Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-18
|[P|)PULAION OF
PRISONS 0F |ONA
The Reason For This May Be
Commitments by Courts
For Shorter Periods
TENDENCY IN OTHER STATES
The Same Conditions Prevail in Those
States Where There is No Prohibi-
tory Liquor Law Continued De-
cay of Fort Madison Penitentiary
May Cause Its Abandonment.
Special to Times Republican.

Des Moines, April 1S.-Iowa prisons
are being rapidly depopulated. The
records show loss of over % per cent
in six years. Formerly the cells were
filled with many of them two in cell;
now there is room for all and more.
The reports from the two peniten-
tiaries for the quarter ended Marca
|3, last, show that at that time there
were S62 convicts in the care OF the
state. s99 at Anamosa and 463 at Fort
Madison.
When the state board of control toos:
charge of the penitentiaries in July,
1898, reports were secured and these
show 6. total of 1,152 prisoners at the
same places. 627 at Anamosa and 525
at Fort Madison.
Every year since has shown some
decrease in the prison population. Tn 2
total decrease in the six years has been
29O, or more than 25 per cent falling
of from the high mark of prison pop
ulation in Iowa. During the pas.
twelve months the decrease has been
"a at Anamosa and Ia at Fort Madison
The convicts have not run away.
Only one escape has been noted for
many years, trusty who Wake
away from Anamosa and has not since
reported. There has been no epidemic
lin the prisons nor many deaths. The
Explanation of the loss cannot be foun
in the operation of the informal parole
4 ~, furl frlu N
paroles. more than any other governor
the state has ever had. but Governor
Cummns has issued not half rs many
F'rhe legislatures paroled out only
eight.
1t has been suggested that there are
not fewer commitments. but they are
for shorter periods and the tendency
of the courts Is to make short SEN
tences. When Ex-Governor Larrabe
was chairman of the board Of contro!
and noted the decreasing prison pop
ulation. he gave credit for it to the
Iowa prohibitory liquor law. Judge
Kinney, of the board. is not fully sat
isfied with this explanation, for he has
noted that the same tendency to de-
population of states prisons exists IN
some other states where there is no
prohibitory liquor law.
While this decrease of 25 per cent in
prison population has been made, the
state of Iowa has completed at Ana
mosa the newer portion of the peniten-
tiary, doubling the capacity, and has
constructed, largely with convict labor
the most magnificent administration
building for n state penitentiary in th-
10
|itentiary is old and decaying and it is
regarded as possible that If the de-
crease continues the latter may be
abandoned entirely, especially If state
refornatory Is established as pro-
posed, which would take away many
Of the younger convicts.
Three useful laws were made by the
last general assembly for the state
Ienitentiarfes. The law to punish 70.
taking certain articles into the peni-
tentiaries, such as opium. whisky. re-
volvers and knives is one which has
long been needed 1t was only last
Fourth of July that the warden of one
of the penitentiaries took two loaded
revolyers from the person of con-
vict in the penitentiary. Knives and
saws are not infrequently found In
the cells. Whisky and opium are reg
ularly smugeled into the prisons. A
great many OF the ccrvicts are addicted
to the use of opium and they so crave
it that they offer great inducements
to persons to bring it to them. The
opportunity for smuggling contraband
articles to the prisoners Is greater at
A l. @,.& Md Iicf,t fny.f h
work at the open quarries and things
are hid where the conyicts Will find
them. The law allowing the board of
control to classify the guards at Fort
Madison was much needed. and now
they can be paid in accordance with
their years OF service or the compara-
tive danger of their positions. An as
sistant deputy warden was also pro-
vided for at Fort Madison, the same
as at Anamosa. 1t is somewhat Pc
culiar that while the board of control
has the fixing of salaries and designa-
ton of officials at all the state insti-
tutions save the penitentiaries,
the legislature still follows the
old method of legislative pro-
vision for all positions at the peni-
tentiaries. They are not in fact fully
under the board of control.
There is some question as to whether
the new law in regard to the treatment
of dipsomaniacs goes into effect at once
or whether all its provisions must wait
until uhe new asylum Is ready for oc-
cupancy. The remodeling of buildings
at Knoxville cannot be done short of
a year 1t is provided that when the
new place is ready the board of control
shall give notice to all counties and
commitments shall be to Knoxville
But the law makes material changes
In the whole system of handling the
dipsomaniacs. 1t takes the parolfng en-
tirely out of the hands of the governor
and leaves it With the superintendent
and the board. 1t also provides that
no parole can be Issued before six
rnnrtha Tharp la no reason Why all