Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-12-07
THOROUGH INSPECTION or POOR
HOUSES AND JAiLs MAY
Dc INAuouRArEp.
PRESENT INSPECTION LAW
CONSIDERED INADEQUATE
Supervisors Of Counties Rsady TO Co.
opsrats-Justies Not Always Slow
and Uncertain - stoekmsn We'll
Pleased With Showing Of Iowa at
international Show.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines. Dec. Thorough in
spection by state inspector Of the
county farms and almshouses. char
ity homes and county and city jails. is
suggested by Senator John NJ. Wade Of
the state board of control.
There was a good deal Of discus
sion of the problem Of the county farm
and the county Jail at the recent meet
Ing OF the conference of charities and
corrections" said the senator, and
there was sharp criticism of conditions
as they are known to exist in Iowa.
know that something ought to be
done, and it appears to me that the
right thing might be to require the
board OF control to not only inspect
the institutions where insane are kept
but those where the poor are kept. We
now send out an inspector to visit and
report on all those hospitals, county
and private. where insane persons are
harbored That has proved to be q
very wise law. The board has COM
PEELED improvements and regulations
In very many instances and is freely
consulted by county authorities re-
garding these insane hospitals.
But an inspector goes to county
farm where few insane are kept and
he inspects the building where they
are, tho he has no right to inspect
any part of the institution devoted to
other purposes. It would not be diff
ficnlt for him to also make complete
inspection For a very small additional
appropriation we could provide for in
spection of county farms and poor
houses and also all jails; and if we
had the same authority to compel
sanitary. healthful and moral condi-
tons there that we do in regard to
county and private insane hospitals,
1t would certainly be valuable to the
state and the communities.
I'VE find that as rule the county
officials and especially the members
Of the boards of supervisors, are ready
and anxious to have their institutions
in good condition; but as a matter of
fact they are not always competent to
decide just what ought to be done. BY
giving authority to some central state
board or official, a -great improvement
in condition would soon be secured"
80 -
Justice is not always slow and un-
certain in Iowa where the critics of
the courts have free hand
"A fine example OF melting out JUS
'tice to, an offender IN quick time has
just come to my attention" said Ole
O. Roe, state fire marshal. 1T was at
New Hampton where q discharged
school ianitor was suspected Of hav-
ing tried to burn a school house few
we ekssaAo. His name was Joe Witten-'
berg. The evidence against him was
not conclusive as to the school house,
however. and work was still being
done on that case when he was caught
red handed in the act of trying to set
fire to store. It seems that he had
passed a bad check on the store owner
and wanted to get even with him for
raising row about 1t. Anyway Joe
was caught in such way that there
was no question about what he was
doing. The grand jury had been dis
charged for the term, but the county
attorney, Tim Clarey. proceeded under
this new Iowa law to file information
and make out an indictment against
the man. His attorney, Representative
O'Conner. advised him to plead guilty.
It seems that while he was about 1t
the defendant in the case admitted set
ting fire to the school house as we'll as
to the store. Wittenberg was hailed
into court and sentenced to five years
in prison, and is now at the peniten-
tiary serving time"
Iowa stock men returning from Chi
cago are we'll pleased with the show
ing Iowa made this year at the great
stock show. The winning
of the big prize, the grand champion
steer. for fourth time. is regarded as
u great card for the animal husbandry
department Of the state college at
Ames 1.-The Iowa boys didn't feel very
sure Of that victory" said w. w. Nor
row. state treasurer, who was at the
show. They realized they had hard
fight and strong competitor in the
animal brought from Nebraska. Iowa
won because the animal Victor was
better. finished. tho believe that un-
der like conditions the Nebraska steer
was little the better" The selection