The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-16
NO TRACE OF CRUELTY
STATE PRISON OFFICERS EXONERATED
FROM ALL CHARGES
Not a Suspicion of Improper
Treatment Was Discovered by the
Gentlemen Who Took Testimony.

The commission appointed some
months ago to investigate the charges
that some of the convicts of the state
prison at Saltwater had been subject
ed to cruelty by Deputy Warden Lem
on filed its report with Gov Clougn
yesterday.
The commission exonerates the pris-
on officials from all suspicion of i'm
proper treatment
1t finds the prison fare all right
1t finds the clothing furnished ex-
| cellent and comfortable
The labor Of prisoners is not exces-
sive.
The prison Is excellent in every de-
tail.
The w2rden's administration is found
just, fair and honorable
The commission finds that the great
majority of infrictions of discipline
which called for seemingly hard treat
ment came from cOnVictS more or less
of unsound mind.
In conclusion the commission finds
none of the charges of cruelty sustain
ed
And
The commission congratulates the
state upon its possessing such an en-
ceptional penal intuition.
Following is. the report in full:
To the Hon. David NJ Clough Governor
of the State of Minnesota-Sir: The COM
mission appointed by you on the 28th dav
of October, 1897 for the purpose of fully
and thoroughly investigating certain charges
OF inhuman treatment of convicts at the
minnesota state prison, at Saltwater, and
other charges Of mismanagement of that in
stitution by its officers and their subord-
mates, which were made in the public press
OF this state, and also to investigate all
other matters pertaining to the general
management of the state prison and the
treatment of the convicts therein confined
hereby makes this, it's report, in pursuance
OF such appointment
Your commission, thoroughly appreciating
the Importance of the matters entrusted to
1t, entered upon its duties with determina-
tion to thoroughly investigate the same and
to arrive at a just conclusion without re-
gard to any consideration except the discov-
cry of the truth. We met at your rooms
in the state capitol the 4th day of No
vember, 1897 and settled such preliminary
matters as were necessary to enter upon our
duties. We published in six of the princi-
pal papers OF the state, the following no.
tice:
''The commission, appointed by the gov
ernor to investigate certain charges made
against the officers and management of the
state prison, will hold its first session at the
prison, in the city of Saltwater, on Monday,
the 18th day of November, 1897, at 3 o'clock
p. IN. All persons wishing to present any
evidence in support of such charges, are re-
quested to appear then and there, and they
will be heard
-"Chas. E. Flandrau, Chairman"
This notice apeared in such papers on
three alternate days. In pursuance of such
notice, your commission attended at the Of
fee of the prison, in saltwater, On the 18th
day of November, and commenced the in
Vestigation.
We made a thorough personal inspection
of the entire prison in all It's departments,
from which we learned the character of the
work performed by the convicts, the nature
of the food upon which they subsisted, the
clothes with which they were supplied their
general living accommodations, and also the
general sanitary condition and management
of the prison.
Nothing Escaped Them.
We examined every official connected with
the prison in any capacity, and feel assured
that there was nothing worthy Of observa-
ton connected with the prison, that escaped
The commission during this investiga-
ton, held thirteen sessions which were
distributed between Saltwater, Minneapolis
and st. Paul, and were regulated SO as 10
accommodate the witnesses who appeared
before us. We examined at these various
sessions, about one hundred and fifty wit
nesses, and preserved all their testimony
in a typewriter record, except such as
was given by prisoners in secret session.
We also received very large amount OF
documentary evidence consisting OF the
various forms used by the officers and
managers of the prison in conducting its
affairs, and also numerous records of pris-
OD6TS Iudl were gel W INC
ton as we proceeded with it. The general
method of taking the testimony of wit
nesses adopted by US, was to allow those
making the charges to put in their evil
dence first, which consisted Of a large num-
ber of citizens, most of whom had IN SINE
way been previously connected with the
prison as employees, and also large num-
Der who had been inmates OF the prison as
convicts and had been discharged there
from. We also gave an opro 'tunity to an =
one confined within the prison, to appear
before US, and under promise of absolute
secrecy to lay before us any matter or
grievance that they desired. We also took
an alphabetical list of the prisoners then
in confinement, which numbered over five
hundred. From these, we selected at ran
dom a. large number not knowing who
they were or what they were imprisoned
for. and had them Immediately brought be
fore US and in secret session, under prem
ise of perfect immunity, examined them
generally as to their treatment and their
knowledge of the treatment CT o. hers. TIE
convicts so examined, taken from all
the different departments of the prison,
and thoroughly questioned as to their
knowledge of the subjects upon which we
desired to be informed. All witnesses ex-
amined before us were under oath.
After having exhausted the evidence of
an accusing character, we called upon the
dence they desired in explanation and ex-
onoration Of any of the charges that had
been attempted to be establ shed before US,
and they very fully responded to our call
in that respect, and the testimony then
closed. All of the testimony both of the
witnesses taken orally, except that of con-
victs as above stated, and the documents