The new North-west., 1897-02-19
CARE OF coNvlcTs.
hill Proposing Radical Change In the
system Now in Vogue.

System Now in Vogue.
Representative Mcmahon has intro
duced into the house bill to repeal the
law under which the convicts are being
cared for at the state penitentiary and en-
acting new one which makes radical
changes in the entire system, says the
Independent. The state now, as is we'll
known, lets contract for the care of the
prisoners. The bill Of Mr.. Mcmahon be-
gins upon the supposition that the state
is to own and operate the penitentiary it.
self, and it goes into the duties of the
various officers connected with it, the
manner Of their appointment, and their
annual compensation.
There are to be, to begin with, three
directors for the general government of
the institution, no two of whom shall be
OF the same political faith, who shall be
appointed by the governor, with the con-
sent of the senate. One is to be appoint
ed every two years, unless sooner re-
moved by the governor, "for cause" and
there are other officers named in the act,
the warden, who is appointed by the
governor and confirmed by the senate,
and other officials who are named by the
board Of directors and who hold their
offices during the pleasure of the board,
unless sooner removed by the warden for
cause. The officers so named are the
deputy warden, one clerk, one physician
and surgeon, one chaplain, and one mat
ron, besides such keepers as the warden
and directors shall deem to be requisite.
The term of the warden is four years. ,un-
less the governor removes him for cause.
The powers and duties of the directors
are prescribed at length by the bill, be-
ing the same as those of the directors Of
other penitentiaries similarly conducted
in other states. They are required to
look into the conduct of all matters in
connection with the penitentiary, the
punishment and employment of prison
ers, and the purchase of supplies for the
institution. The board has power to COM
pei the attendance of witnesses whenever
holding any investigation of any charges
preferred by any citizen Of the state.
The manner of making the charges is
also prescribed, and the power of the
board to prescribe rules and regulations
for the government of the penitentiary is
defined in detail. No director of the
penitentiary shall hold any other connec-
tion Herewith, and no director shall have
any connection, directly or indirectly, with
any contract in connection with it, under
a penalty of $4,000.
The warden's salary is fixed at $4,000 a
year, and the directors are allowed 81 q
day and expenses, the same travelling
fees as are allowed members of the legis-
lature being accorded them. The bill
goes at length into the duties and power
of the warden, the annual reports of the
institution that shall be made by the
warden to the board and by the board to
the governor. The salary of the deputy
warden is 81, 800 year, that of the clerk
$1,000, the physician $1,000, the assistant
bookkeeper and prison guards $75. The
assistant keeper is to be allowed two
suits of clothes each year, to be made of
uniform pattern, and no assistant keeper
shall be allowed to appear on duty with
out such uniform. None but citizens
shall be employed in the penitentiary.
All the attaches of the penitentiary are
exempted from military and jury duty
and from liability to work on the public
roads.
The prisoners may be employed, the
bill provides, whenever the directors may
deem it advisable, but in no case shall
they be taken outside Of the prison walls.
Then in a contradictory passage, the bill
says:
"The board may, in its discretion, cause
the prisoners to be employed in the build
ing of reservoirs for storing water, irri-
eating bitches, or roads for the state, and
furnish any convicts that may be so en-
ployed with any material that may be
deemed necessary, in the same manner
as is provided for the furnishing of sup
plies and stores to the states prison, and
the board shall, in all respects, have the
exclusive control of and employment of
the convicts. No such employment,
the bill concludes, "shall come into COM
petition with free labor except as herein
before specified"
Ranchmen and others will please bear
in mind that George Cocl1rell is selling
wagons, buggies, harness and all kinds of
farm machinery and implements lower
than any other house in this section of
the country. 49tf
How's This.
We offer One Hundred Dollars reward
for any case of Catarrh that cannot be
cured by Halls Catarrh Cure.
We, the undersigned, have known F.
j. Cheney for the last IS years, and be-
lieve him perfectly honorable in all bust
ness transactions and financially able to
carry out any obligations made by their
firm.