Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-27
A MEMS REFoRMAToRY.
Bill Passes Senate Doing Away With
One Iowa Prison.

Bill Passes Senate Doing Away With
One Iowa Prison.
Des Moines, Feb. 25.-(Special. y
The Emmert reformatory bill, the
most radical measure ever presented
to the Iowa legislature, has passed the
senate. The bill provides that the
state penitentiary at Anamosa shall be
turned into reformatory. Senator
Emmert introduced like measure in
the legislature at the last session.
One of the changes from the former
bill is that pertaining to the age limit
at which prisoners will be admitted to
the reformatory. Instead of from 16
to 35 years, as provided in the measure
two years ago, the maximum limit will
be 81 years. Instead of excluding
from the reformatory all persons con.
victed of burglary, wrecking or at
tempting wrecking of railway trains
and murder, the latter crime will be
the only thing to debar convicts be-
tween the ages of 16 and 81 years
from enjoying the privileges of the re-
formatory institution.
Cost $4,000.
The plan is to convert the present
penitentiary at Anamosa into reform
atory to erect additional buildings, in
Guiding a school building and work
shop or shops, where machine arts
are to be taught along the common
school studies and higher branches,
with a view to both moral and physic-
al development. This measure carries
an appropriation of 100000, with which
70 erect the proposed buildings and
carry out the provisions of the act.
Convicts to Go to Fl. Madison.
The measure provides that all con-
victs at Anamosa, aside from those
who come under the provisions of the
act, shall be transferred to the peni-
Tertiary at Fit. Madison. 1t gives the
board of control authority to remove
there at any time those young prison
ers who become incorrigible for any
reason.
Board of Control Fixes Time.
/ One. of the most important provi-
sions in the act is the one providing
that the state board Of control shall
| fix the time limit of the sentences of
all persons sent to this institution.
Upon the opening of the reformatory
all district judges are to be notified,
and therefore all persons under age
of 81. who have not previously been
imprisoned in the penitentiary, con-
victed of any crime less than murder,
are to be sentenced to Anamosa with
out specification of time, leaving the
board of control complete discretion in
the matter. The bill provides that the
board shall terminate the sentence at
any time it sees fit. but it shall not ex-
coed the maximum sentence fixed by
law. II convicts are removed to Fit
Madison for incorrigibility, they shall
be confined there the remainder of the
maximum term fixed by law for the
crime in question.
Provisions for Pardons.
Provision is made at length for the
reformatory. The board is to estab-
fish rules and regulations covering
the parole of convicts in the reforma-
tory enclosure. No person is to be pa
rolled outside of this enclosure without
the assurance of six months employ
ment in advance. Then report is to
be made to the proper authorities ev-
cry thirty days for the first six months.
For violation of the terms Of parole
the prisoner shall be arrested, return
ed and confined as long as the board
says. The superintendent of the re-
formatory will be required to keep in
touch with paroled prisoners and GER
tify as to their good behavior at the
close of the first six months, when the
board may make the parole permanent.
Other Provisions.
When. the new law goes into effect
the board Of control is to appoint a
general superintendent, who shall ap.
point chaplain, physician and such
other assistants, teachers, guards and
other employees as the board shall
deem necessary and shall fix the sala-
ries of the same. The present war
den and officers at Anamosa peniten-
tiary shall continue as the officers of
the new in-titution until the board is
to make ri, $ and regulations govern.
ing the nst:tution as it has done in
the case of all other institutions.
In the trar. y OF convicts between
the two r""-rnt penitentiarieS, no ex-
changes are to be made where either
institution needs certain convicts to
fulfill contracts with manufacturers
The present laws of the state for the
government of penitentiaries relating
to the prevention of escapes, suppress
sion of riots, revolts and mutinies, or
the punishment of crimes committed
in the penitentiaries, shall apply to
the state reformatory for men. The
expense of the transfer of convicts is
to be charged to the fund of the insti-
tuition from which the removal is
made. The board of control may en-
ploy the labor of convicts in the re-
formatory.