The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-26
THE STORY OF A CONVICT
GIVES RISE TO SENSATIONAL RU-
MORs CONCERNING STATE BOARDS.
The True Situation Explained I'm n
Statement from One of These
Organizations.


bers of the State Board of Charities and
Corrections visiting the prisoners confined
in the Michigan City Penitentiary while at
their work in the shops is receiving the at
tention of both the Board of Prison Mana
gers and the Charities Board. Recently
sensational report sent out from Michigan
City alleged that there was an open breach
between the two boards but on the word of
members of both boards this has been
shown to be untrue 1t is claimed by the
officials of the prison that the visits of the
charities board members have not been at
opportune times, in that their roaming
freely among the convicts at work in the
shops tends to injure the discipline of the
prison. An irresponsible convict voluntar-
lily told the warden recently, after one of
these visits that the members of the board
had asked the convicts: Have you any
complaint to make against the manage
ment?" and lis it true that the deputy
warden is a brute?'' This naturally Of
Tended the officials of the prison, who took
the matter before the prison board of man.
ayers, which in turn presented the accusa-
tons to the State Board of Charities for
verihcation and explanation. The whole
sensational story was built up on the as
sumption that the members of the State
Board had asked the questions ascribed 10
them, and that the testimony of the con-
Wet was true. To get at the bottom of
the facts a meeting of the board was held
in the Statehouse yesterday and diligent
inquiry made to ascertain the truth
of the convicts statement Every member
disclaimed having asked the questions
placed in their mouths by the convict and
the sensation of course fell fiat at once.
The officials at the prison, on the assump-
ton that the board had addressed personal
questions to the convicts tending to dis
credit their authority with the prisoners
made some indiscreet remarks to repre-
sentative Of newspaper, who interviewed
them few days ago, but as the story was
palpably the result of a desire on the part
of the convict to gain prestige with
the officials by giving supposed re-
liable information concerning them,
there is now no possibility of the
board of managers and the charities board
clashing. The fact of the matter is, ac-
cording to the members of the latter or
ganization, that a convict has stirred up
mares nest in the hope of gaining prestige
with the officials. The State Board of Char
tiles, at the meeting yesterday, decided to
respect the wishes Of the prison board, and
hereafter confine it's visits to the offices
cry facility will be furnished the members
or committees to make complete investiga-
lions of the management and care of
prisoners. The prison board, according to
Governor Mount, desires the fullest inves-
tigation, and wishes to work, as it has al
ways done, in harmony with the charities
board. and now that the questions that
have recently been agtated have beeen set
tied without any ill-feeing on either side
the work is expected to go on with all
parties in full accord.
IN MOST RESPECTS UNTRUE.
Concerning the reports recently printed
in paper in this city on the alleged clash
of authority between the prison board and
the State Board of Charities. the latter
organization, at its meeting yesterday.
adopted the following statement for publi-
cation which Is sent out by Secretary But
Ter: THE regular meeting Of the Board
of State Charities were held at its rooms in
the Statehouse this afternoon. The usual
formal business was transacted. The at
tention of the board was called to arti-
Gle entitled The Charities Board in the
Indianapolis Sentinel of this date. We de-
sire to say this publication is sensational
and in most respects untrue. The state
ments that are given are unauthorized by
this board, and we desire to deny the rep
reservations made as to its expression and
purposes relating both to the Board OF
Control of the State Prison and to the
Governor. The difference of opinion as to
authority between the Board of Control and
the Board of State Charities we believe is
in the way of adjustment to the satisfac-
ton of ali parties. We think this article
is unfair to the Governor, the Board of
State Charities and the Board of Control
that any paper should admit such an arti-
Gle to its columns without verifying it."