The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-14
HOUSE MAJORITY VOTES
TO FIRE RUSSELL
(Ccntinued from page -.

formatory; Jackson was determined
on for a little worse class OF prison
ers and that Marquette was set aside
for bad men," the seemingly incur
able criminals whom 1t desired to
keep the younger and less vicious
prisoners from associating with.
These bad men are the ones that
tears are being shed over now; men
who killed and manned and commit
ted uncomfortable crimes against
their fellow beings, men who are
hunted and feared outside the prison.
These are the men whom you are
now wasting your tears and sympa-
thy upon. tell you. gentlemen. a
criminal of this character cannot
change his spot. A criminal outside
prison is a criminal inside a prison.
They are the same dangerous men.
You say appeal to them with reason.
say IL reason would appeal to these
men, they wouldn't be in prison. They
have been appealed to with reason"
A sharp-pointed knife with five-inch
blade, brandished over the heads of
the members Of the house, formed ole
of the dramatic incidents of the hear
ing.
The knife was in the hands OF Rep.
II. e. Straight, of Coldwater, one of
the most inoffensive men in the
house. It was, he said, similar to
the knife with which Emil Waltz, the
Detroit pervert, stabbed himself In
Marquette prison, when he had been
logged and left within hearing of the
outcries of a fellow prisoner under.
going the same treatment.
Rep. Straight, with Rep. Kalmbach,
signed the minority report.
Rep. Straight declared that he
went to Marquette with his mind un-
biased, but that after listening to the
testimony, he was convinced that Rus
sell ought to be removed.
Straight made another dramatic
play when he asked Rep. Perry, chair
man OF the committee and one of the
signers Of the majority report, for
two letters, written by Deputy War
den Catlin, who is in charge OF the
prison while Warden Russell Is In
Lansing attending the meeting.
Rep. Perry saidhe had received no
letters as chairman Of the commit
tee.
Then II you don't want to give
Il
said Straight. He said the letters were
to the effect that everything was go
ing finely since Will Russell mad
left the prison. This he used TO
emphasize the statement that Warden
Russell had been culpable In keeping
his brother there so long.
Rep. Straight was wrought to few
er pitch by his excitement, and gave
such a harangue as seldom Is heard
outside the revival meetings OF somo
Of the more excitable religious demon.
nations. Nevertheless, he impressed
the audience, including the members
of the house with his sincerity.
Rep. Knight, Of the upper peninsula,
argued that the house had no jurisdic-
ton over the matter, and that the
two reports ought to be sent to the
governor without comment Rep. FER
ry, however, declared that the house
would be guilty Of cowardice to take
any such course and that the merits
of the case ought to be decided. AFTER
the house had voted to begin the IN
vestigation,
The audience then called for Rep.
Straight, but he yielded TO Rep. Whe
Ian Of the 1909 investigating commit
tee, who, he said, had not been treat
ed fairly since he returned an adverse
report, two years ago.
Rep. whelan assailed Russell. say
ing that he had allowed the state to
be filched of 1926, 900 on the contract
system during his term OF office.
Rep. Ogg read a speech containing
statistics and other facts to show that
corporal punishment ought to be
abolished.
An automobile driven by DIR. e. e. Hen
iamin. health officer OF lakewood