Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1909-01-22
PROBE PRISON (
MANAGEMENT
Legislature Takes Notice Of Re-
ports In Circulation.
ARMED TROOPS GUARD OFFICE

ARMED TROOPS GUARD OFFICE
State Militia MIDDLE at Fever Heat,
the New Appointee as Adjutant
General Holding Possession by
Force-Two Additional Judges Of
the Supreme Court Appointed and
Sworn In.
Bismarck, Jan. 18-The second
week of the legislative session made
ample amends for any lack of interest
during the first week and develop.
ments in several cases of especial in
terest to the public came with the
latter part Of the week. The long her
aided penitentiary Investigation was
set afoot by resolution presented in
the senate by Gunderson of Nelson
county, which called for a committee
from the two houses to inquire into
and pass upon the reports in circula-
ton regarding the past management
of the penttentiary under Warden N.
F. Boucher and the present manage
ment under Warden F. O. Hellstrom.
While such an investigation has been
rumored for some time the investiga-
ton resolution was not looked for so
early in the session and was precipi-
tated by the sensational statements
of press correspondent regarding
the fiscal affairs of the state Irvine
plant in former years and the condi-
ton Of the buildings at the institution.
Gunderson's resolution was passed by
the senate on the same day it was
introduced and went to the house,
where it was referred to the commit
tee on state affairs, which substituted
an entirely new resolution, calling for
committee of four members from
the house and three from the senate,
giving them power to subpoena wit
nesses and call for books and papers
and providing an appropriation for
the expenses of the inquiry. The con-
currence in this resolution by. the
senate will start the inquiry and its
sittings are likely to last for some
time, as it is the general opinion that
the matter will be thoroughly inves-
tigated, as well for the benefit of the
state as for the men whose admins
trations are to be investigated and
who are entitled to the benefit of a
fair and searching inquiry.
i. !. !.
Reports regarding the management
of the penitentiary under the admin
istration of Warden Boucher have
been circulated for several years and
for political effect in the campaign of
last fall. Recently countercharges
have been made regarding the pres.
ent administration through commnni-
cations to the press and the only way
in which the matter will be set at
rest is by the report of an Investigate
ing committee. Up to the present
time no proof has been advanced of
any OF the charges made and they
have been in the shape of yelled in
situations and inuendoes in the press
of the state.
Boucher, the former warden Of the
prison, is a resident OF Bismarck and
was In charge of the Institution for
ten years Hellstrom. the present
warden, was a Fargo man and an ap.
pointee of Governor Burke He has
served as warden for the past two
years.
The state militia muddle has kept
public interest at fever heat for the
past week and so acute did the situa-
ton about the adjutant generals
office become that the governor twice
called out details Of Company A Of
the state militia to maintain Colonel
Peake in the possession of the adju-
tant generals Office and armed mill
ttamen have been patrolling the vicin.
tty OF the Office for several days.
Poole after his dispossession returned
to the Office In the night and resumed
possession, upon which his military
arrest was ordered by the governor
and an order entered for his court
martial on charges of refusing to obey
orders and conduct unbecoming an
officer. A statutory charge. that Of
removing public records, was also en-
tered and a courtmartial detail named,
headed by Colonel 8. L. Nichols of
Mandan, which will meet at the cap.
!tol Jan. % and hear the case. Poole
has retained counsel and M. A. Hill
dreth Of Fargo. retired inspector gen.
eral of the state guard, has been
named as Judge advocate and prose.
cutting officer. The entire state guard