The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-06-25

The Chief Executive Without Mincing
Words, Accused Warden hert Of Di.
\ verting State Money TO Other Chan.
nels Than Those Provided by Law
The Wardens Luxurious Home Con.
trasted With the Condition Of the
Prisoners-An Incident Where q Po.
Iitical Pull Was Worked At the Ex.
pense OF the State.
indianapolis sun.
The board of managers of the
Jeifersonville reformatory and War
den Hert were in the governors
parlor, Tuesday afternoon. They
went away knowing what the gov
ernor thinks of certain matters in
|, connection with the management
of the institution. The meeting
was brought about by the decision
of Judge Carter, of the Marion cir
cult court, on the question of the
availability of an appropriation.
The board of managers want to
pay salaries out of earnings before
November 1st, and still draw the
$4,000 appropriation for a years
maintenance. The appropriation
was reduced by the last legislature
to $50, 900, with the understanding
that salaries were to be paid out of
earnings. The board wants the
$4,000, and in addition pay for
salaries out of earnings. This
means loss to the state of about
$4,000 not contemplated by the
legislature when it created the re-
formatory. But Judge Carter held
that the legislature intended the
Appropriation of $S5, 900 to continue
until Nov. /, and in the meantime
that the salaries could be paid out
of the earnings. However, it was
also held that the approval of the
governor would be necessary before
the board of managers could get
possession of this money. So the
board has been attempting to show
the governor that the money is
needed.
Gov. Mount has decided to hold
the board in check until it is shown
that the money should be used, then
he says he will turn it over. In
other words, he is holding the reins,
and can check mad career in ex-
penditures when he thinks it neces-
sary. He took occasion to question
the board and Warden Hert on the
luxurious home which the warden
occupies, pointing out the inconsis-
tency of the plea for the prisoners
when the states money had been
spent for the beautiful residence of
the warden and fine carpets on its
floors. Following are some of the
pointed questions which the COVER
nor put:
Gentlemen, Iwould give ny con-
sent to this change in minute if |
was convinced that it was necessary
or would do the good you picture.
But want to ask you few ques-
tions Didn't yon build the ward
ems house out of funds which
should have gone toward improving
the conditions of the prisoners?
And haven't you furnished it in a
style OF gradeur which has caused
comment throughout the state? And
does not the warden live off Of the
state? Is not his table kept at the
expense of the state? Are there
not other violations of the law such
"a this going on?
IL want to tell You that this thing
is all wrong. The money you have
spent in these extravagances should
have been devoted to the interests
of The prisoners, and it comes with
poor grace from you to come to me
now and tell me in what terrible
straits the prisoners are. You are
living in a style never before at
tained by you before you became a
public employee; you have no right
to live off OF the state. There is
not a dollar of appropriation for the
warden's table or for handsome
furnishings for the warden's house.
There has been too much warden
around these institutions and not
enough attention to the prisoners. !"
"This thing has got to cease"
the governor. "Such
misappropriation Of funds will not
do and / do not intend that such
practices shall continue"
The governor says tnat Warden
Hert is a good warden, introduce
ing various reforms and raising the
standard of the institution in the
past few years, but that he is in
clined to extravaganza in his home.
The governor says he would have
to say about his home if the
warden was not fed and housed at
the states expense, which, ne de-