The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-11
CONVICT LABOR LAW
NORTHERN PRISON AUTHORITIES
FIND 1T RATHER EMBARRASSING.
No Means with Which TIC Put Ii Into
observation-disclosures rafions for the
Transfer of Prisoners.

The men at the head of the state prisons
are very dubious about the possible effects
of the law abolishing the contract systems
in prisons and requiring that the products
of prison labor be used TO supply state in
situations. 1t further requires that all work
OF manufacture in the prisons shall be
done by hand where practicable and re
quires industrial superintendent i'm each
prison. AS il passed after the law convert
ing the Prison South into a reformatory it
modifies that law wherever il comes in con-
fiict with it,
The directors of the Prison North had a
meeting here yesterday to go over the text
OF the law well as to look into some of
the provisions Of the minor acts regulating
prisons and they are in doubt as to just
where they stand.
The attorney general was asked what
could be done about one hundred men that
have been working for the Lakeside Knit
ting Company since their contract expired
in January, without a renewal of the con-
tract The attorney general gave an opin-
ion that under the new law this could not
go on, and the contract could not be re-
newed.
The act carries with il no appro-
priation for the purchase of ma
X,
said Warden Harley, and it is difficult TO
see how its provisions are TO be carried
out. The State does not own any machin-
cry or tools and our appropriation is made
simply for maintenance fund and specific
purposes for building the hospital, water
works, etc. None of these can be used for
the purchase of cloth and leather or other
material, III We are to manufacture cloth
ing and shoes for the other institutions
ard none of IL can be used for the pur-
chase of tools or machinery. The directors
a n Alfta
cy arising under a former administration
and it took a great deal of explanation
imburse US. Now. If we should go ahead
and, upon our own personal responsibility.
purchase lot of tools and supplies we
cannot f0retell Just where we would land.
The act forbids us making any new con-
tracts and we now have 100 idle men. We
| always reserved 200 men for work on state
accounts, that is, We work them on the
gardening, in making repairs and at var
ious other jobs for the benefit of the State
about the prison. but these hundred that |
speak of are men who were under contract
| TO the Lakeside Knitting Company. which
contract expired in January. The company
| did not care to renew it until they saw
| what sort of legislation we should have
and now il cannot be renewed. Contracts
| for 175 more men will expire between now
| and the end of the year Fortunately we
shall be able at once to begin building OPP
erations upon the new buildings authorized
| by the Legislature and will be able 10 keep
| all these men at work in constructing the
| new hospital and water works and other
! constructions authorized until probably
| late in the fall. But what we shall do with
them during the winter months is a prob
! lem. With these 2l5 contract men and the
200 men on state account we snail then
have nearly five hundred men on our hands
and unless make some arrangements
| for the purchase of supplies and raw ma
| terial I do not how we are going TO
keep them busy unless we march them
| around the prison. During the next year
| a number of other contracts expire ami
| none of our contracts will be in existence
| four years hence. $50
| much more gradual. When Warden Hurt
| assumed office he found nearly all the con-
| tracts about to expire and made new ones
| for the five years period, many or them
1 formatory law, however, gives contractors
| in both the prisons the privilege OF throwing,
| up their contracts if they do not like 10
| continue them under the SHIFT OF prisoners
| that will be made April l. when all prison
| ers under thirty years VIII be hai1StoA 81
| to the reformatory at JeHersonvine anu
| all over that age will be taken to Michigan
| City. -,
Warden Hert arrived in the city las,
| night 1.-The new law cannot affect us foI
| nine years" said he when the subject was
preached by Journal reporter. our con-
tracts expired nearly year ago, ana ne"
| ones were made for five years. with the
| privilege of renewal for another nVe years
| Thus its effect upon the reformatory Is
| postponed so long that there Is plenty ol
| opportunity to learn whether IT Is a WISE
| experiment. If it shall not prove so 1t car
| be repealed or modified before II get:
! around to rs. and if ii remains upon the
| statue books we shall have ample time tt
| prepare for it, 1 have, therefore, giveI
| very little thought to the matter. though
| can appreciate the embarrassment tina
a system can be worked out for carrying
| the law into effect