Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-23
CRIME
: iNCREASI ING?
Col. Tom McTague Thin Ks It IS
in Montana.
CONVICTIONS ARE FEWER
The Prison Brass Band Will: BE one
of the Features at Deer
Lodge.
CONVICTIONS ARE F EWER

Colonel Thomas McTague of Conley &
McTague, pe%nitentiary contra tols at
Deer Lodge, is of the opinion that CRIME
is on the increase in Montana, but that
convictions for crime are not lncreas-
ing in the same ratio.
.'Three years ago." said Colonel Nc
Tague to a Helena independent man,
1--WE had 81 convicts in the Deer Lodge
institution; now there are 342. Although
we have fewer convicts now than then, l
am convinced, l am sorry to say, that
there has been no decrease in crime IN
this state. I have taken some interest
in this question, and while l have no sta
tistics to spring on you, l firmly believe
that more criminals escape from our
courts now than they did several years
ago. I do not pretend to know the rea-
son for this, but from a study OF the
newspapers, which form the best record
we have of crimes as they are committed,
I should say there We're more cases dur
ing the last six or twelve months than IN
preceding periods Of the same duration.
Look back over the year and recall to
mind the number Of homicldes IN TINS
state, and then turn to the records or the
courts and note how many persons are
being punished for one form or another
of murder for these affairs, and the re-
suit will surprise you. However, DON'T
imagine that I a v n complaint 70
make, for I haven't"
Colonel McTague said that the Oldest
convict-the man who had been a prls-
oner in the institution longer than n
other person-is Michael Foley, while the
latest arrival, when he left, was Joe Will
son. who was convicted in Judge Smiths
court Of burglary last week and SEN
fenced to IL years Imprisonment.
Foley said Colonel McTague, was
sent up from Beaverhead county in 1879,
20 years ago last March. He killed a
man. and was sentenced to life impris-
onment. He is now an old man, and y
suppose that he has no hope Of ever be-
ing released. I doubt if he could take
care of himself if he were released. Long
ago he concluded to make the best OF his
Imprisonment, and he came to look upon
it p~hilosophically as a thing TO pc en-
dured without complaint. He never gives
us any rouble.
"Wilson, the newest man, has appa-
reutly been in prison before. The mo-
ment he entered the office he spread his
handkerchief out and began to empty
his pockets, making up a neat little bun
die of his personal effects. Conley
laughed as he asked Wilson if he hadn't
been there before, but Wilson never said
a word. He acted like an old hand"
The pe~nitertiary now has a braas band,
and a good one, too. Conley & McTague
have organized it from among the con-
victs, sent for a bandmaster living
at Davenport, Iowa, to instruct and man
age the organization. There are several
advantages about the prison band, for it's
members cannot plead hat they were
detained somewhere on private or other
business when the bandmaster wants to
) know why they didn't attend practice.
They are all uniformed to begin with,
too. The members are all on hand at
practice; they couldn't void it if they
wanted to. The %precaution was taken,
the longtime me2, SO that there is no
danger than when once organized the
band will be proken up by the departure
Of it's members. Conley & McTague pur-
chased the instruments and already the
band is making good Roadway under the
instruction of the man from Davenport.
who is also a guard at the prison.
: I'VE think the band a good thing" said
Colonel McTague. '"The men are taking
they are making remark able progress
I think that by the time the state prison
commissioners come over to make their
regular inspection. We can give them a
! ~serenade. There are "a pieces in the
band.
1--WE have to give the men some amuse.
ment, you know. If they are treated
|. right, they show their appreciation by
giving less trouble than they would il
they had no privileges at all. At the very
best, imprisonment in a p~enitentiary is
pretty severe punishment. You would
think 80 If you knew how anxious SO PEI
cent of them are to get out.
IF the state authorities do not decid.