The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-14
GOVERNOR WON |
Dust RUSSELL As
HOUSE DEMANDS
Il Will Back Him, for ! Think Him
a Capable Man for the Position" ("
He Says To Demand That
Warden Be Removed.
Russell Wants Milton A. McRae and
Others To Investigate-0gg Bill
Passes, 73 To 8.

(From q stan CorrespondentD.
LANSING, Mich, April 14.-0ov-
Osborn will not remove Warden Rus
sell, according TO a statement made
By him today.
II have known Russell for rs years
and members OF the board tor nearly
as long time," said the governor. Il
have visited the prison many times,
sometimes spending two or three days
there, and am In a position to know
conditions as well as the members OF
this committee who were there only
a Week. | will back Warden Russell.
for think him capable man for the
position. With the class OF convfcts
who have been consigned to him, do
not believe any one could have done
otherwise and kept control OF the
prisoners
Il am In favor OF the majority re-
port. said the governor emphatically.
But the majority report states that
the punishment of prisoners has at
times been overdone." was suegested.
1T may have in some instances, be-
cause no one is perfect, but not In
degree to demand condemnation OF
Russell" said the governor.
Russell wishes the appointment or
commission Of nine or 10 unbiased
men to make another investigation.
He has named in NE list Milton A.
McRae. Abner K. Larned, K. III. Doyle,
j. L. Hudson. Rev. Myron Adams and
Ben s. Hanchett.
Il do not think that such an In.
vestlgation is necessary, but II Rus
sell makes the request directly to
ma \ Aaf ah.D a %
said the governor.
Russell asked the governor to ap-
point such board before the present
legislative investigation, and the gov.
ernor told him II was unnecessary.
That the majority sentiment Of the
house Is at variance with that Of the
governor was shown this morning.
when II passed by vote OF 73 to 8, the
Ogg bill, abolishing corporal punish-
ment In state prisons.
1t is expected that resolution win
be introduced this afternoon, calling
on the governor to carry out the de-
mands OF the minority report There
is also talk Of impeachment OF the
board Of control. Some OF them, ar.
dent anti-Russellites, were bitter in
their criticism of the chief executive
The report of the minority of the
Marquette prison investigating COM
mittee was adopted by vote Of 81 TO
29 at l o'clock this morning. The
report recommends the removal OF
Warden Russell and Of bis entire
board of control.
The house chamber was packed
when Reading Clerk Newkirk took mp
the majority report. Rep. Kalmbacit
Immediately moved the substitution
OF the minority report. As Newkirk
concluded the reading Of the minor
ity report, there was loud applause.
Rep. Kalmbach began his argument
for the minority report by referring
/ to Warden Russell as "one Of the
greatest brutes In Michigan" yet pos
sessed of such political power that
IL required no little amount Of cour-
age to antagonize him. He declared.
however, that he would not be shaken
from his position or intimidated from
doing his duty.
| II can imagine how a man could
turn a switch and send a death cur
rent through a man." said Kalmbach
"I can understand how he could
spring trap for a man to be hung;
II cannot understand how any man
can stand and see a man fiogged into
insensibility."
| The majority report was defended
J by Rep. Warner. who turned TO q
| point OF finding on his desk Of news
paper for which he had not paid.
There were 1.200 pages of testi-
mony taken in this case" said War
ner, but in printing the articles only
snatches have been taken that reflect
| against the warden. II Is a one-sided
piecemeal case. ask Of this house,
to begin with, that you open your
mind and consider this testimony as
| q whole.
II do not say that James Russell
Is a perfect warden, do say that
he fulflls his duties competently and
say unhesitatingly that he conducts
! his prison humanely.
II am going to confine my talk to-
night TO two points, first corporal pun
ishment and secondly the removal OF
Warden Russell and the board OF con-
troll because on these two points all
the points on which the two reports
read to you tonight essentially differ
| Mr.. Warner called attention TO the
fact that few years ago the prisons
of Michigan were graded. He said
Ionia prison was made the state re-