The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-19
THE BOARD MAY RESIGN
REFORMATION DIRECTORS ARE
TIRED OF CRITICISM.
Governors Recent Interviews as to
His AppOintees' COnduct-A Special
Meeting Next Tuesday.

Governor Mount has created a stir of
large proportions by assailing the manage
ment of the Reformatory at Jeffersonvile
When the last Legislature passed the law
converting the Prison South into the In
diana Reformatory it was largely influenced
in it's action by the reforms brought about
by Warden Hert, such as the grading sys-
tenn, the adjustment of corporal punish
ment and the general improved discipline
and efficiency of the prison. The Governor
took not a little pride in appointing as
members of the board of management men
conspicuous in the State for their integrity
and business ability. The board is bipar-
tsan composed of Senator H. c. Duncan,
of Bloomington, James R. Henry cashier
of the State Bank of this city, the Repub-
lican members, and Senator Thomas E. Ell
lison, of Fort Wayne, and Judge Terhune,
of Greene county, Democrats. The Legisla-
ture, in the act creating the Reformatory,
provided that the administration expenses
should be paid from the earnings of the
institution, with the approval of the Gov
ernor.
The law went into effect April 1 and the
old appropriation for the maintenance of
the institution held over until Oct. /. The
auditor of state and the attorney gen.
eral held that till this was exhausted all
the earnings should be turned into the state
treasury. The matter was tested in court
and decision was rendered few days ago.
sustaining the Reformatory authorities On
Tuesday the board called on the Governor
to obtain his formal consent to the use Of
this money in various improvements con-
templated. The next day the newspapers
contained interviews with the Governor, in
which he declared that at both of the pris-
funds aDDfODriaTe1 SneCial
had been diverted to the Improvement of
the Wardens houses (Which are the prop
erty OF the State), and declaring that this
transportation of funds must stop The
plan of implication of the interviews was
that species of fraud had been prac-
ticed at both the Reformatory and Prison
North.
The directors of the State Prison have
taken no action yet but the board of man
ayers of the Reformatory has called a spe-
cial meeting at JeffersonVille next Tuesday
and the Governor has been asked to attend.
The members have been corresponding
among themselves and there is little doubt
that all will tender their designations. In
one of these letters member of the. board
says: Il have been at much trouble and
expense in attending all meetings of the
board and looking after the institution and
cannot consent to thus give up my time
simply to be harassed with unjust criticism.
If we are to be held responsible for making
the Reformatory what ii should be [ cannot
consent to act simply under orders from
some one who knows nothing of the details
of the work" h3fL
The members of these boards do not re-
ceive compensation for the time they devote
to the work of the State and it is simply
a labor for love.
In one of the published interviews the
Governor is quoted as saying: Il have had
occasion to say to Warden Harley, Of the
States prison at Michigan City, that he Is
using money for purposes not intended by
the Legislature. The General Assembly APP
propriated a sum for the repair of some
outbuildings. Now the warden has saved
enough out of that sum to paper and other
N1riSn i111nr fhn of lie
dence. That money saved ought to have been
covered back into the state treasury If it
had been suggested to the Legislature that
the money was to be used in papering the
house 1t would not have been appropriated
/ know of a great many persons who would
like to have their houses repapered; l am
one of them. / recently erected home in
the country, and the walls are still bare
because 1 have not had the ready money
with which to have them decorated
One of the members of the prison COM
nlittee of the Senate during the last ses-
sion said, concerning this matter! last even
ing when your committee visited the
prison the warden was living in a house
that had originally been built for stable
1t had wooden partitions and was a ram
shackle affair. The State is supposed to
provide a residence for the warden and
deputy warden. A house had been built
for the deputy warden at an expense Of
$4,000, and several of the members of the
committee suggested to the warden that, as
a change of deputies was about to be made
he move into this other house Warden
Harley was asking for an appropriation to
build house, and we did not feel able to
vote this, but it was suggested in the COM
mittee that $500 be given him for repairs on
his house: L opposed this on the ground
that the house was not worth repairing
Various suggestions were made, among
them an appropriation of $50 but members
demurred that this would look like an in
suit. Finally, Senator Duncan suggested
that the appropriation be made, with the
understanding that the warden should use
$500 or $500 from the general tund OF the
prison for his house. and this was agreed
to in open committee with both Democratic
and Republican members present.