison. rigid investigation should be made,
and If the officers are guilty, as charged,
they should be treated to dose OF their
own medicine, regardless of their political af-
filiations.-Lamberton Star.
Either the St Paul Glob and a lot of
prison guards are colossal liars or the deputy
up by the heels. Suspicion will rest on the
deputy until he clears himself of the awful
charges Of brutality.-Menahga Messenger.
While at first thought, it might seem to
many persons that the charges of cruel and
inhuman treatment of prisoners at the STILL
water penitentiary were actqated by partisan
motives and therefore entitled to no consid-
Grafton the many specific charges that are
being made are sufficient to make careful IN
vestigation advisable. Gov Clough avows his
;y,E~ tn int
committee, and such early action on his
part will be approved by the people of the
state.-Appleton Press.
The st. Paul D ally 10 e is unearth-
ing and exposing the brutality OF Deputy
Warden Lemon, OF the penltentlary at Still
water, toward the prisoners in his charge
Fergus Globe.
u 1t is long time since there was a shaking
up at the state prison at Saltwater; too long,
in fact If the information received by last
Saturdays st. Paul G l o b e is as true as it
appears to be. 1t is nearly decade since
the state of Minnesota stirred by in
famous revelations from behind those tightly
barred walls which caused an almost com
plete turning over OF the then regime, ana
the delivery of the institution to men who
were looked to manage it right The G l o b 9
of Saturday gave the narrative OF the death
Of Nels Heen, which was caused from the
brutal treatment received at the hands or
Deputy Warden Lemon; 1t also gave the
story of a brutal assault on Chadles aahn,
another convict, who was rendered insane and
removed to the Rochester asylum from
blow on the head by OF the guards. The
prison is said to be the scene of many brutal
acts.-Hallock Enterprise;
It is we believe. the wish Of every citizen
of this city that this investigation may be as
searching and thorough as the occasion re-
quires and that, when finished, whatever the
outcome may be- the institution may receive
a clean bill of health up to the date Of the
report of the committee, that new start
may be made from that point and that there
be no such thing as going behind the returns
in the years to come. Gov. Clough has done
his full duty in this matter, now let the
commission do its duty and do it as thorough
ly as possible.-Stillwater Gazette.
Deputy Warden Lemon, of the states pris-
on at Saltwater, is said to be cruel, in
human wretch who abuses every one who is
so unfortunate as to come within the reach
of his power and displeasure, Charges OF
brutal and inhuman treatment of prisoners
have been made against Lemon. 1t is said
that he and other prison officials are de-
manding an investigation. If one is held
the whole matter will end in withdrawing
of the officials and the cruelty will continue
Observation-Disclosures Globe
Gov. Clough announced yesterday that he
will order an investigation of the charges
recently made in the columns of the st. Paul
Globe against the management or the state
prison. alleging that grossly brutal treatment
has been accorded the prisoners by Deputy
Warden Lemon and other othclals. lhe gov
ernor saws the investigating committee Will
be three or five in number ana VIII De COIL OH
nosed of reputable business men, wholly dis
Interested and of such standing as Will en-
title their finding to the respect Oh every
hodv concerned. None Of the board or prison
noanaqers or the board of charities and cor
rections will be appointed on the investigating
committee, and the governor says there VIII
he no Whitewash If he can prevent 1t. Inc
governors intention will meet PUBIC ap-
prevail. The specific and serious charses VI
brutality published by the Globe demand a
full investigation by impartial commits
sion which will not seek to whitewash any
person connected with the management CT
the state prison.-Duluth Herald
Serious charges against the management OF
the saltwater state prison have been given
publicity by the st. Paul U o o: warren
Wolfer has sensibly demanded an inVestiga-
ton Considering VOTERS views on pencil
GOV II would seem more natural for him to
err on the side of leniency, but the charges
Concerning Deputy Warden Lemon need at
tention. in justice to those assailed as we'll
as the people of the state.-Little Falls Her
aid.
If what is published in last Saturdays st.
Paul o @ is true concerning the Still
water penitentiary, 1t VIII prove one OF Th Inc
ought to be a thorough investigation, and
that Immediately. That man Lemon, the
deputy warden, is either demon or else
someone lies. The people Of the state will
wait patiently for thorough lnVesllgatlou.-
Sleepy Eye Herald.
According to the st. Paul o b e. the
Minnesota state prison. slweF h is the tine
guards who have charge of the prison. II
the lob e. s account be true 1t is high
time that reform ia inaugurated.-Elmore
Eye.