The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-04-21
GOVERNOR WON'T
REMOVE RUSSELL
viii Appoint Citizen Commission
to Investigate Conditions
AT The MARQUETTE PRISON
Minority Report Of Committee, Adopt
ed by House, Recommends Removal
OF Warden and Board-Osborn's Pet
Measures Fall by the Wayside In
Senate During Past Week.
Especial correspondence).


Senate During Past Week.
Especial Correspondence.
Lansing, Mich.-After listening for
i've hours and half to an exciting
debate. interspersed with dramatic
climaxes, the house, Friday morning.
adopted the minority report of the
Marquette prison investigation COM
mittee.
Never before in the history of a
Michigan legislature was such intense
interest exhibited and such eloquent
oratory produced as heard Thursday
night, when Representatives Warner
and Perry spoke against the adoption
of the minority report, which was de-
Tended by Representatives Kalmbach
Straight, Ogg and Whelan. Not until
the hour was long past midnight could
vote be reached on the question. A
call of the house was ordered, and
when the vote was announced by tn
clerk 1t stood SO to 20 for the adop-
tion of the minority report.
The report submitted by Represent
atives Kalmbach and Straight recon-
mends the abolition of corporal pun
ishment in the penal institutions of
Michigan. 1t demands the dismissal
of Warden Russell, who has charge o.
the Marquette institution. The r..
moval by Governor Osborn of the
three members of the board Of con.
troll of this prison is also advocated.
Governor Will Not Remove Warden.
Governor Osbo n, in a statement civ.
en- out Friday morning, stated that he
believes that Warden Russell is go
warden, and that the Marquette inst
tuition Is a well conducted prison. ~
asmuch as Warden Russell has under
his control the most desperate set CT
criminals in the state. it becomes
necessary from time to time. in ordcr
to enforce discipline. to resort to harsh
methods. The governor, however, ap-
pears to be in favor of abolishing cor
poral punishment and will appoint q
commission of disinterested persons
to investigate the exact conditions e
Marquette.
Russell Victim Of System.
I'm the house rumblings of impeach-
ment proceedings against the warden
and the three members OF the board
OF control were heard Friday. No one
doubts the sincerity of Represents
tives Straight and Kalmbach in differ.
ing with the views of their colleagues
on the committee. Warden Russell is
the victim Of the pernicious contract
system which has been in vogue for
SO many years in the prisons of this
state. With the contract system abol.
ished and the prisoners working in
state account, legislators who have
studied the question say that there
will be fewer complaints and less rea.
son for the punishment of prisoners
In the future.
osborn's Measures Ignored.
The. senate during the past week
has been in a mood to chloroform a
number Of the measures advocated Nv
Governor Osborn. The Lord bill |
which had passed the house and which |
provided for uniform system of az
counting, was killed in committee, of
the whole by the senate. Senators
Fowle and Collins made a strong fight |
for the bill and pointed out that the |
constitution demands such law. hut |
could not overcome the opposition led |
by Senator White.
The workingmen's compensation bill |
'ell by the wayside, and no action will |
be- had along this line OF legislation.
AS a substitute for the bill, Senator
Miller moved that the governor shall |
appoint commission Of FIVE members.
who serve without pay, to investigate
he matter of workingmen insurance
Ind employees compensation, this
to report its findings to
The legislature at the next special or
'egular session.
The Mapes civil service bill. another
measure, was killed by
he senate, Senators Moriarty and
Newton leading the fight against the
bill. The governors measure for a
secret service fund was so amended
,y Senator Miller that all secrecy in
investigating state institutions is done
lway with. The bill as now amended
provides that the governor may with
he consent and advice of the attorney
general appoint secret service agents
whose compensation and number is
liked and limited by the state board of
auditors.
The senate adopted the teachers
pension fund bill, which may receive
adorable consideration by the house.
The enemies of the two cent fare
ill scored point in the senate when,
wing to the absence of several sen.
itors, Senator James was forced To
postpone action on the bill until Tues
lay Should Senators James and
'owle be unable to muster sufficient
strength to pass the bill Tuesday ii
night be amended to allow the upper
PENINSULA railroads to charge two and
me half cents per mile With the ad-
-