The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-11
PRISON INVESTIGATING COMMITS
SION LISTENS TO CONVICTS'
STORIES of PRISON LIFE.
FIFTEEN INMATES CALLED IN
WHAT THEY HAD TO TELL, OR DID
TELL, ONLY THE COMMISSION
KNOWS.
AND sTILL,q ANOTHER SESSION
Will BE Devoted Today to the Mar
ratives of Men Who Are Now
In the. Prison.

With the assurance Of the state pris-
on investigating commission that all
| their testimony would be kept an in
violate secret, fifteen conv1cts yester-
day unbosomed themselves and told
what they knew of life in the Still
water penitentiary
Just what they told, naturally, is not
given to the press, but may be inter-
esting to note that. whereas the COM
mission at first decided to hear the
testimony without even the official
stenographer present, this plan was
| shortly abandoned and Gus Wing sent
| for to come to the solitary, where the
secret quest is being pursued. 1t was
explained to the reporters afterWard
by Chairman Flandrau that this was
a ''precaution taken to guard against
disagreement between members as to
| just what a prisoner might have said"
and accordingly betrays the fact that
something of Importance to one side
or the other was elected early during
the inquiry.
Thomas Fleury, the robber Of bank
messenger here a few years ago, was,
according to report, the first witness
| called in the star chamber, and he oc-
| cupied all the forenoon after the re-
! tirement Of the commission. The other
| conVicts in the afternoon occupied less
time, and the commissioners express
ed themselves last evening as greatly
gratified with the progress they had
made.
| At the opening OF the session in the
morning Attorney Penny stated that it
seemed to him that the testimony of
the convicts now III the prison should
| be taken secretly and only the commits
| sion hear or keep the testimony.
| Judge NethaWay objected to this. He
said there would be no objection to the
exclusion of the warden and deputy,
members of the board or officers of the
prison, but he believed that the de-
Tense should have an opportunity to re-
| flute the charges. Mr.. Lemon was on
trial. He might be- subject to indict-
ment, even placed ON trial for his life,
even for murder. 4
The commission retired for a few
minutes, and when they returned Judge
Flandrau announced that it's verdict
was that every convict who wanted to
should be heard, and it was the judg-
ment of the commission that it should
be a private hearing.
Judge Nethaway, protested against
the ruling of the commission.
Judge Flandrau assured the counsel
for both sides that they would be pro-
tected and if anything in the secret
testimony demand explanation or re-
buttal, the counsel would be notified
Warden Wo1fer- suggested that after
/ the commission had heard these men, it,
go through the iArison register on any
tnr I'D Low ,fr-l,& -
and thus get affair consensus of the
opinion of the convicts. This was
agreed to- 2
1t was decided for safety, there be-
ing no grating on the windows of the
administration building, to hold the
sessions with convicts in the solitary.
There were eight or ten convicts on the
| list furnished to the commission by
Mr.. Penney. Judge Flandrau thought
the examination would not take long
There won't be any cross examina-
ton. you know" he said, with an arch
glance at Judge Nethaway, WHO
blushed modestly and did not reply
Judge NethaWay requested that be-
fore the secret inquiry begin, he be per-
m1tted to call one witness and Henry
ii. Rose, who gWaSUreleased last sum-
mer, after serving over twenty-five
years for a homicide in lower town in
1874 was ushered into the room.
1t had been testified in the accusation
by eX-Guard Ewing that he had seen
Deputy Warden Lemon kick Rose
Rose testified that, he had known
Lemon ever since the latter came into
the prison in 1876. asyear after his SEN
tence began. and not only did Lemon
never kick him, but he had never laid
a hand on him. Neither mad he ever
heard him swear at. convicts, nor seen
him use any violence. He had heard
things but had not seen any of them
He had seen prisoners with lame hands
in the prison, eibutedid not remember
any specific instances. Rose stated on
CROSSE examination that he came to the
inquiry in RESPONSE TO a note to his
brother which was brought by one of
the police captains in st. Paul. He did
not read the note, but his brother told
him they wanted him over here at the
prison inquiry.
The list of about dozen convicts
which was presented to the commission
by Mr.. Penney was exhausted about
early in the afternoon, and 1t was de-
termined by the commission to proceed
upon hit or miss policy, something on
the line of that suggested by Warden
Wolfer. This proved so satisfactory to
the commission that it will be con-
tinued for a short time this morning
until the members have obtained what
they consider fair consensus of op1n-
ion. and then the stage will be cleared,
so to speak. for the regular defense tes-
timony.
WAS HE THE ROSE?
1t should be stated in justice to the
Witness Ewing, to impeach whom eX-
Convict Rose, of this city was eX-
amined yesterday, that Ewing said the
nan Rose, who was kicked by Lemon
was a convict who carried water to the
guards. He did not say whether or not
he was the man pardoned this summer
or another one of the same name. The
defense, however, claims that at the
date given by Ewing. this was the Rose
who was on such work The Rose who
testified yesterday had previously told
the G / o b e that he had never been i'll
treated. ~
cnrnyD xuannEpS DuOrrn