Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-08-31
A MODEL STATE PRISON.
MONTANA'S PENITENTlARY CLASSED
AS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION.

Musical Instruction Furnished Them.
The Montana state penitentiary at
Helena in its care for and manage
ment of its prisoners is q unique in
stitution and might we'll be taken as
a Sodel by many institutions of like
character in the older states. Not
only is every effort made to benefit
the unfortunate. inmates and fit them
for honest lives after they shall have
left the prison walls, but much As done
to render their present condition
cheerful. Wardens Conley and Nc
Tague, who have had charge of the
prison for many years, act upon the
theory that, with all possible allevia-
tions, penitentiary life is severe
punishment and that large percent
ase of the men will quickly show their
appreciation of kindness by being far
more tractable than if they were not
accorded any privileges.
The latest innovation is abe intro
duction of a brass band within the
penitentiary. The band, consisting
of twenty-four pieces, has been re-
Gently organized and is under the in
struction of bandmaster, who also
acts as one of the guards Of the prison.
The penitentiary might also be
classed as an educational institution.
In the prison school, organized four
years since, are taught all the Eng.
lish branches of the ordinary gram
mar schools, in addition to penman-
ship, bookkeeping, typewriting, tele-
graphy and photography. A tele-
graphic apparatus has been set up in
the penitentiary for the use of the
pupils. Teachers as well as students
are taken from among the ranks OF
the inmates.
The school is at present closed ow-
ing to the recent departure of its prin-
clpal. This young man, known as
Harry Brett, is from an English fam
lily of standing and wealth, whose
name is known but to one OF two in
this state. To escape the result of
youthful escapades he came to Mon
tana under an assumed name. He was
at one time assistant city clerk of
Helena, and while holding that posi-
tion forged large number of city
warrants. Others were implicated,
but he alone was convicted.
A brother in England kept himself
informed of Brett's history and short
time before the expiration of his SEN
tence wrote to the governor OF Mon
tana, asking for his brothers release
and Offering to send money enough to
set him up in business in Australia.
His brothers request was granted and
short time since Brett left the pris-
on and the same day was on his way
to Australia to begin life anew.
But the prison school is not the only
remarkable feature of this institution.
In the work performed by the con-
v1cts within the past few years, the
Montana penitentiary has made rec
ord which is to the credit of its man
ayers. Until within the last five or
six years the state prison consisted of
few log buildings of various sizes
and one solid stone structure, all sur
rounded by a high board fence. The
present prison building ranks among
the finest in the United States. Few
will excel in solldity or beauty, for
while symmetrical in outline it is far
less severein appearance than the usual
building of that class, being more
elaborate in detail, more modern in
design and surprising in point of
architectural beauty most institutions
of similar character.
The building is of brick, riveted
with rugged, native granite, 1873 feet
in length, 80 feet in width and nearly
40 feet in height, with four towers
rising to height of 90 feet, the whole
containing floor space of 50, 500 feet.
In addition to this is what is known as
the Assembly hail." building two
stories high, ITO by60 feet, composed
entirely OF brick with trimmings of
granite blocks. Surrounding both
buildings is wall of native rock,
evenly cut aud perfectly matched, ex-
tending nine feet into the ground, 90
feet in height, finished with coping
three feet wide, with massive en-
frances, and with four towers 40 feet
in height. These new buildings and
improvements, which ordinarily would
have involved in their construction an
expenditure of nearly quarter of
million, have been built by the in
mates of the prison, all within the
space of four years and at cost to
the state of less than $50, 900.
This work was at first undertaken
as an experiment with many doubts
and misgivings, but in short time
the wisdom of the plan was demon
strated, so that when it was decided
to erect the main building g-the most
recently completed portion of the
work although it involved considera-
BILE responsibility, yet the commits
sioners and managers had not the
slightest hesitation in giving work to
the prisoners. There were no quar-
rels among the men, no insubordina-
tion, and no attempted escapes while
the work was in progress. Without
chains or letters, aad with but few
guards, the men quarried the rock,
cut and dressed the granite blocks,
moulded and burned the bricks, dug
the sand, burned the lime, cut the
81 h. L.,