The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-07-07
Matt Hunter Still Obstinate.

Every effort possible has been made
to get Matt Hunter, the slayer of Homer
Holland, to conform with the prison
rules at Eft. Madison. But he remains
obstinate and refuses to work. Hunter
has completely baffled the prison Off
Gals, and Warden Jones has had to adj
nit that Hunter is practically his own
master in the penitentiary. Every form
OF punishment has been inflicted to in
duce Hunter to work, but with iron
nerve he has stood the punishment ad-
ministered, and has kept his word that
he would die rather than work.
When the ordinary means failed,
Warden Jones asked his attorneys to
take the matter up and reason with
Hunter. Accordingly Henry Stivers, of
Osceola, who assisted Lewis Miles in
defending Hunter in the trial had at
Osceola, went to Eft. Madison recently
and plead with Hunter to go to work
and make a good prisoner, but it is not
believed that the eloquent words of Mr..
Stivers had the desired effect. Mr.
Stivers is an editor as we'll as lawyer,
and in his paper, the Osceola Democrat,
he has the following to say regarding
his interview with Hunter:
HUNTER IN EXCELLENT HEALTH.
ave saw Matt Hunter, sent up from
this county over year ago for twenty
five years. We were sorry to see him
in striped suit, for he is one of the
obstinate prisoners who refuses to work.
Every means has been employed to in
duce him to fall in line but he simply
refuses. He is not violent, he makes no
trouble, he simply has refused to work.
Punishment, reasoning, persuasion, have
all alike failed with him. We were told
by the warden that in all the history of
the prison there had never been case
so remarkable. He has tried rigorous
) punishment until that means seemed ex-
. hausted, and he has given it up. Hunter
now occupies solitary cell, where food
is taken to him, and he is taken out
, forty minutes each week to get shave
and bath. He sees nobody, he has
} nothing to read, he writes or receives
l no letters. Once last winter his sister
| was allowed to visit him. On this occa-
l sion we asked for him, and he was
t brought to the warden's Office by a
|. guard. 1t was the second outside per-
: son he had seen since the gates closed
e on him. He was clean shaven, his eye
). was calm and clear, his complexion good
}. and he appeared to be in excellent
e health. He seemed to be pleased with
n the visit and for more than an hour con-
a versed pleasantly. He was very serious
and earnest, with no resemblance OF
f levity or carelessness. He spoke of his
n confinement as an injustice, for he hac
~ acted strictly on the defensive. HI
h spoke feelingly of his mother ant
~ sisters. Not one word of complaint es
q capped him of his treatment at thu
" prison. When asked as to his food ant
a bed and treatment he spoke quickly ant
# sincerely that everything was entirel.
+ satisfactory in those lines. We tried t.
9 advise him as to the best course for hir
# in prison, and he heard it all patiently
9, but promised nothing.
v "Just before leaving the prison w
q were told that Matt Hunter would lik
' a further talk, and again he was brough
4 to the warden's Office, and there we hat
o. another visit extending over half al
= hour. We feel much hope that he ma.
! conclude to conform to the prison rules
for in that course his time in prison will
at least be far more tolerable. But hi
: is remarkable case and not to b.
= judged by ordinary standards
Rronchlfis for TWENTY Years