Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-11-03
What the state Prison Investigation Has
Shown.

In the investigation of the Vermont
state prison large amount Of testimony
has been introduced. the hearings have
been necessarily protracted and spread
over considerable length Of time, tend
ing to confuse an understanding Of the
essential facts brought out. a summary
Of these facts will therefore be useful.
II has been established that the pris-
oner Vernon Rogers. get access to Mary
Rogers while she was in solitary con-
hnement. and criminal relations existed
between them.
Miss Parker the former assistant ma
tron, a woman about 10 years old, has
confessed that she had criminal relations
with the warden, Harpin, while employed
at the prison
II has appeared that a guard named
Green attempted suicide by shooting on
account OF his own relations with Miss
Parker.
1t has appeared that the steward era
ven. married man, was in Illicit cor
respondence with a woman prisoner
named Cox. and that another woman
prisoner. named Cady. was go-between
in this correspondence and arranged for
Craven and the Cox woman to meet after
her release.
1t has appeared that another guard
Peaslee. also married. was in clandestine
correspondence with Mary Rogers, let
ters indicating improper relations passing
between them with the knowledge Of the
assistant matron
Miss Kimball. a girl OF Is. who sue
ceeded Miss Parker as assistant matron,
and who held this position until a few
| days ago. has confessed criminal rela-
tons with guard named Burr. This
girl. mature for her years and attractive
in person. was made assistant matron
when she was only Is years old She was
put in charge Of the women prisoners
locking them in their cells at night and
unlocking their cells in the morning-the
only keys for this purpose being in her
possession. She was thus thrown into
direct contact with depraved women. and
she stated at the hearing that she fell
under the control Of Mary Rogers-that
the Rogers woman had a spell" over
her and caused her To do her bidding.
| II has appeared that the steward. Cra-
/ ven. told the assistant matron. Miss Kim
ball. that he saw the correspondence he
I tNFtA WI liNi ANtetAN anu +hfiiF ANN-'A1 q
/ while it was going on.
Without attempting to anticipate the
| conclusions Of the investigating commit
| tee II seems TO have been established
/ beyond question that Superintendent
/ Oakes. while not personally cOgnizant Of
/ these revolving conditions. had allowed
! his management OF the prison to become
reprehensibly lax He appears To have
/ been under the control of his subordi-
mates to a great degree. and even TO have
| stood In fear Of them. He was not so in
| touch with them as to discover their mis-
deeds. and repelled rather than encour-
! aged reports to him Of misconduct.
These disclosures are a shame to Yer
mont For them there is no excuse or
palliation. The least that can now be
done is to establish entirely new manage
ment at the prison. and strict discipline
/ among ITS employees, and SO TO change the
existing laws for prison direction and
oversight on the part Of the state as to
render "a repetition Of these conditions
impossible.
1t is understood that the probe of the
| investigation has now gone practically
to the bottom. and that the session to
be held next week will bring the work to
| an end.